SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ADJUSTING AUTOMATIC PULSE PARAMETERS TO SELECTIVELY ACTIVATE NERVE FIBERS

• US 20100125314A1
• Filed: 10/26/2009
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hershey, Bradley, Bradley, Kerry, Lee, Dongchul
• Granted Patent: US 9,463,321 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36192 Amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A method of stimulating nerve tissue, a tissue stimulation system, and an external control device are provided. The method, system, and control device causes an electrical stimulus to be applied to at least one electrode adjacent the nerve tissue of a patient. The applied electrical stimulus comprises a plurality of pulses defined by a pulse width value and an amplitude value. The pulse amplitude value is increased (e.g., manually), and the pulse width value is automatically decreased in response to increasing the pulse amplitude value in a manner that increases the intensity of the applied electrical stimulus. Alternatively, the pulse width value may be decreased (e.g., manually), and the pulse amplitude value automatically increased in response to decreasing the pulse width value in a manner that increases the intensity of the applied electrical stimulus.

Claims

1. A method of stimulating nerve tissue, comprising:

applying an electrical stimulus to at least one electrode adjacent the nerve tissue of a patient, the applied electrical stimulus comprising a plurality of pulses defined by a pulse width value and an amplitude value;

increasing the pulse amplitude value or decreasing the pulse width value; and

automatically decreasing the pulse width value in response to increasing the pulse amplitude value or automatically increasing the pulse amplitude value in response to decreasing the pulse width value in a manner that increases the intensity of the applied electrical stimulus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse amplitude value is increased, and the pulse width value is automatically decreased in response to increasing the pulse amplitude value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse width is decreased, and the pulse amplitude value is automatically increased in response to decreasing the pulse width value is decreased.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the nerve tissue is peripheral nerve tissue.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse width value is automatically decreased in response to increasing the pulse amplitude value or the pulse amplitude value is automatically increased in response to decreasing the pulse width value in a manner that prevents stimulation of Adelta nerve fibers adjacent the at least one electrode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse width value is automatically decreased or the pulse amplitude value is automatically increased in a manner that stimulates nerve fibers of a smaller diameter.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulus is applied by an implanted pulse generating device, and the pulse amplitude value and pulse width value are adjusted by an external control device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pulse amplitude value is increased manually or the pulse width is decreased manually.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the at least one electrode within the patient in contact with the tissue.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulus is applied to the at least one electrode during a fitting procedure.

11. A tissue stimulation system, comprising:

a pulse generating device for generating an electrical stimulus having a plurality of pulses defined by a pulse width value and an amplitude value;

at least one electrode for delivering the electrical stimulus to adjacent nerve tissue;

a user interface device configured for allowing a user to prompt an increase in the pulse amplitude value or prompt a decrease in the pulse width value; and

an external control device configured for automatically decreasing the pulse width value in response to increasing the pulse amplitude value or automatically increasing the pulse amplitude value in response to decreasing the pulse width value in a manner that increases the intensity of the electrical stimulus.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface is configured for allowing the user to increase the pulse amplitude value, and the external control device is configured for decreasing the pulse width value in response to the increase in the pulse amplitude value.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface is configured for allowing the user to decrease the pulse width value, and the external control device is configured for increasing the pulse amplitude value in response to the decrease in the pulse width value.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the pulse generating device is an implantable pulse generator.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface device is configured for allowing the user to manually increase the pulse amplitude value or manually decrease the pulse width value.

16. An external control device for a neurostimulation device, comprising:

a user interface configured for receiving an input from a user;

a processor configured for varying an amplitude value and a pulse width value of an electrical stimulus generated by a pulse generating device by increasing the pulse amplitude value while decreasing the pulse width value or decreasing the pulse width value while increasing the pulse amplitude value in response to the user input in a manner that increases the intensity of the applied electrical stimulus, and generating a stimulation parameter set from the varied amplitude value and pulse width value; and

output circuitry configured for transmitting the stimulation parameter set to the pulse generating device.

17. The external control device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured for increasing the pulse amplitude value while decreasing the pulse width value in response to the user input.

18. The external control device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured for decreasing the pulse width value while increasing the pulse amplitude value in response to the user input.

19. The external control device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured for programming the pulse generating device with the stimulation parameter set.

20. The external control device of claim 16, wherein the user interface is configured for receiving a manual input from a user.