DEVICES AND METHODS FOR NON-INVASIVE CAPACITIVE ELECTRICAL STIMULATION AND THEIR USE FOR VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION ON THE NECK OF A PATIENT
First Claim
1. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
- a source of energy for generating an electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve;
an electrode coupled to the source of energy;
an interface coupled to the electrode comprised of a dielectric material and configured for contacting an outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin; and
wherein the source of energy is configured for applying an electrical impulse to the electrode such that the electrical field is capacitively coupled across the interface and the outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin to generate an electrical impulse at the target nerve within the patient sufficient to modulate the target nerve.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasive electrical stimulator shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient'"'"'s neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in contact with the electrodes. The conducting medium is also in contact with an interface element that may conform to the contour of a target body surface of the patient when the interface element is applied to that surface. When the interface element is made of insulating (dielectric) material, and disclosed stimulation waveforms are used, the power source need not supply high voltage, in order to capacitively stimulate the target nerve. The stimulator is configured to produce a peak pulse that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie in the vicinity of the target nerve and patient'"'"'s skin.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
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a source of energy for generating an electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve; an electrode coupled to the source of energy; an interface coupled to the electrode comprised of a dielectric material and configured for contacting an outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin; and wherein the source of energy is configured for applying an electrical impulse to the electrode such that the electrical field is capacitively coupled across the interface and the outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin to generate an electrical impulse at the target nerve within the patient sufficient to modulate the target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for the transcutaneous capacitive stimulation of a target nerve within a patient comprising:
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positioning a dielectric interface of a device adjacent to a skin surface of the patient; generating an electric field with the device such that one or more electrical impulses are capacitively coupled across the dielectric interface and transmitted to the target nerve, the electrical impulses being sufficient to modulate electrophysiological signals in the target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
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a handheld device having a housing with a patient contact interface comprising a dielectric material; a power supply enclosed within the housing; one or more electrodes coupled to the power supply within the housing and electrically coupled to the patient contact interface; and wherein the power supply is configured to generate an electric field within the handheld device such that one or more electrical impulses are induced outside of the housing adjacent to the patient contact interface and transmitted to the target nerve within the patient and modulate said target nerve.
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32. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
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a handheld device having a housing with a patient contact interface comprising a dielectric material; a power supply enclosed within the housing; one or more electrodes coupled to the power supply within the housing and electrically coupled to an inside surface of the patient contact interface; and wherein the power supply is configured to generate a first electric charge within the handheld device adjacent to the inside surface of the dielectric material such that a second electric charge is induced on an outer surface of the dielectric material. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method for applying energy to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
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generating a first electric charge on an inside surface of a dielectric patient contact surface on a handheld device; and inducing a second electric charge on an outside surface of the dielectric patient contact surface such that the second electric charge is transmitted to the target nerve with sufficient energy to modulate said target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (38)
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Specification