Electrode assembly for nerve control
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
- a housing;
a cathode, coupled to the housing such that the cathode is brought into a vicinity of a cathodic site of the nerve when the housing is applied to the nerve; and
a plurality of anodes, coupled to the housing such that the anodes are brought into vicinities of respective anodal longitudinal sites of the nerve when the housing is applied to the nerve, and configured to apply respective anodal currents to the nerve, that define, in combination, an anodal activation function having;
(a) a hyperpolarizing portion thereof having a maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude, and (b) a depolarizing portion thereof, having a maximum depolarizing amplitude corresponding to a depolarizing site on the nerve, wherein a site corresponding to the hyperpolarizing portion is between the depolarizing site and the cathodic site, and wherein the maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude is at least five times greater than the maximum depolarizing amplitude.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus is provided for applying current to a nerve. A cathode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a cathodic longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a cathodic current to the nerve. A primary inhibiting anode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a primary anodal longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a primary anodal current to the nerve. A secondary inhibiting anode is adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a secondary anodal longitudinal site of the nerve and to apply a secondary anodal current to the nerve, the secondary anodal longitudinal site being closer to the primary anodal longitudinal site than to the cathodic longitudinal site.
423 Citations
42 Claims
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1. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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a housing; a cathode, coupled to the housing such that the cathode is brought into a vicinity of a cathodic site of the nerve when the housing is applied to the nerve; and a plurality of anodes, coupled to the housing such that the anodes are brought into vicinities of respective anodal longitudinal sites of the nerve when the housing is applied to the nerve, and configured to apply respective anodal currents to the nerve, that define, in combination, an anodal activation function having;
(a) a hyperpolarizing portion thereof having a maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude, and (b) a depolarizing portion thereof, having a maximum depolarizing amplitude corresponding to a depolarizing site on the nerve, wherein a site corresponding to the hyperpolarizing portion is between the depolarizing site and the cathodic site, and wherein the maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude is at least five times greater than the maximum depolarizing amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 39, 40)
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17. A method for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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applying cathodic current in a vicinity of a cathodic site of the nerve; and applying anodal currents in a vicinity of respective anodal longitudinal sites of the nerve, the currents defining, in combination, an anodal activation function having;
(a) a hyperpolarizing portion thereof having a maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude, and (b) a depolarizing portion thereof, having a maximum depolarizing amplitude corresponding to a depolarizing site on the nerve distal, wherein a site corresponding to the hyperpolarizing portion is between the depolarizing site and the cathodic site, and wherein the maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude is at least five times greater than the maximum depolarizing amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. Apparatus for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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a housing; a cathode, coupled to the housing such that the cathode is brought into in a vicinity of a cathodic site of the nerve when the housing is applied to the nerve; and first and second anodes, coupled to the housing such that the anodes are brought into vicinities of respective first and second anodal longitudinal sites of the nerve that are on a same side of the cathodic site when the housing is applied to the nerve, and configured to apply respective first and second anodal currents to the nerve, that define, in combination, an anodal activation function having;
(a) a hyperpolarizing portion thereof having a maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude, and (b) a depolarizing portion thereof, having a maximum depolarizing amplitude corresponding to a depolarizing site on the nerve,wherein a site corresponding to the hyperpolarizing portion is between the depolarizing site and the cathodic site, and wherein the maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude is at least five times greater than the maximum depolarizing amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 41, 42)
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35. A method for applying current to a nerve, comprising:
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applying cathodic current in a vicinity of a cathodic site of the nerve; and applying first and second anodal currents in a vicinity of respective first and second anodal longitudinal sites of the nerve that are on a same side of the cathodic site, the currents defining, in combination, an anodal activation function having;
(a) a hyperpolarizing portion thereof having a maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude, and (b) a depolarizing portion thereof having a maximum depolarizing amplitude corresponding to a depolarizing site on the nerve,wherein a site corresponding to the hyperpolarizing portion is between the depolarizing site and the cathodic site, and wherein the maximum hyperpolarizing amplitude is at least five times greater than the maximum depolarizing amplitude. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38)
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Specification