SKULL-MOUNTED ELECTRICAL STIMULATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TREATING PATIENTS

• US 20110009920A1
• Filed: 07/13/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carbunaru, Rafael, Whitehurst, Todd K.
• Application Number:
  US12/835,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20110009920A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3523 using telemetric means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/8243 by induction
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna

Abstract

A system and method for applying electrical stimulation or drug infusion to nervous tissue of a patient to treat epilepsy, movement disorders, and other indications uses at least one implantable system control unit (SCU) (110), including an implantable signal/pulse generator (IPG) and one or more electrodes (152, 152). The IPG is implanted in the mastoid area (143) of the skull (140) and communicates with at least one external appliance (230), such as a Behind-the-Ear (BTE) unit (100). In a preferred embodiment, the system is capable of open- and closed-loop operation. In closed-loop operation, at least one SCU includes a sensor, and the sensed condition is used to adjust stimulation parameters.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A method of treating an indication of a patient using at least one system control unit implanted in a shallow recess of the mastoid area of the skull of the patient, the method comprising:

applying at least one stimulus generated by the system control unit to at least one nerve, thereby at least in part alleviating the symptoms of the indication;

wherein the at least one nerve is selected from at least one of the body, branches, and roots of at least one of the vagus nerves, the trigeminal nerves, the ophthalmic nerves, the maxillary nerves, the mandibular nerves, the facial nerves, the glossopharyngeal nerves, and the trigeminal ganglion or ganglia.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the indication is epilepsy.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising implanting the at least one system control unit within the shallow recess of the mastoid area of the skull of the patient.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the system control unit is connected to at least one electrode, and wherein the stimulus comprises electrical stimulation deliverable via the at least one electrode.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the electrical stimulation is excitatory stimulation.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the electrical stimulation is inhibitory stimulation.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising sensing at least one condition and using the at least one sensed condition to automatically determine the stimulus to apply.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein the system control unit is connected to at least one catheter, and wherein the stimulus comprises drug infusion deliverable via the at least one catheter.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the vagus nerves.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the trigeminal nerves.

29. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the ophthalmic nerves.

30. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the maxillary nerves.

31. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the mandibular nerves.

32. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the facial nerves.

33. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of the glossopharyngeal nerves.

34. The method of claim 19, wherein the at least one nerve is at least one of the body, branches, and roots of and the trigeminal ganglion or ganglia.