Combination electrical stimulating and infusion medical device and method

• US 8,066,702 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2008
• Issued: 11/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeuroTherm, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NeuroTherm, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rittman, William J. III, Vilims, Bradley D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dvorak; Linda
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZINK, AMANDA L
• Application Number:
  US12/033,232
• Publication Number:
  US 20080200972A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,379 Days
• Field of Search: 606 32- 45
• US Class Current: 606/41
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1492 having a flexible, catheter-like structure, e.g. for heart ablation A61B18/1477 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/0044 Spinal cord
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0043 characterised by structural features
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

A combined electrical and chemical stimulation lead is especially adapted for providing treatment to the spine and nervous system. The stimulation lead includes electrodes that may be selectively positioned along various portions of the stimulation lead in order to precisely direct electrical energy to ablate or electrically stimulate the target tissue. The invention also includes a method of activating electrodes in the electrical stimulation lead whereby an ablative lesion can be formed in a desired shape and size. The invention further includes a method of managing pain in a sacrum of a patient, and a method of assembling an electrical stimulation device.

Claims

1. A method of activating electrodes in an electrical stimulation lead that transmits RF energy to tissue surrounding the lead thereby ablating the tissue, said method comprising:

providing a stimulation lead having a plurality of electrodes spaced longitudinally along the stimulation lead, said plurality of electrodes including at least a distal electrode, a proximal electrode, and an intermediate electrode positioned between, and electrically isolated from the proximal end distal electrodes;

providing a plurality of electrical conductors to interconnect said plurality of electrodes to an RF generator;

providing a temperature-sensing element adjacent each of said plurality of electrodes for sensing a temperature at respective locations of the electrodes;

sequentially energizing the plurality of electrodes in a mono-polar configuration to generate a generally spherical shaped lesion surrounding each of the electrodes, thereby producing corresponding proximal, intermediate and distal lesions;

energizing the intermediate and distal electrode in a bipolar configuration thereby generating a fourth lesion which fills in a space that may be present between the distal lesion and the intermediate lesion; and

energizing the proximal electrode and intermediate electrode in a bipolar configuration thereby generating a fifth lesion that fills in another space between said proximal lesion and said intermediate lesion, wherein collectively said lesions produce a generally cylindrical lesion of a selected length and diameter.

2. A method, as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

said generally cylindrical lesion is formed without having to move the stimulation lead and thus, said stimulation lead remains stationary during said energizing steps.

3. A method of managing SI joint pain in a sacrum of a patient, according to the method of claim 1, said method comprising:

inserting the stimulation lead along a path insertion into a patient and placing the stimulation lead in a position medial to an inferior aspect of the SI joint directed toward an inferior lateral edge of the sacrum wherein the stimulation lead is captured under a corresponding iliac crest; and

conducting the method of claim 3 to produce the lesion of a selected length and diameter.