Apparatus and method for repair of spinal cord injury
First Claim
1. An apparatus for stimulating regeneration and repair of damaged spinal nervous tissue, comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to be placed intravertebrally proximal to a site of spinal neurite injury and deliver direct current from a DC source thereto, each of said plurality of electrodes including an aggregate conductive electrode surface through which said direct current is delivered, said aggregate conductive electrode surface being sufficiently large so that a current density from said electrode surface will induce neurite regeneration and repair while minimizing damage to tissue surrounding the site of spinal neurite injury.
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Abstract
An apparatus for stimulating regeneration and repair of damaged spinal nerves, comprising at least two electrodes placed intravertebrally near the site of spinal neurite injury and delivering direct current thereto. A method for stimulating regeneration and repair of damaged spinal nervous tissue, comprising placing electrodes intravertebrally near the site of spinal cord injury and applying direct current at a level sufficient to induce regeneration and repair of damaged spinal neurites but less than the current level at which tissue toxicity occurs.
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Citations
23 Claims
- 1. An apparatus for stimulating regeneration and repair of damaged spinal nervous tissue, comprising a plurality of electrodes configured to be placed intravertebrally proximal to a site of spinal neurite injury and deliver direct current from a DC source thereto, each of said plurality of electrodes including an aggregate conductive electrode surface through which said direct current is delivered, said aggregate conductive electrode surface being sufficiently large so that a current density from said electrode surface will induce neurite regeneration and repair while minimizing damage to tissue surrounding the site of spinal neurite injury.
- 6. An electrode comprising an aggregate conductive electrode surface, said aggregate conductive electrode surface comprising a plurality of conductive sub-surfaces which are separated from each other by non-conducting septa sufficient to minimize production of and dissipate toxic products generated from a delivery of direct current intravertebrally proximal to a site of spinal cord injury, wherein each of said conductive sub-surfaces are connected to each other by at least one electrical connection.
Specification