Implantable Medical Electrical Leads, Kits, Systems and Methods of Use Thereof
First Claim
1. A method of electrically stimulating the spinal cord with a plurality of electric stimulation leads, each of the electric stimulation leads having a distal end portion with a generally cylindrical cross section on which one or more directional stimulation electrode(s) are disposed, wherein said one or more directional stimulation electrode(s) form an electrode array including at least first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes with at least one of the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes on a different electric stimulation lead than the other of the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes, the method comprising:
- (a) implanting the plurality of electric stimulation leads in the epidural space of a patient with;
(1) the plurality of electric stimulation leads forming a lead array in the epidural space, and (2) the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord; and
(b) programming the stimulation electrodes to create a tripole in which the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes are active.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Implantable medical electrical leads, kits, systems and methods of use thereof for electrically stimulating the spinal cord with a plurality of electric stimulation leads. Directional stimulation electrodes are disposed along the distal end portions of the leads to form an electrode array in the epidural space of a patient with at least first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord or each other. The stimulation electrodes may be programmed to create a tripole in which at least the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes are active.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of electrically stimulating the spinal cord with a plurality of electric stimulation leads, each of the electric stimulation leads having a distal end portion with a generally cylindrical cross section on which one or more directional stimulation electrode(s) are disposed, wherein said one or more directional stimulation electrode(s) form an electrode array including at least first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes with at least one of the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes on a different electric stimulation lead than the other of the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes, the method comprising:
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(a) implanting the plurality of electric stimulation leads in the epidural space of a patient with;
(1) the plurality of electric stimulation leads forming a lead array in the epidural space, and (2) the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord; and
(b) programming the stimulation electrodes to create a tripole in which the first, second and third directional stimulation electrodes are active. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. The method of claim 7 wherein the first and second directional stimulation electrodes each an exposed, tissue-stimulating portion extending less than half of the circumference of the distal ends of the first and second electric stimulation leads respectively, and the third directional stimulation electrode has an exposed, tissue-stimulating portion extending more than half of the circumference of the distal end of the third electric stimulation lead.
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8. A method of electrically stimulating the spinal cord with first, second and third electric stimulation leads, each of the first, second and third electric stimulation leads having a distal end portion with a generally cylindrical cross section and at least one stimulation electrode having an exposed, tissue-stimulating portion extending over less than half of the circumference of the distal end portion, the method comprising:
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(a) implanting the first, second and third electric stimulation leads in the epidural space of a patient with;
(1) the first, second and third electric stimulation leads forming a lead array in the epidural space in which the third electric stimulation lead is disposed between the first and second electric stimulation leads, and (2) the exposed, tissue-stimulating portions of the electrodes of each electric stimulation lead being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord; and
(b) programming the stimulation electrodes to create a tripole in which at least one electrode is active on each of the first, second and third electric stimulation leads wherein the stimulation electrodes programmed as active constitute a first active electrode on the first electric stimulation lead, a second active electrode on the second electric stimulation lead and a third active electrode on the third electric stimulation lead. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of electrically stimulating the spinal cord with first and second electric stimulation leads, each of the first and second electric stimulation leads having a distal end portion with a generally cylindrical cross section, the first electric stimulation lead having a first stimulation electrode on the distal end portion thereof with an exposed, tissue-stimulating portion extending over less than half the circumference of the distal end portion, and the second electric stimulation lead having second and third stimulation electrodes on the distal end portion thereof with each of the second and third stimulation electrodes having an exposed, tissue-stimulating portion extending over less than half of the circumference of the distal end portion, the method comprising:
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(a) implanting the first and second electric stimulation leads in the epidural space of a patient with;
(1) the first and second electric stimulation leads forming a lead array in the epidural space, and (2) the exposed, tissue-stimulating portions of the first, second and third stimulation electrodes being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord; and
(b) programming the stimulation electrodes to create a tripole in which the first, second and third stimulation electrodes are active. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of electrically stimulating the spinal cord with first, second and third electric stimulation leads, each of the first, second and third electric stimulation leads having a distal end portion with a generally cylindrical cross section on which one or more stimulation electrode(s) are disposed including first and second directional stimulation electrodes on the first and second electric stimulation leads, respectively, and a third stimulation electrode on the third stimulation lead, the method comprising:
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(a) implanting the plurality of electric stimulation leads in the epidural space of a patient with;
(1) the plurality of electric stimulation leads forming a lead array in the epidural space with the third stimulation lead disposed between the first and second stimulation lead, and (2) the first and second directional stimulation electrodes being oriented at determined angular orientations relative to the spinal cord; and
(b) programming the stimulation electrodes to create a tripole in which the first, second and third stimulation electrodes are active.
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Specification