METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND DEVICES FOR DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION USING HELICAL MOVEMENT OF THE CENTROID OF STIMULATION

• US 20120046710A1
• Filed: 08/04/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, David Karl Lee, DiGiore, Andrew
• Application Number:
  US13/198,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20120046710A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration

Abstract

A method of treating a target region in the brain includes a) contacting tissue to be stimulated with a lead of a stimulation device, the stimulation device comprising a pulse generator coupled to the lead, the lead having a plurality of segmented electrodes disposed at a distal end of the lead, the stimulation device being configured and arranged to stimulate a target region using a positionable centroid of stimulation; b) providing stimulation current to at least one of the segmented electrodes of the lead to generate a centroid of stimulation at a location and stimulate tissue around the location of the centroid of stimulation; c) repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along a helical path by altering the provision of stimulation current to the plurality of electrodes and stimulating tissue around the location of the repositioned centroid of stimulation; and d) repeating c) for each location along the helical path. The method may optionally include collecting data associated with each of the locations of the centroid of stimulation; and displaying at least a portion of the collected data.

Claims

1. A method of treating a target region in the brain, the method comprising:

a) contacting tissue to be stimulated with a lead of a stimulation device, the stimulation device comprising a pulse generator coupled to the lead, the lead having a plurality of segmented electrodes disposed at a distal end of the lead, the stimulation device being configured and arranged to stimulate a target region using a positionable centroid of stimulation;

b) providing stimulation current to at least one of the segmented electrodes of the lead to generate a centroid of stimulation at a location and stimulate tissue around the location of the centroid of stimulation;

c) repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along a helical path by altering the provision of stimulation current to the plurality of electrodes and stimulating tissue around the location of the repositioned centroid of stimulation; and

d) repeating c) for each location along the helical path.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising

collecting data associated with each of the locations of the centroid of stimulation;

and

displaying at least a portion of the collected data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising storing the collected data in a memory.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein collecting data comprises manually entering data relating to the stimulation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the data comprises data relating to side effects.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the data comprises data relating to the success of stimulation.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the data comprises data relating to a level of parasthesia.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein collecting data associated with the location comprises automatically collecting and recording data relating to stimulation.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the data comprises an impedance measurement.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the data comprises data relating to action potential generation.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the data comprises data relating to brain activity.

12. The method of claim 2, wherein displaying at least a portion of the collected data comprises producing one or more of a graph, a chart, a plot or a spreadsheet.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein repositioning the centroid of stimulation comprises using a telemetry unit to alter the provision of stimulation current to the plurality of electrodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein repositioning the centroid of stimulation comprises repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along the helical path that is closer to the distal end of the lead.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein repositioning the centroid of stimulation comprises repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along a helical path that is closer to the proximal end of the lead.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting a parameter of stimulation after stimulating tissue at the location.

17. A computer-readable medium having processor-executable instructions for stimulating tissue, the processor-executable instructions when installed onto a stimulation device enable the stimulation device to perform actions, the stimulation device comprising a pulse generator coupleable to a lead having a plurality of segmented electrodes disposed at a distal end of the lead, the stimulation device being configured and arranged to stimulate a target region using a positionable centroid of stimulation, the actions comprising:

a) providing stimulation current to at least one of the segmented electrodes of the lead to generate a centroid of stimulation at a location and stimulate tissue around the location of the centroid of stimulation;

b) repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along a helical path by altering the provision of stimulation current to the plurality of electrodes and stimulating tissue around the location of the repositioned centroid of stimulation; and

c) repeating b) for each location along the helical path.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the actions further comprise

collecting data associated with each of the locations of the centroid of stimulation;

and

displaying at least a portion of the collected data.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the actions further comprise adjusting a parameter of stimulation after stimulating tissue at the location.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the actions further comprise storing the collected data in a memory.

21. A stimulation device, comprising:

a pulse generator coupleable to a lead having a plurality of segmented electrodes disposed at a distal end of the lead, the stimulation device being configured and arranged to stimulate a target region using a positionable centroid of stimulation, and a processor for executing processor-readable instructions that enable actions, including;

a) providing stimulation current to at least one of the segmented electrodes of the lead to generate a centroid of stimulation at a location and stimulate tissue around the location of the centroid of stimulation;

b) repositioning the centroid of stimulation to a next location along a helical path by altering the provision of stimulation current to the plurality of electrodes and stimulating tissue around the location of the repositioned centroid of stimulation; and

c) repeating d) for each location along the helical path.