Electro-nerve stimulator system and methods
First Claim
1. An electro-nerve stimulation apparatus, comprising:
- a pulse generator for generating electrical pulses, said pulse generator having a first lead interface and a second lead interface;
a first electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said first lead wire fixedly secured to a first connector for electrically coupling with said first lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said first lead wire operably secured to an electrically conductive transcutaneous electrode for delivering electrical pulses generated by the pulse generator to a patient'"'"'s skin;
a second electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to a second connector for electrically coupling with said second lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to an electrically conductive adaptor for electrically connecting with a terminal end of a percutaneous needle electrode, said electrically conductive percutaneous needle electrode having another end insertable into a patient'"'"'s body in proximity to an internal stimulation site to receive electrical pulses from said transcutaneous electrode;
a single-use mechanism comprising a part of at least one of said lead wire sets to effectively discourage re-use of the percutaneous and transcutaneous electrodes.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An electro-nerve stimulation apparatus includes a pulse generator, a first electrically conductive, insulated lead wire, a second electrically conductive, insulated lead wire, an electrically conductive transcutaneous electrode and an electrically conductive percutaneous needle electrode. Connected to one end of the first and second lead wires is a connector for electrically coupling with the pulse generator. The transcutaneous electrode is operably connected to the other end of the first lead wire. An electrically conductive adaptor is secured to the other end of the second lead wire for electrically coupling to the terminal end of the percutaneous needle electrode. The lead wire set includes a single-use mechanism adapted to effectively discourage reuse of the electrodes. In use, the transcutaneous electrode is adhered to the patient'"'"'s skin distal from the desired internal stimulation site. The percutaneous needle electrode is inserted through the skin in proximity to the desired internal stimulation site. The pulse generator is activated to pass current pulses between the transcutaneous electrode and the percutaneous needle electrode through the internal stimulation site.
68 Citations
45 Claims
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1. An electro-nerve stimulation apparatus, comprising:
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a pulse generator for generating electrical pulses, said pulse generator having a first lead interface and a second lead interface;
a first electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said first lead wire fixedly secured to a first connector for electrically coupling with said first lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said first lead wire operably secured to an electrically conductive transcutaneous electrode for delivering electrical pulses generated by the pulse generator to a patient'"'"'s skin;
a second electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to a second connector for electrically coupling with said second lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to an electrically conductive adaptor for electrically connecting with a terminal end of a percutaneous needle electrode, said electrically conductive percutaneous needle electrode having another end insertable into a patient'"'"'s body in proximity to an internal stimulation site to receive electrical pulses from said transcutaneous electrode;
a single-use mechanism comprising a part of at least one of said lead wire sets to effectively discourage re-use of the percutaneous and transcutaneous electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for electro-nerve stimulation, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a pulse generator for generating electrical pulses, said pulse generator having a first lead interface and a second lead interface;
(b) providing a first electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said first lead wire fixedly secured to a connector for electrically coupling with said first lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said first lead wire operably secured to an electrically conductive transcutaneous electrode for delivering electrical pulses generated by said pulse generator to a patient'"'"'s skin;
(c) providing an electrically conductive percutaneous needle electrode, said electrically conductive percutaneous needle electrode having one end insertable into a patient'"'"'s body in proximity to a preselected internal stimulation site to receive electrical pulses from said transcutaneous electrode;
(d) providing a second electrically conductive, insulated lead wire having first and second ends, said first end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to a connector for electrically coupling with said second lead wire interface of said pulse generator, said second end of said second lead wire fixedly secured to an electrically conductive adaptor;
(e) providing a single-use mechanism comprising a part of at least one of said lead wire sets to effectively discourage re-use of said percutaneous and transcutaneous electrodes;
(f) penetrating said patient'"'"'s skin with said one end of said percutaneous needle electrode and advancing said one end into proximity with said preselected internal stimulation site;
(g) electrically connecting a terminal end of said percutaneous needle electrode to said electrically conductive single-use adaptor;
(h) adhering said transcutaneous electrode onto said patient'"'"'s skin distal to said preselected internal stimulation site;
(i) electrically coupling said first and second lead wires with said respective first and second lead wire interfaces of said pulse generator;
(j) activating said pulse generator to generate electrical pulses that traverse the preselected internal stimulation site between said transcutaneous electrode and said percutaneous needle electrode. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45)
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Specification