Method, apparatus and system for bipolar charge utilization during stimulation by an implantable medical device

• US 8,260,426 B2
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Armstrong, Randolph K., Maschino, Steven E., Scott, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Niketa
• Assistant Examiner(s): STOKLOSA, JOSEPH A
• Application Number:
  US12/020,195
• Publication Number:
  US 20090192567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,684 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607117-118, 607 45- 46
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362

Abstract

We disclose a method, apparatus, and system of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device. A first electrode is coupled to a first portion of a cranial nerve of the patient. A second electrode is coupled to a second portion of the cranial nerve of the patient. A first electrical signal is provided to the first and second electrodes. The first electrical signal is provided in a first polarity configuration in which the first electrode functions as an anode and the second electrode functions as a cathode. Upon termination of the first electrical signal, the anode and cathode each comprise a first accumulated energy. A second electrical signal is provided to the first and second electrodes, in which the second electrical signal includes at least a portion of the first accumulated energy.

Claims

1. A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device (IMD) having a first electrode coupled to a first cranial nerve structure and a second electrode coupled to a second cranial nerve structure, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is different from the second cranial nerve structure, and wherein the first cranial nerve structure is a left portion of a cranial nerve and the second cranial nerve structure is a right portion of the cranial nerve, the method comprising:

delivering a first pulse having a first charge to the first cranial nerve structure, the first pulse configured to induce action potentials in the first cranial nerve structure, wherein the first electrode is configured as a cathode and the second electrode configured as an anode during the first pulse;

storing charge accumulated at the IMD during the first pulse; and

delivering a second pulse having a second charge to the second cranial nerve structure, the second pulse configured to induce action potentials in the second cranial nerve structure, wherein the first electrode is configured as the anode and the second electrode is configured as the cathode during the second pulse, wherein the charge stored during the first pulse comprises at least a portion of the second charge.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cranial nerve is one of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the charge is accumulated at a first capacitor associated with the first electrode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the charge is accumulated at a first capacitor associated with the first electrode and a second capacitor associated with the second electrode.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode to deliver the second pulse to the second cranial nerve structure such that the first electrode is configured as the anode and the second electrode is configured as the cathode.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode after delivering the second pulse to the second cranial nerve structure such that the first electrode is configured as the cathode and the second electrode is configured as the anode.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second charge of the second pulse is the stored charge.

8. A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device (IMD) having a first electrode coupled to a first cranial nerve structure and a second electrode coupled to a second cranial nerve structure, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is different from the second cranial nerve structure, and wherein the first cranial nerve structure is a first cranial nerve and the second cranial nerve structure is a second cranial nerve, the method comprising:

delivering a first pulse having a first charge to the first cranial nerve structure, the first pulse configured to induce action potentials in the first cranial nerve structure, wherein the first electrode is configured as a cathode and the second electrode configured as an anode during the first pulse;

storing charge accumulated at the IMD during the first pulse; and

delivering a second pulse having a second charge to the second cranial nerve structure, the second pulse configured to induce action potentials in the second cranial nerve structure, wherein the first electrode is configured as the anode and the second electrode is configured as the cathode during the second pulse, wherein the charge stored during the first pulse comprises at least a portion of the second charge.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is one of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the charge is accumulated at a first capacitor associated with the first electrode.

17. The method of claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the charge is accumulated at a first capacitor associated with the first electrode and a second capacitor associated with the second electrode.

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode to deliver the second pulse to the second cranial nerve structure such that the first electrode is configured as the anode and the second electrode is configured as the cathode.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

reversing the polarity of the first electrode and the second electrode after delivering the second pulse to the second cranial nerve structure such that the first electrode is configured as the cathode and the second electrode is configured as the anode.

20. The method of claim 8, wherein the second charge of the second pulse is the stored charge.

10. A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device (IMD) having a first electrode coupled to a first cranial nerve structure and a second electrode coupled to a second cranial nerve structure, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is different from the second cranial nerve structure, and wherein the first cranial nerve structure is a left portion of a cranial nerve and the second cranial nerve structure is a right portion of the cranial nerve, the method comprising:

providing a first electrical signal to the first cranial nerve structure of the patient using a first polarity configuration in which the first electrode functions as a cathode and the second electrode functions as an anode, the first electrical signal configured to induce action potentials in the first cranial nerve structure, wherein charge accumulates at the anode and the cathode as a result of the first electrical signal;

switching from the first polarity configuration to a second polarity configuration upon termination of the first electrical signal, wherein the first electrode functions as the anode and the second electrode functions as the cathode in the second polarity configuration; and

providing a second electrical signal to the second cranial nerve structure in the second polarity configuration, the second electrical signal configured to induce action potentials in the second cranial nerve structure, wherein at least a portion of the second electrical signal comprises the accumulated charge from the first electrical signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein second charge accumulates at the anode and the cathode as a result of the second electrical signal, further comprising:

switching from the second polarity configuration to the first polarity configuration upon termination of the second electrical signal; and

providing a third electrical signal to the first cranial nerve structure in the first polarity configuration, the third electrical signal configured to induce action potentials in the first cranial nerve structure, wherein at least a portion of the third electrical signal comprises the accumulated second charge from the second electrical signal.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the second electrical signal comprises a feedback controlled current pulse operable to adjust the amount of energy used to provide the second electrical signal based upon an amount of the accumulated charge from the first signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the medical condition is selected from the group consisting of depression, epilepsy, obesity, bulimia, traumatic brain injury, congestive heart failure, stroke, coma, fibromyalgia, addiction disorders, multiple sclerosis, haring disorder, Alzheimer'"'"'s disease, Parkinson'"'"'s disease, gastrointestinal disorders, pancreatic disorders, kidney disorders, and diabetes.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the cranial nerve is one of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is a first cranial nerve and the second cranial nerve structure is a second cranial nerve, wherein the first cranial nerve structure is one of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve.