SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PERCUTANEOUS DELIVERY OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO A TARGET BODY TISSUE

• US 20080243216A1
• Filed: 10/04/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bioness Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Bioness Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: GLUKHOVSKY, Arkady, ZILBERMAN, Yitzhak, McHARGUE, James M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,483,820 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36003 of motor muscles, e.g. for walking assistance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections

Abstract

An apparatus includes a percutaneous connection port configured to convey an electrical signal between an electrical device disposed outside of a body and an electrical member disposed within the body. The percutaneous connection port has a distal portion and a proximal portion. The proximal portion includes a surface configured to be accessible from a region of the body. The distal portion includes an anchor configured to be disposed within the body. The anchor has a curved shape about an axis substantially parallel to a skin of the body.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a percutaneous connection port configured to convey an electrical signal between an electrical device disposed outside of a body and an electrical member disposed within the body, the percutaneous connection port having a distal portion and a proximal portion,

the proximal portion including a surface configured to be accessible from a region outside of the body,

the distal portion including an anchor having a curved shape about an axis substantially parallel to a skin of the body, the anchor configured to be disposed within the body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchor is any one of a ring-shaped anchor, a disk-shaped anchor or a toroidal-shaped anchor.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes a first member and a second member, a distal end portion of the first member spaced apart from a distal end portion of the second member.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the distal portion includes a dilator portion configured to dilate a bodily tissue.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes a first member and a second member, the first member configured to move relative to the second member when the percutaneous connection port is disposed within the body.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the anchor includes:

a first member;

a second member configured to move relative to the first member when the percutaneous connection port is disposed within the body; and

a biasing member configured to bias the second member in a position relative to the first member.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the percutaneous connection port is configured to be operatively coupled to the electrical member by at least one of a galvanic coupling, a capacitive coupling or an inductive coupling.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

the electrical member, the electrical member being a passive electrical conductor.

9. A system, comprising:

an electrical device configured to be disposed outside of a body, the electrical device configured to at least produce or receive an electrical signal;

an electrical member configured to be disposed entirely within the body, the electrical member having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion; and

a connection port configured to convey the electrical signal between the electrical device and the electrical member, the connection port configured to be percutaneously inserted in to the body such that a proximal portion of the connection port is disposed outside of the body and a distal portion of the connection port is disposed within the body,

the proximal portion of the connection port configured to be operatively coupled to the electrical device, the distal portion of the connection port configured to be operatively coupled to and spaced apart from the electrical member.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical device is at least one of an electrical stimulator or a electrical signal processor.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical member is a passive electrical conductor, the distal end of the passive electrical conductor including a plurality of electrodes configured to be disposed adjacent a target tissue within the body.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the electrical member is any one of a sensor, an amplifier, a power supply, a high voltage generator, a current generator, a switch, a battery charging circuit, an electronic filter, or a processor.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the distal end portion of the connection port includes an anchor configured to limit movement of the connection port within the body and a porous coating disposed about at least a portion of the anchor.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the distal end portion of the connection port is operatively coupled to the electrical member by at least one of a galvanic coupling, a capacitive coupling or an inductive coupling.

15. A method, comprising:

inserting an electrical member along a first path within a body such that a distal end portion of the electrical member is disposed at a target location within the body and a proximal end portion of the electrical member is disposed beneath a skin of the body; and

inserting a connection port along a second path within the body such that a proximal portion of the connection port is accessible from a region outside of the body, the second path different from the first path.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserting the connection port is performed such that a distal portion of the connection port is spaced apart from and operatively coupled to the proximal end portion of the electrical member.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserting the electrical member includes disposing the distal end portion of the electrical member adjacent at least one of target tissue and an electrical device within the body.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the inserting the electrical member is performed percutaneously and includes dilating a bodily tissue.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein:

the inserting the electrical member is performed via a first incision; and

the inserting the connection port is performed via a second incision, the second incision being physically distinct from the first incision.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein a center line of the first path is angularly offset from a center line of the second path.

21. A method, comprising:

operatively coupling an electrical device disposed outside of a body to a first connection port from a plurality of connection ports and a second connection port from the plurality of connection ports to define a first stimulation path within the body between the first connection port and the second connection port;

conveying a first electrical signal from the electrical device into the body via at least one of the first connection port or the second connection port such that a portion of the first electrical signal travels within the body along the first stimulation path;

operatively coupling the electrical device to a third connection port from the plurality of connection ports to define a second stimulation path within the body, the second stimulation path different than the first stimulation path; and

conveying a second electrical signal from the electrical device into the body via at least one of the first connection port, the second connection port or the third connection port such that a portion of the second electrical signal travels within the body along the second stimulation path.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein:

the first connection port from the plurality of connection ports is disposed within the body such that a distal portion of the connection port is disposed beneath a skin of the body and a proximal portion of the connection port is disposed outside of the body; and

at least the first stimulation path includes at least a portion of an electrical member disposed within the body, a distal end portion of the electrical member disposed at a target location within the body, a proximal end portion of the electrical member spaced apart from and operatively coupled to the distal end of the first connection port.

23. A method, comprising:

inserting a connection port within a body such that a distal portion of the connection port is disposed subcutaneously within the body and is spaced apart from a first electrical device disposed within the body, and a proximal portion of the connection port is accessible from a region outside of the body; and

conveying an electrical signal from a second electrical device disposed outside of the body to the first electrical device disposed within the body via the connection port.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the first electrical device includes any one of a sensor, an amplifier, a power supply, a high voltage generator, a current generator, a switch, a battery charging circuit, an electronic filter, or a processor.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the distal portion of the connection port includes an anchor having a circular shape.