METHOD FOR ERADICATING PAIN OF CENTRAL ORIGIN RESULTING FROM SPINAL CORD INJURY

• US 20070016264A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Scott Falci
• Original Assignee: Scott Falci
• Inventors: Falci, Scott
• Granted Patent: US 8,694,107 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/407 Evaluating the spinal cord A61B5/4896 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4824 Touch or pain perception evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence

Abstract

Methods are provided to reliably identify and surgically eradicate aberrant DREZ in patients suffering from spinal cord injury. The methods include identifying potential aberrant DREZ using a combination of mapping techniques based on the location of the patients perceived pain, analysis of the spontaneous electrical hyperactivity in targeted DREZ, and analysis of evoked transcutaneous C-fiber stimulation both in pre-operative and operative conditions. Methods are also provided for identifying potential pain effecters in aberrant DREZ, useful in the preparation of non-invasive therapeutics for central pain characteristic of spinal cord injury.

Claims

1. A method for identifying an effecter of central pain in a patient with a spinal cord injury, the method comprising:

identifying a pain generating DREZ in a patient;

identifying a normal DREZ in the patient;

taking a sample from the pain generating DREZ and taking a sample from the normal DREZ in the patient; and

identifying a pain effecter in the pain generating DREZ by comparing effecters in the pain generating DREZ to effecters in the normal DREZ;

wherein the comparing step utilizes biochemical and/or molecular techniques to search for differences in effecters between the pain generating DREZ and the normal DREZ.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying pain generating DREZs includes evoking neuroelectric hyperactivity in the patient'"'"'s DREZs to identify pain generating DREZs.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the neuroelectric hyperactivity is spontaneous and identified by electrophysiologic analysis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the neuroelectric hyperactivity is evoked by transcutaneous c-fiber stimulation

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the sample is a 1 mm by 1 mm by 2 mm biopsy.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing step further includes a determination of excitatory amino acid receptor levels in pain generating DREZs and normal DREZs.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the excitatory amino acid receptor is N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the comparing step further includes a determination of the levels of sodium channels in pain generating DREZs and normal DREZs.

9. A method for preparing a somatotopic map used in identifying aberrant DREZ in a patient with a spinal cord injury, the method comprising:

comparing the perceived pain in a patient having a spinal cord injury to neuroelectrically active DREZ in the patient; and

reducing the neuroelectric activity in the identified DREZ to non-aberrant neuroelectric activity and determining whether the patient continues to have the perceived pain;

wherein, the location of the perceived pain is mapped to the identified DREZ if the reduction in neuroelectric activity correlates to the reduction in perceived pain by the patient, and wherein a map is prepared that correlates the perceived pain of the patient to the location of the identified DREZ.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the somatotopic map is prepared from two or more patients having spinal cord injuries.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein a patient has perceived pain in the trunk and the map indicates that the potentially aberrant DREZ(s) are from T2 to T6.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein a patient has a perceived pain in the legs or feet and the map indicates that the potentially aberrant DREZ(s) are from T11 to L1.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein a patient has perceived pain in the gluteal, rectal and genitalia regions and the map indicates that the potentially aberrant DREZ(s) are from T7-T10.