Electrode remover for a percutaneous electrical therapy system

• US 6,549,797 B1
• Filed: 12/01/1999
• Issued: 04/15/2003
• 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: Bishay, Jon M., Leonard, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl
• Application Number:
  US09/451,796
• Time in Patent Office: 1,231 Days
• Field of Search: 600/386, 600/372, 600/382, 600/548, 607/115, 607/145, 607/148, 607/149, 128/907, 128/DIG.26
• US Class Current: 600/372
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/907 Acupuncture

Abstract

In a preferred embodiment, a percutaneous electrode remover includes a housing adapted to be held in a user'"'"'s hand, the housing having an aperture at a distal end; and an actuator operable by a user to move a precutaneously inserted electrode through the aperture and completely into the housing.

Claims

1. A percutaneous electrode remover comprising:

a housing configured to be held in a user'"'"'s hand, the housing having an aperture at a distal end;

an actuator operable by a user to move a percutaneously inserted electrode through the aperture and completely into the housing; and

a used electrode holder configured to hold a plurality of electrodes that have been moved into the housing by operation of the actuator.

2. The remover of claim 1 further comprising an electrode engager configured to engage an exposed portion of an electrode upon operation of the actuator.

3. The remover of claim 1 wherein the actuator is further configured to be operated by a user'"'"'s thumb to move the electrode through the aperture.

4. The remover of claim 1 wherein the aperture is configured to cooperate with an alignment element to align an introducer with an electrode insertion site.