Electrode contact configurations for an implantable stimulator
First Claim
1. A device comprising:
- an implantable stimulator configured and arranged for stimulation of a nerve and for implantation into tissue of a patient near the nerve, said stimulator comprisingelectrical circuitry configured to produce an electrical stimulation pulse,a power source configured and arranged to supply the electrical circuitry with power,a housing that houses the electrical circuitry and the power source, wherein the housing comprises a substantially flat first external surface, a substantially flat second external surface that is opposite the first external surface, a substantially rounded third external surface and a substantially rounded fourth external surface, wherein the third and fourth external surfaces couple the first external surface to the second external surface, and wherein the substantially flat first external surface is a top surface and the substantially flat second external surface is a bottom surface;
at least one electrode contact array comprising multiple electrode contacts disposed on the first external surface of said housing of said stimulator, andat least one additional electrode contact disposed, at least in part, on the second external surface or the third external surface of said housing.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An exemplary implantable stimulator includes at least one electrode contact array and at least one additional electrode contact. Both the electrode contact array and the additional electrode contact are disposed on an external surface of the stimulator. The electrode contact array includes multiple electrode contacts that are configured to have a first polarity. The additional electrode is configured to have a second polarity. One or more of the electrode contacts disposed on the stimulator are configured to deliver monopolar stimulation and/or multipolar stimulation. Exemplary methods of stimulating a stimulation site within a patient include providing at least one electrode contact array and at least one additional electrode contact. Both the electrode contact array and the additional electrode contact are disposed on an external surface of the stimulator. The electrode contact array includes multiple electrode contacts that are configured to have a first polarity. The additional electrode is configured to have a second polarity. The method further includes applying an electrical stimulation current to the stimulation site via one or more of the electrode contacts that are disposed on the stimulator.
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Citations
38 Claims
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1. A device comprising:
an implantable stimulator configured and arranged for stimulation of a nerve and for implantation into tissue of a patient near the nerve, said stimulator comprising electrical circuitry configured to produce an electrical stimulation pulse, a power source configured and arranged to supply the electrical circuitry with power, a housing that houses the electrical circuitry and the power source, wherein the housing comprises a substantially flat first external surface, a substantially flat second external surface that is opposite the first external surface, a substantially rounded third external surface and a substantially rounded fourth external surface, wherein the third and fourth external surfaces couple the first external surface to the second external surface, and wherein the substantially flat first external surface is a top surface and the substantially flat second external surface is a bottom surface; at least one electrode contact array comprising multiple electrode contacts disposed on the first external surface of said housing of said stimulator, and at least one additional electrode contact disposed, at least in part, on the second external surface or the third external surface of said housing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A method of stimulating a stimulation site within a patient, said method comprising:
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providing a stimulator comprising at least one electrode contact array, said array comprising multiple electrode contacts disposed on a substantially flat first external surface of a housing of said stimulator, wherein said housing houses electrical circuitry configured to produce an electrical stimulation pulse and a power source configured and arranged to supply the electrical circuitry with power, wherein the housing comprises the substantially flat first external surface, a substantially flat second external surface that is opposite the first external surface, a substantially rounded third external surface, and a substantially rounded fourth external surface, wherein the third and fourth external surfaces couple the first external surface to the second external surface, and wherein the substantially flat first external surface is a top surface and the substantially flat second external surface is a bottom surface; providing at least one additional electrode contact disposed, at least in part, on the substantially flat second external surface of the housing, on the substantially rounded third external surface of the housing, or on both the second and third external surfaces; implanting the stimulator within tissue of the patient near the stimulation site, wherein the stimulation site is a nerve, and wherein said electrode contacts are configured to apply an electrical stimulation current to said stimulation site. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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Specification