Devices and methods for non-invasive capacitive electrical stimulation and their use for vagus nerve stimulation on the neck of a patient
First Claim
1. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
- a handheld enclosure having an interface comprised of a dielectric material on at least a portion of an outer surface of the handheld enclosure, the interface having an inner surface and an outer surface;
a source of energy for generating an electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve;
an electrode housed within the enclosure and coupled to the source of energy, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the inner surface of the interface; and
wherein the source of energy is configured for applying an electrical impulse to the electrode such that the electrical field is capacitively coupled across the interface and the outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin to generate an electrical impulse at the target nerve within the patient sufficient to modulate the target nerve.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A non-invasive electrical stimulator shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient'"'"'s neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in contact with the electrodes. The conducting medium is also in contact with an interface element that may conform to the contour of a target body surface of the patient when the interface element is applied to that surface. When the interface element is made of insulating (dielectric) material, and disclosed stimulation waveforms are used, the power source need not supply high voltage, in order to capacitively stimulate the target nerve. The stimulator is configured to produce a peak pulse that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie in the vicinity of the target nerve and patient'"'"'s skin.
-
Citations
32 Claims
-
1. A device for applying energy transcutaneously to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
-
a handheld enclosure having an interface comprised of a dielectric material on at least a portion of an outer surface of the handheld enclosure, the interface having an inner surface and an outer surface; a source of energy for generating an electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve; an electrode housed within the enclosure and coupled to the source of energy, wherein the electrode is electrically coupled to the inner surface of the interface; and wherein the source of energy is configured for applying an electrical impulse to the electrode such that the electrical field is capacitively coupled across the interface and the outer surface of the patient'"'"'s skin to generate an electrical impulse at the target nerve within the patient sufficient to modulate the target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A method for the transcutaneous capacitive stimulation of a target nerve within a patient comprising:
-
positioning a first surface of a dielectric interface of a device adjacent to a skin surface of the patient; positioning one or more electrodes adjacent to a second surface of the dielectric interface, the second surface opposite the first surface; generating an electric field with the device such that one or more electrical impulses are capacitively coupled across the dielectric interface and transmitted to the target nerve, the electrical impulses being sufficient to modulate electrophysiological signals in the target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
-
-
31. A method for applying energy to a target nerve within a patient comprising:
-
generating a first electric charge on an inside surface of a dielectric patient contact surface on a handheld device; and inducing a second electric charge from the first electric charge on an outside surface of the dielectric patient contact surface such that the second electric charge is transmitted to the target nerve with sufficient energy to modulate said target nerve. - View Dependent Claims (32)
-
Specification