Systems and methods for selectively stimulating components in, on, or near the pudendal nerve or its branches to achieve selective physiologic responses
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method comprising:
- identifying at least one desired physiologic function selected from the group consisting essentially of controlling urinary incontinence, controlling micturition, controlling fecal incontinence, controlling defecation, controlling peristalsis, controlling erection, controlling vaginal lubrication, controlling ejaculation, and controlling orgasm, providing an array of spaced apart electrodes, providing an electrical pulse generator that includes a programmable microprocessor carrying embedded code, placing the array on, in, or near a pudendal nerve trunk away from a sacral root, the pudendal nerve trunk comprising afferent and efferent nerve components, coupling a lead to connect the array to the electrical pulse generator at a location remote from the array, tuning the array by programming the embedded code in the microprocessor, said tuning comprising (i) mapping relative portion of targeted electrode or electrodes in the array with respect to the afferent and/or efferent components of the pudendal nerve trunk that, when selectively stimulated, affect the desired physiologic function and (ii) defining operating parameters for the targeted electrode or electrodes to achieve the selective stimulation, and after tuning the array, electrically stimulating the pudendal nerve trunk, said stimulation comprising enabling operation of the electrical pulse generator to transmit to the targeted electrode or electrodes electrical stimulation waveforms having the defined operating parameters to achieve the selectively stimulation to affect the desired physiologic function.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods selectively stimulate components of the pudendal nerve away from the sacral root to evoke desired physiologic responses in persons who lack the ability to otherwise produce these responses—e.g., maintain continence and/or produce micturition, and/or provide male/female sexuality responses, and/or provide bowel responses. The systems and methods use a multiple electrode array, or individual electrodes, placed on, in, or near the pudendal nerve. The electrode array, or individual electrodes, in association with a pulse generator, provide selective stimulation of individual fascicles within the pudendal nerve, to achieve different physiologic responses.
239 Citations
8 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
identifying at least one desired physiologic function selected from the group consisting essentially of controlling urinary incontinence, controlling micturition, controlling fecal incontinence, controlling defecation, controlling peristalsis, controlling erection, controlling vaginal lubrication, controlling ejaculation, and controlling orgasm, providing an array of spaced apart electrodes, providing an electrical pulse generator that includes a programmable microprocessor carrying embedded code, placing the array on, in, or near a pudendal nerve trunk away from a sacral root, the pudendal nerve trunk comprising afferent and efferent nerve components, coupling a lead to connect the array to the electrical pulse generator at a location remote from the array, tuning the array by programming the embedded code in the microprocessor, said tuning comprising (i) mapping relative portion of targeted electrode or electrodes in the array with respect to the afferent and/or efferent components of the pudendal nerve trunk that, when selectively stimulated, affect the desired physiologic function and (ii) defining operating parameters for the targeted electrode or electrodes to achieve the selective stimulation, and after tuning the array, electrically stimulating the pudendal nerve trunk, said stimulation comprising enabling operation of the electrical pulse generator to transmit to the targeted electrode or electrodes electrical stimulation waveforms having the defined operating parameters to achieve the selectively stimulation to affect the desired physiologic function. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
-
Specification