Implantable microstimulator having a separate battery unit and methods of use thereof
First Claim
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1. An implantable microstimulator arrangement, comprising:
- a plurality of implantable microstimulator units, each of the plurality of microstimulator units individually comprisinga first implantable housing,at least two electrodes disposed on, or as part of, the first implantable housing, andan electronic subassembly disposed in the first implantable housing and coupled to the at least two electrodes, the electronic subassembly configured and arranged to generate electrical pulses at the at least two electrodes to stimulate adjacent tissue when implanted, the electronic subassembly comprising a processor configured and arranged to control characteristics of the generated electrical pulses;
an implantable battery unit comprisinga second implantable housing, anda power source disposed in the second implantable housing,wherein the implantable battery unit is separate from the plurality of implantable microstimulator units; and
a plurality of leads coupling the plurality of microstimulator units to the battery unit.
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Abstract
An implantable microstimulator arrangement includes at least one implantable microstimulator unit; an implantable battery unit separate from the implantable microstimulator unit(s); and at least one lead coupling the microstimulator unit(s) to the battery unit. The microstimulator unit(s) are operated to treat body tissue.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. An implantable microstimulator arrangement, comprising:
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a plurality of implantable microstimulator units, each of the plurality of microstimulator units individually comprising a first implantable housing, at least two electrodes disposed on, or as part of, the first implantable housing, and an electronic subassembly disposed in the first implantable housing and coupled to the at least two electrodes, the electronic subassembly configured and arranged to generate electrical pulses at the at least two electrodes to stimulate adjacent tissue when implanted, the electronic subassembly comprising a processor configured and arranged to control characteristics of the generated electrical pulses; an implantable battery unit comprising a second implantable housing, and a power source disposed in the second implantable housing, wherein the implantable battery unit is separate from the plurality of implantable microstimulator units; and a plurality of leads coupling the plurality of microstimulator units to the battery unit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 22)
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17. An implantable microstimulator arrangement, comprising:
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at least one implantable battery unit comprising a first implantable housing, and a power source disposed in the first implantable housing; a plurality of implantable microstimulator units, wherein each implantable microstimulator unit comprises a second implantable housing, at least two electrodes disposed on, or as part of, the second implantable housing, and an electronic subassembly disposed in the second implantable housing and coupled to the at least two electrodes, the electronic subassembly configured and arranged to generate electrical pulses at the at least two electrodes to stimulate adjacent tissue when implanted, the electronic subassembly comprising a processor configured and arranged to control characteristics of the generated electrical pulses; a plurality of lead connectors; and a plurality of leads that couple the microstimulator units to the at least one battery unit using the lead connectors wherein the at least one implantable battery unit is separate from the plurality of implantable microstimulator units.
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18. A method of treating body tissue, the method comprising:
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implanting at least one microstimulator unit into a body in the proximity of the body tissue to be treated, each microstimulator unit comprising a first housing, at least two electrodes disposed on, or as part of, the first housing, and an electronic subassembly disposed in the first housing and coupled to the at least two electrodes, the electronic subassembly configured and arranged to generate electrical pulses at the at least two electrodes to stimulate the body tissue, the electronic subassembly comprising a processor configured and arranged to control characteristics of the generated electrical pulses; implanting a separate battery unit into the body, the battery unit comprising a second implantable housing and a power source disposed in the second implantable housing; coupling the battery unit to the microstimulator unit using at least one lead prior to implanting the at least one microstimulator unit; and operating the microstimulator unit to treat the body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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Specification