Method of routing electrical current to bodily tissues via implanted passive conductors
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode configured to make electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin and to transmit electrical current to body tissue;
a stimulator electrically coupled to the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode, the stimulator configured to supply electrical current to the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode; and
an implant including a passive electrical conductor having an uninsulated pick-up portion and an uninsulated delivery portion, the uninsulated pick-up portion being configured to pick up at least a portion of the electrical current and to transmit the portion of the electric current through the conductor to a target body tissue, the passive electrical conductor having an insulated body portion between the uninsulated pick-up portion and the uninsulated delivery portion.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention provides an implant, system and method for electrically stimulating a target tissue to either activate or block neural impulses. The implant provides a conductive pathway for a portion of electrical current flowing between surface electrodes positioned on the skin and transmits that current to the target tissue. The implant has a passive electrical conductor of sufficient length to extend from subcutaneous tissue located below a surface cathodic electrode to the target tissue. The conductor has a pick-up end which forms an electrical termination having a sufficient surface area to allow a sufficient portion of the electrical current to flow through the conductor, in preference to flowing through body tissue between the surface electrodes, such that the target tissue is stimulated to either activate or block neural impulses. The conductor also has a stimulating end which forms an electrical termination for delivering the current to the target body tissue.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode configured to make electrical contact with a subject'"'"'s skin and to transmit electrical current to body tissue; a stimulator electrically coupled to the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode, the stimulator configured to supply electrical current to the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode; and an implant including a passive electrical conductor having an uninsulated pick-up portion and an uninsulated delivery portion, the uninsulated pick-up portion being configured to pick up at least a portion of the electrical current and to transmit the portion of the electric current through the conductor to a target body tissue, the passive electrical conductor having an insulated body portion between the uninsulated pick-up portion and the uninsulated delivery portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method, comprising:
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implanting an implant in a body, the implant including a passive electrical conductor having an uninsulated pick-up portion and an uninsulated delivery portion, the uninsulated pick-up portion being configured to pick up at least a portion of an electric current flowing between a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode and to transmit the portion of the electric current to a target body tissue, the passive electrical conductor having an insulated body portion between the uninsulated pick-up portion and the uninsulated delivery portion; positioning the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode in spaced relationship on, and in electrical contact with, the body, with the first surface electrode positioned over the uninsulated pick-up portion of the electrical conductor so the portion of the electric current is transmitted through the electrical conductor to the target body tissue; and applying an electrical current between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode to cause the portion of the electrical current to flow through the implant to be delivered to the target body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. An implant, comprising:
a passive electrical conductor configured to be in electrical communication with a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode when the passive electrical conductor is implanted, the passive electrical conductor including an uninsulated pick-up portion being configured to pick up at least a portion of an electric current flowing between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode; an uninsulated delivery portion configured to deliver the portion of the electric current to a target body tissue; and an insulated body portion disposed between the uninsulated pick-up portion and the uninsulated delivery portion. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. An electrical circuit, comprising:
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a first circuit portion including a first surface electrode and a second surface electrode collectively configured to transmit electrical current to at least one of a target nerve or a target muscle, the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode configured to be electrically coupled to a skin surface; a second circuit portion including a passive electrical conductor having an uninsulated pick-up portion and an uninsulated delivery portion, the uninsulated pick-up portion being configured to pick up at least a portion of an electric current flowing between the first surface electrode and the second surface electrode and to transmit the portion of the electric current through the conductor to the target body tissue, the passive electrical conductor being insulated between the uninsulated pick-up portion and the uninsulated delivery portion, the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion configured to be electrically coupled via bodily tissue disposed between the first circuit portion and the second circuit portion when the second circuit portion is implanted under the skin surface. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification