Electrode patch and method for neurostimulation

• US 20080147146A1
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Published: 06/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Ethicon Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Freeman, Michael, Wahlgren, Stephen, DiUbaldi, Anthony, Young, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,175,718 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/61
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0456 Specially adapted for transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0492 Patch electrodes A61N1/0412, A61N1/0428 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625

Abstract

A system for stimulating a nerve or nerves in a patient includes an electrode patch having an array of equally spaced concentric electrodes each having a central cathode and a concentrically surrounding anode. The electrode array patch is used to determine the location of the nerve or nerves to be stimulated by electrical pulses. Once the location of the nerve is determined, a concentric electrode patch having a central cathode and a concentrically surrounding anode is positioned at the optimal location on the patient'"'"'s skin to effect neurostimulation. The concentric electrode patch may be removably affixed to the patient'"'"'s skin by adhesive or magnets.

Claims

1. An electrode patch used for identifying a location on a patient'"'"'s skin for placement of a neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin to stimulate a nerve, which comprises:

a supporting structure; and

an array of electrodes mounted on the supporting structure, each electrode of the array of electrodes having a cathode and an anode and being spaced apart from each other on the supporting structure;

the patch being placeable on a patient'"'"'s skin, each electrode of the array of electrodes being individually energizable to determine the location for placement of the neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin to stimulate the nerve.

2. An electrode patch as defined by claim 1, which further comprises:

a power source mounted on the supporting structure; and

a stimulation generator mounted on the supporting structure, the stimulation generator being electrically coupled to each of the electrodes of the array of electrodes and generating a signal, each electrode of the array of electrodes being individually energizable by the signal generated by the stimulation generator.

3. An electrode patch as defined by claim 1, wherein the supporting structure includes a flexible printed circuit.

4. An electrode patch as defined by claim 1, wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is a circular electrode, and wherein the cathode is centrally located on the electrode and the anode is positioned to concentrically surround the cathode.

5. An electrode patch as defined by claim 1, wherein each electrode of the array of electrodes is a circular electrode, and wherein the anode is centrally located on the electrode and the cathode is positioned to concentrically surround the anode.

6. A method of identifying a location on a patient'"'"'s skin for placement of a neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin to stimulate a nerve, which comprises the steps of:

placing an electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin, the electrode patch including a supporting structure and an array of electrodes mounted on the supporting structure, each electrode of the array of electrodes having a cathode and an anode and being spaced apart from each other on the supporting structure; and

sequentially energizing each electrode of the array of electrodes and noting the patient'"'"'s response when each electrode is energized to determine the location for placement of the neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin to stimulate the nerve.

7. A neurostimulation electrode patch which comprising:

a supporting structure;

an electrode mounted on the supporting structure, the electrode including a cathode and an anode, the cathode and the anode being energizable to stimulate a nerve of a patient; and

means for removably securing the electrode patch to the skin of a patient, the securing means including at least one magnet situated on one of the electrode and the supporting structure.

8. A neurostimulation electrode patch, which comprises:

a supporting structure;

a circular electrode mounted on the supporting structure, the circular electrode including a cathode and an anode, one of the cathode and the anode being centrally located on the circular electrode and the other of the cathode and the anode being situated to concentrically surround said one of the cathode and the anode, said one of the cathode and the anode which is centrally located on the electrode having a hole formed through the thickness thereof to allow a marking placed on the skin of a patient to be viewed therethrough.

9. A method of locating a neurostimulation electrode patch on the skin of patient, which comprises the steps of:

placing the neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin, the neurostimulation electrode patch having a supporting structure and an electrode mounted on the supporting structure, the electrode including a cathode and an anode, at least one of the supporting structure and the electrode having a hole formed through the thickness thereof; and

aligning a marking on the patient'"'"'s skin with the hole formed in the at least one of the supporting structure and the electrode to locate the neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s skin to stimulate a nerve.

10. A method as defined by claim 9, wherein the electrode of the neurostimulation electrode patch is circular in shape, and wherein the cathode is centrally located on the electrode, and the anode is situated to concentrically surround the cathode;

and wherein the hole is formed through the thickness of the centrally located cathode.

11. A method as defined by claim 9, wherein the electrode of the neurostimulation electrode patch is circular in shape, and wherein the anode is centrally located on the electrode, and the cathode is situated to concentrically surround the anode;

and wherein the hole is formed through the thickness of the centrally located anode.

12. A method of removably securing a neurostimulation electrode patch to the body of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

affixing at least one magnet to a patient'"'"'s body;

placing a neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s body, the neurostimulation electrode patch including a supporting structure, an electrode mounted on the supporting structure, and means for removably securing the electrode patch to the body of a patient, the electrode including a cathode and an anode, the cathode and the anode being energizable to stimulate a nerve of the patient, the securing means including at least one magnet situated on at least one of the electrode and the supporting structure; and

aligning the at least one magnet of the neurostimulation electrode patch with the at least one magnet affixed to the patient'"'"'s body so that the at least one magnet of the electrode patch is magnetically attracted to the at least one magnet affixed to the patient'"'"'s body to removably secure the electrode patch to the patient'"'"'s body.

13. A method as defined by claim 12, wherein the step of affixing the at least one magnet to the body of a patient includes the step of implanting the at least one magnet under the skin of the patient.

14. A method of removably securing a neurostimulation electrode patch to the body of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

affixing at least one magnetically attractable member to a patient'"'"'s body;

placing a neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s body, the neurostimulation electrode patch including a supporting structure, an electrode mounted on the supporting structure, and means for removably securing the electrode patch to the body of a patient, the electrode including a cathode and an anode, the cathode and the anode being energizable to stimulate a nerve of the patient, the securing means including at least one magnet situated on at least one of the electrode and the supporting structure; and

aligning the at least one magnet of the neurostimulation electrode patch with the at least one magnetically attractable member affixed to the patient'"'"'s body so that the at least one magnet of the electrode patch is magnetically attracted to the at least one magnetically attractable member affixed to the patient'"'"'s body to removably secure the electrode patch to the patient'"'"'s body.

15. A method as defined by claim 14, wherein the step of affixing the at least one magnetically attractable member to the body of a patient includes the step of implanting the at least one magnetically attractable member under the skin of the patient.

16. A method of removably securing a neurostimulation electrode patch to the body of a patient, which comprises the steps of:

affixing at least one magnet to a patient'"'"'s body;

placing a neurostimulation electrode patch on the patient'"'"'s body, the neurostimulation electrode patch including a supporting structure, an electrode mounted on the supporting structure, and means for removably securing the electrode patch to the skin of a patient, the electrode including a cathode and an anode, the cathode and the anode being energizable to stimulate a nerve of the patient, the securing means including at least one magnetically attractable member situated on at least one of the electrode and the supporting structure; and

aligning the at least one magnetically attractable member of the neurostimulation electrode patch with the at least one magnet affixed to the patient'"'"'s body so that the at least one magnetically attractable member of the electrode patch is magnetically attracted to the at least one magnet affixed to the patient'"'"'s body to removably secure the electrode patch to the patient'"'"'s body.

17. A method as defined by claim 16, wherein the step of affixing the at least one magnet to the body of a patient includes the step of implanting the at least one magnet under the skin of the patient.