Methods for implanting neural prosthetic for tinnitus

• US 5,735,885 A
• Filed: 02/06/1996
• Issued: 04/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Iowa University of Research Foundation
• Original Assignee: University of Iowa Research Foundation
• Inventors: McCulloch, Timothy A., Howard, Matthew A. III, Bauer, Carol A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N.
• Application Number:
  US08/597,289
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 607/55
• US Class Current: 607/55
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00577 Ablation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/10 for stereotaxic surgery, e.g. frame-based stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/20 Ear surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/0026 Anti-eating devices using electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1428 with manual pumping action
• 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 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0539 Anchoring of brain electrode systems, e.g. within burr hole
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0541 Cochlear electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/326 for promoting growth of cells, e.g. bone cells
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/361 : Phantom sensations, e.g. tinnitus

Abstract

A method for implanting a neural prosthetic into a target zone of a patient'"'"'s brain for reducing or eliminating the effects of tinnitus. The prosthetic includes a stimulation device for outputting processed electrical signals and an electrode which is arranged in the target zone having a plurality of electrical contacts. Each of the plurality of electrical contacts independently outputs electrical discharges in accordance with the electrical signals.

Claims

1. A method of implanting an electrode of a neural prosthetic apparatus into an internal target zone of a patient'"'"'s brain, comprising the steps of:

acquiring a three dimensional digital image of the patient'"'"'s brain and storing said three dimensional digital image as a first data set in a memory of a computer;

digitally subtracting data from said first data set to provide a second data set capable of being displayed as a modified three dimensional image depicting the orientation of the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain;

displaying said modified three dimensional image; and

inserting said electrode into said target zone using said modified three dimensional image as a guide, wherein said electrode comprises a plurality of electrical contacts, said prosthetic apparatus comprises a stimulation device for outputting electrical signals, each of said plurality of electrical contacts is electrically coupled to said stimulation device and is capable of outputting electrical discharges in accordance with said electrical signals.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

repeatedly outputting said electrical signals to said plurality of electrical contacts; and

adjusting the orientation of said electrode in said auditory cortex as the patient describes effects of said repeatedly outputting step.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said repeatedly outputting step comprises repeatedly outputting signals which cause said auditory cortex to be stimulated at geometrically separate locations.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein said repeatedly outputting step comprises repeatedly outputting signals of varying power at said geometrically separate locations.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said digitally subtracting step comprises subtracting data from said first data set to yield an image which shows one of an auditory cortex and a medial geniculate nucleus of a thalamus, and said inserting step comprises inserting said electrode into one of the auditory cortex and the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein said inserting step comprises inserting said electrode into the auditory cortex through a rigid introducer and arranging said electrode along the longitudinal direction of the auditory cortex.

7. A method of implanting an electrode of a neural prosthetic apparatus into a target zone of a patient'"'"'s brain, comprising the steps of:

determining the location of the target zone within the patient'"'"'s brain;

inserting the electrode into the target zone, the electrode having a plurality of electrical contacts, wherein one or more of said plurality of electrical contacts is electrically coupled to a stimulation device; and

outputting electrical signals from said stimulation device, said one or more electrical contacts is capable outputting electrical discharges and stimulating said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain in accordance with said electrical signals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said outputting electrical signals step comprises outputting electrical signals from a chronic electrical stimulation device, said one or more of said plurality of electrical contacts is capable of outputting electrical discharges and stimulating said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain at geometrically separate locations in accordance with said electrical signals, and said stimulating said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain at said geometrically separate locations disrupts abnormal neural activity associated with tinnitus at said geometrically separate locations.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of determining the location of the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain comprises:

acquiring a three dimensional digital image of the patient'"'"'s brain and storing said three dimensional digital image in a memory of a computer;

digitally subtracting data from said three dimensional digital image to yield a modified three dimensional digital image which shows the location and orientation of the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of:

adjusting the orientation of the electrode within the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain according to the patient'"'"'s response to said electrical discharges.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:

repeatedly outputting electrical discharges from the one or more electrical contacts to disrupt abnormal neural activity associated with tinnitus.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein said step of determining the location of the target zone within the patient'"'"'s brain comprises determining the location of one of an auditory cortex and a medial geniculate nucleus of a thalamus, and said inserting step comprises inserting said electrode into one of the auditory cortex and the medial geniculate nucleus of the thalamus.

13. The method according to claim 7, wherein said outputting electrical signals step comprises independently outputting electrical discharges from one or more of said plurality of electrical contacts locations within the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain, each of said plurality of electrical contacts independently coupled to the stimulation device.

14. A method of treating a tinnitus patient, comprising the steps of:

obtaining an image of the patient'"'"'s brain;

modifying the image of the patient'"'"'s brain to display an internal brain target zone;

inserting an electrode into the target zone using the modified image as a guide, wherein said electrode has a plurality of electrical contacts for outputting electrical discharges;

electrically coupling one or more of said plurality of electrical contacts to a stimulation device for outputting electrical signals; and

outputting electrical signals from said stimulation device and outputting electrical discharges from said one or more electrical contacts.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:

adjusting the orientation of the electrode in the target zone according to the patient'"'"'s response to said electrical discharges; and

repeatedly outputting electrical discharges from said electrical contacts.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein said step of obtaining an image of the patient'"'"'s brain comprises:

acquiring a three dimensional digital image of the patient'"'"'s brain and storing said three dimensional digital image in a memory of a computer; and

digitally subtracting data from said three dimensional digital image to yield a modified three dimensional digital image which shows the location and orientation of the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein said inserting step comprises inserting an electrode into one of an auditory cortex and a medial geniculate nucleus of a thalamus.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein said inserting step comprises inserting one of a rigid electrode and a flexible electrode.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein said inserting step comprises inserting the electrode through a rigid introducer into the auditory cortex and arranging said electrode along the longitudinal direction of the auditory cortex.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein said outputting electrical signals step comprises outputting electrical signals from a chronic electrical stimulation device, and said outputted electrical discharges cause stimulation of the target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain at a plurality of spatially separate locations and disrupt abnormal neural activity.