SELECTIVE HIGH FREQUENCY SPINAL CORD MODULATION FOR INHIBITING PAIN WITH REDUCED SIDE EFFECTS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
First Claim
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1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
- implanting a signal generator in the patient;
implanting a signal delivery device in a spinal cord region of the patient, with active contacts of the signal delivery device at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12; and
activating the signal generator to apply an electrical signal to the patient via the signal delivery device at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz to inhibit or eliminate chronic, low back pain in the patient, without the electrical signal (a) disrupting other sensory signals along the spinal cord, (b) disrupting motor signals along the spinal cord, and (c) generating a paresthetic sensation in the patient.
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Abstract
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient'"'"'s spinal chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.
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Citations
56 Claims
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1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
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implanting a signal generator in the patient; implanting a signal delivery device in a spinal cord region of the patient, with active contacts of the signal delivery device at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12; and activating the signal generator to apply an electrical signal to the patient via the signal delivery device at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz to inhibit or eliminate chronic, low back pain in the patient, without the electrical signal (a) disrupting other sensory signals along the spinal cord, (b) disrupting motor signals along the spinal cord, and (c) generating a paresthetic sensation in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
activating an implanted signal generator to apply an electrical signal to the patient at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 50 kHz, at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12 to at least inhibit chronic, low back pain in the patient, without the electrical signal creating disruptions that are intrinsically detectable by the patient in (a) other sensory signals along the spinal cord and (b) motor signals along the spinal cord. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
activating an implanted signal generator to apply an electrical signal to the patient at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 50 kHz, at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12 to at least inhibit chronic, low back pain in the patient, while maintaining levels of other sensory signals and motor signals along the spinal cord at values at least approximately equal to values prior to activating the signal generator. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
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implanting a signal delivery device in a spinal cord region of the patient, at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12 and at a lateral location ±
5 mm from the patient'"'"'s spinal cord midline;coupling a signal generator to the signal delivery device; conducting post-implant process that includes; (a) activating the signal generator to apply a suprathreshold electrical signal to the patient at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz and an amplitude having a first value, and then adjusting the amplitude from the first value to a second value that is more than 60% greater than the first value without causing unwanted patient sensation;
or(b) releasing the patient without engaging in a signal delivery parameter selection process that includes (i) applying signals to different electrical contacts of the signal delivery device, or (ii) selectively changing the amplitude of the electrical signal, or both (i) and (ii); and applying a suprathreshold, down-regulating electrical signal to the patient via the signal delivery device at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz to inhibit or eliminate chronic low back pain in the patient, without the electrical signal creating disruptions that are intrinsically detectable by the patient in (i) other sensory signals along the spinal cord and (ii) motor signals along the spinal cord, and without the electrical signal generating a paresthetic sensation in the patient, wherein the electrical signal is an electrical signal with constant peak amplitude pulses. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40)
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41. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
activating an implanted signal generator to apply a suprathreshold electrical signal to the patient at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 50 kHz, at a vertebral level of from about T9 to about T12 to at least inhibit chronic, low back pain in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
at least reducing a patient'"'"'s addiction to a pain relief remedy by activating a signal generator to apply an electrical signal to the patient'"'"'s central nervous system at a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 50 kHz. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56-137. -137. (canceled)
Specification