Method and apparatus for electrically coupling a percutaneous probe

• US 6,542,780 B1
• Filed: 09/21/2000
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Meagan Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Vertis Neuroscience, Inc. (Northstar Neuroscience, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leonard, Paul C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/667,183
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 607/115, 607/116, 607/117, 600/373, 600/372
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0502 Skin piercing electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain

Abstract

An apparatus for coupling a percutaneous electrode to an electrical power source, and methods for operating such an apparatus. In one embodiment, the apparatus can include a housing, an electrode movably coupled to the housing and having a sharpened end to pierce a skin surface, and an actuator releasably coupled to the electrode to move the electrode relative to the housing. The actuator is movable relative to the electrode between a first position and a second position. The actuator has a conductive member coupleable to a source of electrical power, and the conductive member has a first surface and a conductive feature with a second surface offset from the first surface. The conductive member is releasably engaged with the electrode when the actuator is moved to the second position and can provide mechanical feedback to the operator when the conductive member engages the electrode.

Claims

1. A method for releasably coupling a percutaneous electrode to a source of electrical power, comprising:

releasably engaging with the electrode a first surface of a conductive member coupled to an electrical power source;

biasing the conductive member against the electrode;

moving the conductive member relative to the electrode at least until a contact feature having a second surface offset from the first surface engages the electrode;

receiving mechanical feedback when the contact feature engages the electrode; and

inserting the electrode into a recipient'"'"'s skin.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein moving the conductive member includes rotating the conductive member relative to the electrode.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

coupling the conductive member to an actuator; and

rotating the actuator and the conductive member as a unit to engage the contact feature with the electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrode has a circular cross-sectional shape with a first portion facing opposite a second portion and the conductive feature includes a dimple having a first portion facing opposite a second portion, and wherein the method further comprises:

engaging the first portion of the dimple with the first portion of the electrode while the second portion of the dimple is spaced apart from the second portion of the electrode; and

rotating the conductive member until the second portion of the dimple engages the second portion of the electrode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the conductive feature includes an aperture in the conductive member, and wherein the method further comprises rotating the conductive member until an edge of the aperture engages the electrode.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving resistance when applying a force to the conductive member with the conductive feature engaged with the electrode.

7. A method for releasably coupling a percutaneous electrode to a source of electrical power, comprising:

releasably engaging a portion of the electrode with a conductive plate having a dimple, the conductive plate being coupled to a source of electrical power;

biasing the conductive plate against the electrode;

rotating a plunger operatively coupled to the conductive plate relative to the electrode to engage a first surface portion of the dimple facing a first direction with the electrode;

continuing to rotate the conductive plate relative to the electrode until a second surface portion of the dimple facing a second direction different than the first direction engages the electrode while biasing the conductive plate against the electrode; and

receiving mechanical feedback when the second surface portion of the dimple engages the electrode.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising decoupling the plunger from the conductive plate.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrode has a circular cross-sectional shape with a first portion facing opposite a second portion, and wherein the method further comprises:

engaging the first portion of the dimple with the first portion of the electrode while the second portion of the dimple is spaced apart from the second portion of the electrode; and

rotating the conductive member until the second portion of the dimple engages the second portion of the electrode.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

rotating the plunger clockwise to engage the dimple with the electrode; and

receiving resistance when applying a counterclockwise force to the plunger with the dimple engaged with the electrode.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrode is positioned in a slider member and the slider member is slideably positioned in a housing, further comprising releasably coupling the plunger to the slider member.

12. A method for forming a percutaneous electrical stimulation device for use with an actuator having a contact member with a first surface and a contact feature having a second surface offset from the first surface, the method comprising:

attaching a percutaneous probe to a guide member; and

disposing the guide member in a housing configured to releasably engage a recipient'"'"'s skin, with the guide member being movable relative to the housing and positioned to releasably contact the first and second surfaces of the conductive member when the guide member is engaged with the actuator.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein disposing the guide member in the housing includes inserting a guide portion of the guide member into a channel of the housing.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising rotating the guide member relative to the housing from a first position to a second position about an axis generally parallel to a central axis of the percutaneous probe to position the guide member for contacting the conductive member.

15. An apparatus for administering percutaneous electrical stimulation, comprising:

a housing;

an electrode moveably coupled to the housing and having a sharpened end to pierce a skin surface; and

an actuator releasably coupled to the electrode to move the electrode relative to the housing, the actuator being moveable relative to the electrode between a first position and a second position and having a conductive member being coupleable to a source of electrical power, the conductive member having a first surface and having a conductive feature with a second surface offset from the first surface, the conductive feature being releasably engaged with the electrode when the actuator is moved to the second position.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a biasing device coupled to the conductive member to bias the conductive member against the electrode when the actuator is in the second position.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the electrode is supported by a slider member that is slideable and rotatable relative to the housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the actuator is rotatable relative to the housing to engage the conductive feature with the electrode.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the electrode has a cylindrical cross-sectional shape with a first portion facing opposite a second portion and the conductive feature includes a dimple having a first portion facing opposite a second portion, the first portion of the dimple being engaged with the first portion of the electrode when the conductive member is in the first position relative to the housing, the second portion of the dimple being engaged with the second portion of the of the electrode when the conductive member is rotated to the second position relative to the housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the electrode has a generally circular cross-sectional shape.

21. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the dimple has a generally circular cross-sectional shape.

22. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the conductive feature includes an aperture in the conductive member, the aperture having an edge configured to engage the electrode.

23. An apparatus for administering percutaneous electrical stimulation, comprising:

a housing;

a slider member slideably positioned within the housing to move axially relative to the housing;

an electrode connected to the slider member and having a first end and a second end, the first end being sharp to pierce a skin surface, the electrode having a contact portion toward the second end;

a plunger releasably coupled to the slider member, the slider member and the plunger being rotatable as a unit relative to the housing;

a conductive plate coupled to the plunger, the conductive plate having a dimple with a first surface facing a first direction and engaged with the contact portion of the electrode when the plunger and slider member are in a first angular position relative to the housing, the dimple having a second surface facing a second direction different than the first direction and engaged with the contact portion of the electrode when the plunger and slider member are in a second angular position relative to the housing; and

a biasing device coupled to the conductive plate to bias the conductive plate against the electrode when the plunger is coupled to the slider member.