Electrode for activating pelvic reflexes
First Claim
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1. An electrode for controlling incontinence in a patient, the electrode comprising:
- a molded elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, first, second, and third conductive polymer bands, a first nonconductive polymer band positioned between the first and second conductive polymer bands, and a second nonconductive polymer band positioned between the second and third conductive polymer bands;
a patient conforming handle member connected to the distal end of the tubular member for properly positioning the electrode and for preventing movement of the electrode in either a proximal or a distal direction; and
wherein the first and second conductive polymer bands form a first electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a first frequency and the first and third conductive polymer bands form a second electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency.
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Abstract
An electrode for activating pelvic reflexes in a patient is made of a molded elongated tubular member and a patient conforming handle member. The tubular member has a plurality of conductive polymer bands separated by at least one nonconductive polymer band. The patient conforming handle member connects to the distal end of the tubular member for properly positioning the electrode and for preventing movement of the electrode in either a proximal or a distal direction.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. An electrode for controlling incontinence in a patient, the electrode comprising:
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a molded elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, first, second, and third conductive polymer bands, a first nonconductive polymer band positioned between the first and second conductive polymer bands, and a second nonconductive polymer band positioned between the second and third conductive polymer bands; a patient conforming handle member connected to the distal end of the tubular member for properly positioning the electrode and for preventing movement of the electrode in either a proximal or a distal direction; and wherein the first and second conductive polymer bands form a first electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a first frequency and the first and third conductive polymer bands form a second electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An electrode for activating pelvic reflexes in a patient, the electrode comprising:
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a molded elongated tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, a longitudinal axis, first, second, and third conductive polymer bands, a first nonconductive polymer band positioned between the first and second conductive polymer bands, and a second nonconductive polymer band positioned between the second and third conductive polymer bands; a patient conforming handle connected to the distal end of the tubular member, wherein the handle comprises; a body; a first arm connected to the body at a first angle of about 90 to 110 degrees; and a second arm connected to the body at a second angle of about 90 to 110 degrees; and wherein the first and second conductive polymer bands form a first electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a first frequency and the first and third conductive polymer bands form a second electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at a second frequency, wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency.
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21. An electrode for controlling incontinence in a patient, the electrode comprising:
- a molded elongated tubular member comprising;
a first conductive polymer band for providing electrical stimulation at a first frequency; a second conductive polymer band for providing electrical stimulation at a second frequency; a third conductive polymer band wherein the first and third conductive polymer bands form a first electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at the first frequency and the second and third conductive polymer bands form a second electrical circuit and provide electrical stimulation at the second frequency; and wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency; and
a plurality of leads connected to respective first, second and third conductive polymer bands for providing energizing current to the first, second, and third conductive polymer bands. - View Dependent Claims (22)
- a molded elongated tubular member comprising;
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23. A system for controlling incontinence in a patient, the system comprising:
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an electrode having an elongated tubular body, the elongated tubular body having an interior surface and an exterior surface, the tubular body further having first, second and third conductive regions, each conductive region separated by at least one non-conductive region, the first, second and third conductive regions configured to provide a first current path and a second current path, wherein the first and second current paths share one of the conductive regions; and electrical stimulation means communicating with the first, second and third conductive regions, for delivering a first signal at a first frequency to the first current path, and for delivering a second signal at a second frequency, different from the first frequency, to the second current path. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A dual channel stimulating system for controlling incontinence comprises:
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an elongated tubular body, having first, second and third conductive regions longitudinally spaced along the tubular body, each conductive region separated from an adjacent conductive region by at least one non-conductive region; and electrical stimulation means communicating with the first, second and third conductive regions for delivering a first signal at a first frequency to the first and third conductive regions, and for delivering a second signal at a second frequency, to the first and second conductive regions, wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of treating incontinence, the method comprising:
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inserting into a body cavity an electrode comprising a tubular body having first, second and third conductive regions separated by at least one non-conductive region; applying a first signal having a first frequency to a first electrode pair formed by the first and third conductive regions to provide electrical stimulation to tissue at the first frequency; applying a second signal having a second frequency to a second electrode pair formed by the first and second conductive regions to provide electrical stimulation to tissue at the second frequency; and wherein the second frequency is different from the first frequency.
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Specification