Method of stimulating multiple sites

• US 20060167525A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 07/27/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: King, Gary W.
• Application Number:
  US11/038,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20060167525A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

A method of stimulating two sites of neurological tissue. A lead is implanted in or near the spinal column. The lead has a first set of at least two electrodes and a second set of at least first, second and third electrodes. The first and second electrodes are positioned on opposite sides of an imaginary longitudinal axis that passes through the center of the third electrode. The placement of the first set of electrodes is at a higher vertebral level than the placement of the second set of electrodes.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating two sites of neurological tissue comprising:

(a) implanting a lead in or near the spinal column, the lead having a first set of at least two electrodes, and a second set of at least first, second and third electrodes, wherein the first and second electrodes are positioned on opposite sides of an imaginary longitudinal axis that passes through the center of the third electrode, wherein the lead is positioned with the first set of electrodes proximate a first section of the spinal column and with the second set of electrodes proximate a second section of the spinal column wherein the first section is at a higher vertebral level than the second section;

(b) placing at least one pulse generator in electrical communication with the first and second sets of electrodes; and

(c) generating a first pulse having a first pulse amplitude by the at least one pulse generator and communicating the first pulse to at least one of the electrodes in the first set of electrodes; and

(d) generating a second pulse having a second pulse amplitude by the at least one pulse generator and communicating the second pulse to at least one of the electrodes in the second set of electrodes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T10-L1.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the first section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T6-T10.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein implanting the lead comprises performing a laminectomy resulting in a laminectomy site for placement of the second set of electrodes and performing orthograde insertion of the first set of electrodes from the laminectomy site.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the first section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T6-T10 and the second section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels L1-S3.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T1-T8 and the second section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T10-L1.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T1-T8 and the second section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels L1-S3.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels C4-T1 and the second section of the spinal column comprises vertebral levels T10-L1.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein implanting the lead comprises placing the lead epidurally.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a third pulse having a third pulse amplitude by the at least one pulse generator and communicating the third pulse to one of the electrodes in the second set of electrodes overlapping in time with the first pulse to another of the electrodes in the second set of electrodes.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising configuring the at least one pulse generator to independently control the first and third pulse amplitudes.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising generating a fourth pulse having a fourth pulse amplitude by the at least one pulse generator and communicating the fourth pulse to one of the electrodes in the second set of electrodes overlapping in time with first and third pulses to other electrodes in the second set of electrodes.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising configuring the at least one pulse generator to independently control the first, third and fourth pulse amplitudes.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the first, second and third electrodes substantially form a line that is perpendicular with the imaginary longitudinal axis.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein a first distance from the center of the first electrode to the imaginary longitudinal axis is the same as a second distance from the center of the second electrode to the imaginary longitudinal axis.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the pulse amplitude is current amplitude.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the pulse amplitude is voltage amplitude.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein a line passing through the at least two electrodes of the first set of electrodes is parallel to the imaginary longitudinal axis.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein implanting the lead comprises orthograde insertion of at least a portion of the lead.

20. The method of claim 10 wherein the first set of electrodes comprise at least three electrodes, the method further comprising generating a fifth pulse having a fifth pulse amplitude and communicating the fifth pulse to one of the electrodes of the first set of electrodes overlapping in time with the first pulse to another of the electrodes in the first set of electrodes.