Method and system for cortical stimulation with rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to provide therapy for stroke and other neurological disorders

• US 20060129205A1
• Filed: 02/03/2006
• Published: 06/15/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Angely Widhany, Birinder R. Boveja
• Original Assignee: Angely Widhany, Birinder R. Boveja
• Inventors: Widhany, Angely, Boveja, Birinder R.
• Application Number:
  US11/346,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20060129205A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A method and system for providing rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to cortical tissues of a patient for at least one of, providing therapy or alleviating symptoms of neurological disorders including Parkinson'"'"'s disease, or for providing improvement of functional recovery following stroke. The intracranial electrodes may be implanted epidurally, or subdurally on the pia mater of the cortical surface. The electrical pulses may be provided using one of the following pulse generation means: a) an implanted stimulus-receiver with an external stimulator; b) an implanted stimulus-receiver comprising a high value capacitor for storing charge, used in conjunction with an external stimulator;. c) a programmer-less implantable pulse generator (IPG) which is operable with a magnet; d) a microstimulator; e) a programmable implantable pulse generator; f) a combination implantable device comprising both a stimulus-receiver and a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG); and g) an implantable pulse generator (IPG) comprising a rechargeable battery. The pulse generator means may also comprise selected number of predetermined/pre-packaged programs. In one embodiment, the pulse generation means may also comprise telemetry means, for remote interrogation and/or programming of said pulse generation means utilizing a wide area network.

Claims

1. A method of providing rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to cortical tissues of a patient for treating and/or alleviating symptoms of Parkinson'"'"'s disease, and/or for providing improvement of functional recovery following stroke, comprising the steps of:

selecting a patient for providing said rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses;

providing pulse generator means for generating said rectangular and complex electrical pulses, wherein said complex electrical pulses comprises at least one of multi-level pulses, biphasic pulses, non-rectangular pulses, or pulses with varying amplitude during the pulse;

providing at least two predetermined/pre-packaged programs stored in said pulse generator means, wherein said predetermined/pre-packaged programs control the variable components of said rectangular and/or complex electric pulses, wherein said variable components comprise at least one of pulse amplitude, pulse width, pulse frequency, on-time and off-time sequence;

providing at least one lead(s) with plurality of electrodes, wherein said at least one lead(s) is in electrical connection with said pulse generator means, and said plurality of electrodes are adapted to be in proximity to cortical tissues; and

selectively choosing and activating one of said at least two predetermined/pre-packaged programs to provide said rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to cortical tissues.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration of said plurality of electrode(s) for providing said electrical pulses is at least partly based on sensing electrical activity from the patient'"'"'s cortical tissues.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein placement of said plurality of electrodes on patient'"'"'s cortex is based at least in part upon digital imaging techniques, such as fMRI or CT scans.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein placement of said plurality of electrodes on patient'"'"'s cortex is based on digital imaging techniques and on sensing electrical activity from said cortical tissues of said patient.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the configuration between said plurality of electrodes for providing electrical pulses is changed between two or more different configurations.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said predetermined/pre-packaged programs can be modified.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said pulse generation means can further be remotely interrogated and/or programmed via a telemetry means over a wide area network.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said pulses further comprise pulse amplitude approximately between 0.1 volt-15 volts;

pulse width between 20 micro-seconds-5 milli-seconds;

stimulation frequency between 5 Hz and 200 Hz, and/or blocking frequency between 0 and 750 Hz.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said pulse generator means for providing said electrical pulses comprises an external stimulator used in conjunction with an implanted stimulus-receiver.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said pulse generator means for providing said electrical pulses comprises an external stimulator used in conjunction with an implanted stimulus-receiver which further comprises a temporary power source.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said pulse generator means for providing said electrical pulses is one from a group comprising:

i) a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG);

ii) a combination implantable device comprising both a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG) and a stimulus-receiver;

iii) a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG) having a rechargeable battery.

12. A method of providing rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to cortical tissues of a patient for providing improvement of functional recovery following stroke, comprising the steps of:

selecting a patient for providing said electrical pulses to said cortical tissues;

providing means for obtaining sensed electrograms from cortical tissues;

providing pulse generation means for generating rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses, wherein said complex electrical pulses comprises at least one of multi-level pulses, biphasic pulses, non-rectangular pulses, or pulses with varying amplitude during the pulse;

providing at least one lead(s) with plurality of electrodes, wherein said at least one lead(s) is in electrical connection with said pulse generation means, and said plurality of electrodes are adapted to be in proximity to cortical tissues; and

supplying said rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses to cortical tissues through electrode configuration(s) based at least partly on sensed cortical electrograms.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein said rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses are provided according to predetermined/pre-packaged programs.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein placement of said plurality of electrodes on patient'"'"'s cortex is based at least in part upon digital imaging techniques, such as fMRI or CT scans.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the configuration between said plurality of electrodes for providing electrical pulses is changed between two or more different configurations.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein said pulse generation means can further be remotely interrogated and/or programmed with a telemetry means over a wide area network.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein said pulses further comprise pulse amplitude approximately between 0.1 volt-15 volts;

pulse width between 20 micro-seconds-5 milli-seconds;

stimulation frequency between 5 Hz and 200 Hz, and/or blocking frequency between 0 and 750 Hz.

18. A method of providing therapy for involuntary movement disorders such as caused by Parkinson'"'"'s disease and/or for providing improvement of functional recovery following stroke by providing cortical electrical stimulation to a portion of a patient'"'"'s brain comprising the steps of:

selecting a patient for providing said cortical electrical stimulation;

providing pulse generation means to generate rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses, wherein one said pulse generation means is selected from a group comprising of;

i) an external stimulator used in conjunction with an implanted stimulus-receiver;

ii) an external stimulator used in conjunction with an implanted stimulus-receiver comprising a high value capacitor for storing electric charge;

iii) a microstimulator;

iv) a programmer-less implantable pulse generator (IPG) which is operable with a magnet;

v) a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG);

vi) a combination implantable device comprising both a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG) and a stimulus-receiver;

or vii) a programmable implantable pulse generator (IPG) having a rechargeable battery;

providing at least one lead(s) with plurality of electrodes, wherein said at least one lead(s) is in electrical connection with said pulse generation means, and with said plurality of electrodes adapted to be in proximity to or in contact with said cortical tissues; and

providing a programming means for at least one of activating, programming, controlling said rectangular and/or complex electrical pulses provided to said cortical portion of patient'"'"'s brain.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said pulse generation means further comprises at least two predetermined/pre-packaged programs stored in said pulse generator means to control the variable component of said rectangular and/or complex electric pulses comprising at least one variable component of pulse amplitude, pulse width, pulse frequency, on-time and off-time sequence.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said pulse generation means can further be remotely interrogated and/or programmed via a telemetry means over a wide area network.