Method and apparatus for diagnosing and treating neural dysfunction

• US 8,818,503 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 08/26/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NeuroTherm, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NeuroTherm, Inc. (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rittman, William J. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N
• Application Number:
  US14/015,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140005747A1
• Time in Patent Office: 361 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1477 Needle-like probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00434 Neural system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00702 Power or energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00791 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00839 Bioelectrical parameters, e.g. ECG, EEG
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/395 Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4893 Nerves
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/06 for high-frequency therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/00 Radiation therapy ultrasound therapy A61N7/00; devices or apparatus applicable to both therapy and diagnosis A61B6/00

Abstract

A method and apparatus for diagnosing and treating neural dysfunction is disclosed. This device has the capability of delivering the therapeutic electrical energy to more than one treatment electrode simultaneously. In another exemplary embodiment, this device can perform EMG testing both before and after the therapeutic energy has been delivered, to assess whether the target nerve was successfully treated. In another embodiment, the device has the capability to record and store sensory stimulation thresholds both before and after treatment is described, which allows the clinician to accurately determine whether the target nerve has been desensitized. Energy control may achieved by simultaneously comparing the tip temperature of each treatment electrode to a set temperature selected by the operator, and regulating the therapeutic energy output to maintain the set temperature. In another embodiment, EMG, stimulation thresholds, and graphs of temperature versus time can be conveniently displayed on a two-dimensional graphics display.

Claims

1. A device for use in delivering therapeutic treatment energy to a plurality of nerve locations via a corresponding plurality of probes, the device configured to selectively produce power at an RF therapeutic frequency in a therapeutic mode, and to assess electrophysiological activity of a specified one of the plurality of nerve locations in an EMG mode, the device comprising:

a plurality of electrode outputs, wherein each of the electrode outputs is configured to receive EMG signals from and provide RF energy to one of a plurality of probes; and

a mode select user interface operably coupled to the plurality of electrode outputs and configured to enable a user to select from a plurality of settings, wherein,

in an EMG mode setting of the mode select user interface, an EMG measuring circuit is selectively coupled to a single one of the plurality of electrode outputs, and

in a therapeutic mode setting of the mode select user interface, power at an RF frequency is coupled to any of the plurality of electrode outputs.

2. The device for use in delivering therapeutic treatment energy to a plurality of nerve locations of claim 1, wherein the mode select user interface comprises a plurality of buttons corresponding to the plurality of electrode outputs, and an indicator display comprising a plurality of indicator lights.

3. The device for use in delivering therapeutic treatment energy to a plurality of nerve locations of claim 1, wherein the mode select user interface comprises a selector having at least an EMG mode position and a therapeutic mode position.

4. The device for use in delivering therapeutic treatment energy to a plurality of nerve locations of claim 1, the device further comprising a plurality of temperature displays associated with the plurality of probes coupled to the plurality of the electrode outputs, each of the plurality of temperature displays configured to indicate the temperature of a corresponding one of the probes.

5. The device for use in delivering therapeutic treatment energy to a plurality of nerve locations of claim 4, the device further comprising a graphical display capable of displaying a time vs temperature graph for at least one of the probes.