Apparatus for stimulating components in, on, or near the pudendal nerve or its branches to achieve selective physiologic responses
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- one or more electrodes configured to be placed on or in a targeted component of a pudendal nerve and to stimulate the targeted component of the pudendal nerve, where the targeted component of the pudendal nerve includes one or more of, a urethral afferent of the pudendal nerve, and afferent nerve fibers in the deep perineal nerve;
a programmable controller coupled to the one or more electrodes, the programmable controller being programmable to selectively apply a member of a set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to stimulate the targeted component of the pudendal nerve,where the programmable controller applies a first member of the set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to produce a first physiologic response, the first member of the set of electrical signals being generated according to a first set of predefined attributes, andwhere the programmable controller applies a second member of the set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to produce a second physiologic response, the second member of the set electrical signals being generated according to a second set of predefined attributes,where the first physiologic response is controlling urinary incontinence and the second physiologic response is controlling micturition,where the first set of predefined attributes and the second set of predefined attributes control the programmable controller to generate electrical signals having a set of attributes including a waveform, an amplitude, and a frequency, the amplitude being in the range of 5 mA to 20 mA, the frequency being in the range of 2 Hertz to 33 Hertz, the amplitude being the same for both the first set of predefined attributes and the second set of predefined attributes, andwhere controlling urinary incontinence is stimulated by applying an electrical signal with a frequency of 2 Hz and controlling micturition is stimulated by applying an electrical signal with a frequency of 20 Hz.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for control of physiological functions, including physiological functions of the urinary tract, using at least one electrode sized and configured to be located on, in, or near a targeted component of the pudendal nerve, and/or its branch(es), and/or its spinal root(s). The apparatus includes a controller coupled to the electrode to apply an electrical signal having an amplitude to the electrode at a selected frequency to stimulate the targeted component. The controller operates in a first mode to apply a first frequency or range of frequencies without substantially changing the amplitude for achieving a first physiologic response (e.g., controlling urinary continence) and the controller operates in a second mode to apply a second frequency or range of frequencies, different than the first frequency, for achieving a second physiologic response different than the first physiologic response (e.g., controlling micturition).
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Citations
7 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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one or more electrodes configured to be placed on or in a targeted component of a pudendal nerve and to stimulate the targeted component of the pudendal nerve, where the targeted component of the pudendal nerve includes one or more of, a urethral afferent of the pudendal nerve, and afferent nerve fibers in the deep perineal nerve; a programmable controller coupled to the one or more electrodes, the programmable controller being programmable to selectively apply a member of a set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to stimulate the targeted component of the pudendal nerve, where the programmable controller applies a first member of the set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to produce a first physiologic response, the first member of the set of electrical signals being generated according to a first set of predefined attributes, and where the programmable controller applies a second member of the set of electrical signals to the one or more electrodes to produce a second physiologic response, the second member of the set electrical signals being generated according to a second set of predefined attributes, where the first physiologic response is controlling urinary incontinence and the second physiologic response is controlling micturition, where the first set of predefined attributes and the second set of predefined attributes control the programmable controller to generate electrical signals having a set of attributes including a waveform, an amplitude, and a frequency, the amplitude being in the range of 5 mA to 20 mA, the frequency being in the range of 2 Hertz to 33 Hertz, the amplitude being the same for both the first set of predefined attributes and the second set of predefined attributes, and where controlling urinary incontinence is stimulated by applying an electrical signal with a frequency of 2 Hz and controlling micturition is stimulated by applying an electrical signal with a frequency of 20 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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Specification