DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION CURRENT STEERING WITH SPLIT ELECTRODES

• US 20140142671A1
• Filed: 01/23/2014
• Published: 05/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Moffitt, Michael Adam, OLEKSYN, THOMAS A., BRADLEY, KERRY, PETERSON, DAVID KARL LEE, LANE, COURTNEY, PIANCA, ANNE MARGARET
• Granted Patent: US 8,914,121 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/20 continuous direct currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36182 Direction of the electrical field, e.g. with sleeve around stimulating electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration

Abstract

A device for brain stimulation includes a lead having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end, a distal end and a lead body. The device also includes a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead near the distal end of the lead. The plurality of electrodes includes a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a first longitudinal position along the lead; and a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least two segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead at a second longitudinal position along the lead. The device further includes one or more conductors that electrically couple together all of the segmented electrodes of the first set of segmented electrodes.

Claims

1. An implantable stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising;

a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a first longitudinal position along the lead body,

a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a second longitudinal position along the lead body, and

a first ring electrode disposed at a third longitudinal position along the lead body, wherein third longitudinal position is proximal to the first and second longitudinal positions;

wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured and arranged to be individually coupleable to different stimulation channels of a control module and to be independently programmable to provide current steering.

2. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first set of segmented electrodes consists of three segmented electrodes and the second set of segmented electrodes consists of three segmented electrodes.

3. The lead of claim 1, wherein the first set of segmented electrodes and the second set of segmented electrodes have a same number of segmented electrodes.

4. The lead of claim 3, wherein the segmented electrodes of the first set are aligned with the segmented electrodes of the second set along the longitudinal surface of the lead body.

5. The lead of claim 3, wherein the segmented electrodes of the first set are staggered with respect to the segmented electrodes of the second set along the longitudinal surface of the lead body.

6. The lead of claim 1, wherein the lead is configured and arranged for implantation in a brain of a human.

7. An implantable stimulation system, comprising:

the lead of claim 1; and

a control module coupleable to the lead.

8. The implantable stimulation system of claim 7, wherein the control module is a constant-current device.

18. A method for brain stimulation, the method comprising:

inserting the lead of claim 1 into a brain of a human;

coupling the lead to a control module; and

generating electrical signals, using the control module, at one or more of the plurality of electrodes to stimulate at least one target neuron of the brain.

9. An implantable stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising;

a tip electrode disposed at, and covering, the distal end of the lead body,

a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a first longitudinal position along the lead body, and

a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a second longitudinal position along the lead body;

wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured and arranged to be individually coupleable to different stimulation channels of a control module and to be independently programmable to provide current steering and wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes have a same number of segmented electrodes.

10. The lead of claim 9, wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises a ring electrode disposed at a third longitudinal position along the lead body.

11. The lead of claim 10, wherein the third longitudinal position is proximal to the first and second longitudinal positions along the lead body.

12. An implantable stimulation system, comprising:

the lead of claim 9; and

a control module coupleable to the lead.

13. The implantable stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the control module is a constant-current device.

19. A method for brain stimulation, the method comprising:

inserting the lead of claim 9 into a brain of a human;

coupling the lead to a control module; and

generating electrical signals, using the control module, at one or more of the plurality of electrodes to stimulate at least one target neuron of the brain.

14. An implantable stimulation lead, comprising:

a lead body having a longitudinal surface, a proximal end and a distal end; and

a plurality of electrodes disposed along the longitudinal surface of the lead body near the distal end of the lead body, the plurality of electrodes comprising;

a tip electrode disposed at, and covering, the distal end of the lead body,

a first set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a first longitudinal position along the lead body, and

a second set of segmented electrodes comprising at least three segmented electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead body at a second longitudinal position along the lead body, wherein the segmented electrodes of the first set are staggered with respect to the segmented electrodes of the second set along the longitudinal surface of the lead body;

wherein each of the plurality of electrodes is configured and arranged to be individually coupleable to different stimulation channels of a control module and to be independently programmable to provide current steering and wherein the first and second sets of segmented electrodes have a same number of segmented electrodes.

15. The lead of claim 14, wherein the plurality of electrodes further comprises a ring electrode disposed at a third longitudinal position along the lead body, wherein the third longitudinal position is proximal to the first and second longitudinal positions along the lead body.

16. An implantable stimulation system, comprising:

the lead of claim 14; and

a control module coupleable to the lead.

17. The implantable stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the control module is a constant-current device.

20. A method for brain stimulation, the method comprising:

inserting the lead of claim 14 into a brain of a human;

coupling the lead to a control module; and

generating electrical signals, using the control module, at one or more of the plurality of electrodes to stimulate at least one target neuron of the brain.