Nerve stimulator and method
First Claim
1. A device for improved nerve stimulation via a percutaneous insulated needle for the performance of therapeutic interventions targeting nerves within living tissue, comprising a needle electrode, which is percutaneous and is insulated from the tissue except at the tip of the electrode;
- a return electrode;
a pulse generator;
a background waveform generator;
a pulse conditioning circuit in series with the electrical path between the two electrodes through the tissue;
sensors to detect electrical characteristics of the waveforms generated by the two generators; and
a controller for acquiring user parameter choices, for acquiring real-time measurements of the pulse and waveform, for calculating other waveform characteristics from the measurements, for calculating tissue characteristics from the waveform characteristics, and for adjusting parametric characteristics of generators and the conditioning circuit, to produce a desired waveform across the electrodes and to generate various measured and calculated values for the benefit of the practitioner who is advancing the needle electrode into the tissue;
wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the parametric characteristics of the generators and the conditioning circuit in order to produce a desirable waveform across the electrodes by sampling the electrical characteristics of the waveforms using the sensors.
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Abstract
This invention presents a device, and the method it implements, which is an improvement in the design of nerve stimulators. Like conventional stimulators, it uses a percutaneous, insulated needle for the performance of therapeutic interventions targeting nerves. The improvement comprises offering an option for either constant current or constant voltage, offering a choice of waveform parameters, controlling a pulse generator, supplying a second background waveform, measuring the current and voltage applied to the tissue, computing further electrical characteristics, dynamically adjusting circuit components to ensure a desirable waveform applied to the tissue, and displaying measured and computed electrical characteristics of the tissue. The object is improved positioning of a needle tip near a nerve or nerve plexus for regional anesthesia, pain management, and other medical purposes.
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Citations
81 Claims
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1. A device for improved nerve stimulation via a percutaneous insulated needle for the performance of therapeutic interventions targeting nerves within living tissue, comprising
a needle electrode, which is percutaneous and is insulated from the tissue except at the tip of the electrode; -
a return electrode;
a pulse generator;
a background waveform generator;
a pulse conditioning circuit in series with the electrical path between the two electrodes through the tissue;
sensors to detect electrical characteristics of the waveforms generated by the two generators; and
a controller for acquiring user parameter choices, for acquiring real-time measurements of the pulse and waveform, for calculating other waveform characteristics from the measurements, for calculating tissue characteristics from the waveform characteristics, and for adjusting parametric characteristics of generators and the conditioning circuit, to produce a desired waveform across the electrodes and to generate various measured and calculated values for the benefit of the practitioner who is advancing the needle electrode into the tissue;
wherein the controller is programmed to adjust the parametric characteristics of the generators and the conditioning circuit in order to produce a desirable waveform across the electrodes by sampling the electrical characteristics of the waveforms using the sensors. - 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, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. An improved nerve stimulator for the performance of therapeutic interventions and targeting nerves within living tissue, which stimulator comprises a needle electrode, a return electrode, a pulse generator, at least one sensor of an electrical characteristic, and an indicator of the value measured by the sensor, where the improvement comprises
a pulse conditioning circuit in series with the electrical path between the two electrodes through the tissue; -
an improved pulse generator;
a second waveform generator;
a controller for acquiring user parameter choices, for acquiring real-time measurements of the waveform, for calculating at least one waveform characteristic from the measurements, for calculating tissue characteristics from the characteristic, and for adjusting parametric input values for the generators and the conditioning circuit in order to produce a desired waveform across the electrodes, and to generate various measured and calculated values for the benefit of the practitioner who is advancing the needle electrode into the tissue. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A method of improved nerve stimulation via a percutaneous insulated needle for the performance of therapeutic interventions targeting nerves within living tissue, comprising steps of
attaching a return electrode; -
inserting a needle electrode percutaneously into tissue, where the needle electrode is insulated from the tissue except at the tip of the electrode;
adjusting the characteristics of a pulse conditioning circuit in series with the electrical path between the two electrodes through the tissue;
applying a pulse waveform of a specified shape and specified amplitude to the electrodes;
measuring an electrical characteristic of the waveform applied to the electrodes;
calculating a tissue characteristic based on the measured electrical characteristic of the waveform; and
displaying a selected subset of the following;
the user-selected parameters for the generators and other user options, the electrical characteristic, the tissue characteristic, and the location of the nerve. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81)
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Specification