COUPLED MONOPOLAR AND MULTIPOLAR PULSING FOR CONDITIONING AND STIMULATION

• US 20080294211A1
• Filed: 05/23/2007
• Published: 11/27/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Moffitt, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,612,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/9
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36167 Timing, e.g. stimulation onset

Abstract

A method and neurostimulation system of providing therapy to a patient is provided. A plurality of electrodes are placed in contact with tissue of a patient, a conditioning pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in one of a monopolar manner and a multipolar manner, and a stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in a different one of the monopolar manner and the multipolar manner. As one example, the sub-threshold conditioning pulse may be a depolarizing pulse conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to render a first region of the tissue less excitable to stimulation, and the stimulation pulse may be conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to stimulate a second different region of the tissue.

Claims

1. A method of providing therapy to a patient, comprising:

placing a plurality of electrodes in contact with tissue of a patient;

conveying at least one conditioning pulse from the plurality of electrodes in one of a monopolar manner and a multipolar manner; and

conveying at least one stimulation pulse from the plurality of electrodes in a different one of the monopolar manner and the multipolar manner.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is at least one depolarizing pulse conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to render a first region of the tissue less excitable to stimulation, and the at least one stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to stimulate a second different region of the tissue.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the first tissue region is one or more dorsal root nerve fibers, and the second tissue region is one or more dorsal column nerve fibers.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the first tissue region is one or more dorsal column nerve fibers, and the second tissue region is one or more dorsal root nerve fibers.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is at least one hyperpolarizing pulse conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to render a first region of the tissue more excitable to stimulation, and the at least one stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes to stimulate the first tissue region.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first tissue region is one or more dorsal column nerve fibers.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in a monopolar manner, and the at least one stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in a multipolar manner.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in a multipolar manner, and the at least one stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes in a monopolar manner.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the tissue is a spinal cord, and the plurality of electrodes are transversely arranged relative to the axis of the spinal cord.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes before the at least one stimulation pulse is conveyed from the plurality of electrodes.

11. A neurostimulation system, comprising:

a plurality of electrical contacts;

output stimulation circuitry capable of outputting electrical pulses to the plurality of electrical contacts in accordance with a pulse pattern; and

control circuitry capable of defining the pulse pattern, such that the electrical pulses comprise at least one conditioning pulse outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in one of a monopolar and a multipolar manner, and at least one stimulation pulse outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in a different one of the monopolar and multipolar manner.

12. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is one of a cathodic pulse and an anodic pulse, and the simulation pulse is a different one of the cathodic pulse and the anodic pulse.

13. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry capable of defining the pulse pattern, such that the at least one conditioning pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in a monopolar manner, and the at least one stimulation pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in a multipolar manner.

14. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry capable of defining the pulse pattern, such that the at least one conditioning pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in a multipolar manner, and the at least one stimulation pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts in a monopolar manner.

15. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, further comprising one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes in electrical communication with the plurality of electrical contacts.

16. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, wherein the one or more stimulation leads comprises one or more spinal cord stimulation leads.

17. The neurostimulation system of claim 16, wherein the one or more spinal cord stimulation leads comprise a paddle lead, and the plurality of electrodes comprises at least three electrodes arranged along a line transverse to an axis of the paddle lead.

18. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry capable of defining the pulse pattern, such that the at least one conditioning pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts before the at least one stimulation pulse is outputted to the plurality of electrical contacts.

19. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, further comprising memory capable of storing a set of stimulation parameters, wherein the control circuitry is capable of defining the pattern in accordance with the stimulation parameter set.

20. The neurostimulation system of claim 11, further comprising a case, wherein the plurality of electrical contacts, output stimulation circuitry, and control circuitry are contained in the case to form an implantable neurostimulator.