Multiprogrammable tissue stimulator and method
First Claim
1. An improved electric tissue stimulation system for treatment and control of a condition having a transmitting means, a receiving means adapted for surgical implantation and at least one electrically coupled multi-electrode means adapted for surgical implantation, the transmitting means for transmitting stimulation data to the receiving means for delivery of an electrical pulse through the at least one multi-electrode means positioned at selected tissue site(s), the system comprising:
- (a) control means for determining and optimizing at least three stimulation settings to stimulate a patient corresponding region afflicted by pain, and for delivering instructional programming data, each stimulation setting comprising at least two parameters operable for characterizing at least one electrical pulse to be generated in response to selection of the stimulation setting;
(b) means for storing the at least three stimulation settings within the receiving means, the means for storing programmable by the control means;
(c) means for selecting one of the at least three stimulation settings from the means for storing, the means for selecting programmable by the control means; and
(d) pulse generating means for generating an electrical pulse in accordance with the selected stimulation setting; and
wherein the control means is operable to programmably instruct the means for selecting to select one of the at least three stimulation settings and the pulse generating means responsively is operable to generate the at least one electrical pulse characterized by the selected stimulation setting.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An electronic stimulation system is used to control pain over multiple regions of a patient'"'"'s body. The system has one or more percutaneous leads, each having multiple electrodes, implanted within the patient'"'"'s epidural space parallel to the axis of the spinal cord. The leads are connected to either a totally implanted system or a radio frequency system. The system is able to treat pain over different regions of a patient'"'"'s body by “simultaneously” stimulating the patient with at least three different stimulation settings. “Simultaneous” stimulation involves sequentially stimulating the patient with the multiple stimulation settings such that the patient receives the cumulative effect of each stimulation setting, while not perceiving the transition from one stimulation setting to another.
180 Citations
21 Claims
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1. An improved electric tissue stimulation system for treatment and control of a condition having a transmitting means, a receiving means adapted for surgical implantation and at least one electrically coupled multi-electrode means adapted for surgical implantation, the transmitting means for transmitting stimulation data to the receiving means for delivery of an electrical pulse through the at least one multi-electrode means positioned at selected tissue site(s), the system comprising:
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(a) control means for determining and optimizing at least three stimulation settings to stimulate a patient corresponding region afflicted by pain, and for delivering instructional programming data, each stimulation setting comprising at least two parameters operable for characterizing at least one electrical pulse to be generated in response to selection of the stimulation setting; (b) means for storing the at least three stimulation settings within the receiving means, the means for storing programmable by the control means; (c) means for selecting one of the at least three stimulation settings from the means for storing, the means for selecting programmable by the control means; and (d) pulse generating means for generating an electrical pulse in accordance with the selected stimulation setting; and wherein the control means is operable to programmably instruct the means for selecting to select one of the at least three stimulation settings and the pulse generating means responsively is operable to generate the at least one electrical pulse characterized by the selected stimulation setting. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An improved electric tissue stimulator system for treatment or control of a condition having a transmitting means to transmit stimulation data to a receiving means, adapted to be surgically implanted within a patient, for receiving the stimulation data and emanating electrical pulses to be delivered via at least one electrically coupled multi-electrode means positioned at a selected tissue site(s), the system comprising:
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a) a control means for determining and optimizing at least three stimulation settings to stimulate a patient-corresponding region afflicted by pain, and for delivering instructional programming data, each stimulation setting comprising at least two parameters operable for characterizing at least one stimulation pulse generated in response to selection of the stimulation setting; b) means for storing the at least three stimulation settings within the receiving means, the means for storing programmable by the control means; c) means for selecting one of the at least three stimulation settings from the means for storing, the means for selecting programmable by the control means; and d) pulse generating means for emanating the at least one stimulation pulse in accordance with the selected stimulation setting, to provide stimulation to the patient-corresponding region affected by pain. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An improved electric tissue stimulator system for treatment or control of a condition having a transmitting means for transmitting stimulation data to a receiving means, adapted to be surgically implanted within a patient, for receiving the stimulation data and generating stimulation pulses to be delivered via at least one coupled, multi-electrode means, the system comprising:
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a) at least three first parameter data registers operable to store at least three first variable parameters of at least three stimulation settings; b) at least three second parameter data registers operable to store at least three second variable parameters of at least three stimulation settings, each second parameter data register corresponding to a first parameter data register; c) a controller, coupled to the first parameter data registers and the second parameter data registers, operable to select at least three stimulation settings, each stimulation setting including a first variable parameter and a corresponding second variable parameter; d) pulse generation circuitry, connected to the first parameter data registers, the second parameter data registers and the controller, operable to generate a stimulation pulse which is characteristic of the selected stimulation setting, each stimulation pulse capable of being delivered via the at least one multi-electrode means; and e) a time interval generator, coupled to the controller, operable to switch between the at least three stimulation settings at a programmable interval, to enable the patient to perceive simultaneous stimulation at each site addressed by each selected stimulation setting. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method of electrically stimulating tissue for treatment or control of a condition through at least a partially implanted system which includes a programming means, a receiving means and at least one multi-electrode means, comprising the steps of:
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a) surgically implanting the receiving means and the at least one multi-electrode means within a patient, the multi-electrode means being placed at or about tissue intended to be stimulated; b) determining and optimizing at least three stimulation settings to stimulate a patient corresponding region afflicted by pain, each stimulation setting comprising at least two parameters operable for characterizing at least one stimulation pulse generated in response to selection of the stimulation setting; c) selecting at least one of the at least three stimulation settings; d) transmitting the at least three stimulation settings from the programming means to the receiving means and storing the at least three stimulation settings within the receiving means; and e) emanating a stimulation pulse, for the selected stimulation setting through and by at least one multi-electrode means.
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Specification