Action potential conduction prevention
First Claim
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
- an electrode to deliver an electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region;
a waveform generator to generate the electrical waveform, where the electrical waveform has two phases, and where the continued periodic delivery of the two phases of the electrical waveform selectively and temporarily depolarizes the nerve membrane in the targeted nerve region to a state where the targeted nerve region cannot conduct an action potential;
a control logic to control the waveform generator to selectively generate the electrical waveform and to selectively provide the electrical waveform to the targeted nerve region through the electrode; and
an amplitude modulation logic to selectively control the amplitude of the electrical waveform to selectively prevent the transmission of action potentials in nerve fibers of different sizes,where the amplitude modulation logic is configured to progressively increase the amplitude of the electrical waveform to block progressively smaller nerves.
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Abstract
An example method for selectively and reversibly preventing the conduction of action potentials in a targeted nerve region is presented. The method includes generating an electrical waveform having two phases and selectively depolarizing a nerve membrane using the electrical waveform. The nerve membrane is depolarized to a state where the nerve membrane cannot conduct an action potential. The depolarization is achieved by selectively repetitively providing the electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region associated with the nerve region to control m gates and h gates in the region and thus to control the availability of ions.
183 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An apparatus, comprising:
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an electrode to deliver an electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region; a waveform generator to generate the electrical waveform, where the electrical waveform has two phases, and where the continued periodic delivery of the two phases of the electrical waveform selectively and temporarily depolarizes the nerve membrane in the targeted nerve region to a state where the targeted nerve region cannot conduct an action potential; a control logic to control the waveform generator to selectively generate the electrical waveform and to selectively provide the electrical waveform to the targeted nerve region through the electrode; and an amplitude modulation logic to selectively control the amplitude of the electrical waveform to selectively prevent the transmission of action potentials in nerve fibers of different sizes, where the amplitude modulation logic is configured to progressively increase the amplitude of the electrical waveform to block progressively smaller nerves. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method, comprising:
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generating an electrical waveform having two phases; selectively depolarizing a nerve membrane to a state where the nerve membrane cannot conduct an action potential by selectively repetitively providing the electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region associated with the nerve region; and selectively controlling the amplitude of the electrical waveform to selectively prevent the transmission of action potentials, where selectively controlling the amplitude of the electrical waveform comprises progressively increasing the amplitude of the electrical waveform to block progressively smaller nerves. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for treating pain, comprising:
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an electrode to deliver a pain controlling electrical waveform to a targeted nerve region; a waveform generator to generate the pain controlling electrical waveform, where the pain controlling electrical waveform has two phases, and where the continued periodic delivery of the two phases of the pain controlling electrical waveform selectively and temporarily depolarizes the nerve membrane in the targeted nerve region to a state where the targeted nerve region cannot conduct an action potential; a pain control logic to control the waveform generator to selectively generate the pain controlling electrical waveform and to selectively provide the pain controlling electrical waveform to the targeted nerve region through the electrode; and an amplitude modulation logic to selectively control the amplitude of the pain controlling electrical waveform to selectively prevent the transmission of action potentials in nerve fibers of different sizes.
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Specification