Method for improving far-field activation in peripheral field nerve stimulation

• US 9,037,261 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2014
• Issued: 05/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradley, Kerry
• Primary Examiner(s): MALAMUD, DEBORAH LESLIE
• Application Number:
  US14/189,660
• Publication Number:
  US 20140180350A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 607 1- 2, 607115-116, 607/118
• US Class Current: 607/118
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

A method of providing therapy to a patient having a disorder using an electrode located adjacent a peripheral target neural region. The method comprises conveying electrical stimulation energy from the electrode that stimulates a first set of nerve endings in the peripheral target neural region. The method further comprises increasing an activation threshold of a second set of nerve endings in the peripheral target neural region, thereby rendering the second set of nerve endings less excitable to the electrical stimulation energy. The first set of nerve endings are relatively far from the electrode and the second set of nerve endings are relatively near the electrode.

Claims

1. A method of providing therapy to a patient having a disorder using a receiver-stimulator implanted within a patient, an external controller inductively coupled to the receiver-stimulator via an electromagnetic link, and an electrode coupled to the receiver-stimulator and located adjacent a peripheral target neural region of the patient, the method comprising:

transcutaneously transmitting data/power signals from the external controller to the receiver-stimulator via the electromagnetic link; and

in response to the transmitted data/power signals, conveying electrical stimulation energy from the electrode that stimulates a first set of nerve endings in the peripheral target neural region, the first set of nerve endings being relatively far from the electrode, and increasing an activation threshold of a second set of nerve endings in the peripheral target neural region, thereby rendering the second set of nerve endings less excitable to the electrical stimulation energy, the second set of nerve endings being relatively near the electrode.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation energy is conveyed in a monopolar manner.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulation energy is conveyed in a multipolar manner.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings results in preventing stimulation of the second set of nerve endings.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein conveying the electrical stimulation energy comprises conveying at least one stimulation pulse, and wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings is performed by conveying at least one electrical conditioning pulse to the second set of nerve endings.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the at least one conditioning pulse is a depolarizing conditioning pulse.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein each of the at least one conditioning pulse is a hyperpolarizing conditioning pulse have a duration of less than 200 μ

s).

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse is conveyed from the electrode.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one conditioning pulse respectively precede the at least one stimulation pulse.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings is performed by conveying high frequency electrical blocking energy to the second set of nerve endings.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the high frequency electrical blocking energy is at least 2.2 kHz.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the high frequency electrical blocking energy is sinusoidal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the high frequency electrical blocking energy is the electrical stimulation energy conveyed from the electrode.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the conveyance of the high frequency electrical blocking energy is ceased during a plurality of periods, wherein conveying the electrical stimulation energy comprises respectively conveying a plurality of stimulation pulses only during the plurality of periods.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein high frequency electrical blocking energy is at least 2.2 KHz, the plurality of stimulation pulses are conveyed at a frequency in the range of 20-100 Hz, and the energy in the plurality of stimulation pulses is greater than the high frequency electrical blocking energy.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings is performed by conveying pulsed electrical energy prior to conveying the electrical stimulation energy, such that the second set of nerve endings accommodates to the conveyed electrical stimulation energy, wherein the pulsed electrical energy has an amplitude that is less than the electrical stimulation energy.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings is performed by applying a neuronal inhibitory pharmacological agent to the second set of nerve endings prior to conveying the electrical stimulation energy from the electrode.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein increasing the activation threshold of the second set of nerve endings is performed by ablating the second set of nerve endings.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the therapy is a reduction in or elimination of pain.