Methods for delivery of optical signals to tissue for the treatment of a disease or condition

• US 9,220,916 B2
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InCube Labs LLC. (In-Cube, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: InCube Labs LLC. (In-Cube, Inc.)
• Inventors: Imran, Mir
• Primary Examiner(s): Lavert, Nicole F
• Application Number:
  US13/710,407
• Publication Number:
  US 20130103124A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,114 Days
• Field of Search: 607 36- 37, 600/544
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0536 Preventing neurodegenerative response or inflammatory reaction
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37514 Brain implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0622 Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/5224 for medical use
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2201/12 for medicine and surgery

Abstract

Embodiments described herein provide methods for treating various conditions and diseases using an optical signal. In one or more embodiments an apparatus is providing having an optical window, which is used to deliver an optical signal to provide stimulation to one or more tissue sites in the body such as the brain, optic nerve, eye, ganglia, spine, or other like site. The optical signals can be used to treat a variety of neurological diseases and conditions including epilepsy, migraine headaches and chronic pain. In particular applications the optical signals can be used to treat, inhibit or prevent epileptic or other neurological seizures by providing an optical input to a foci or surrounding tissue in the brain causing the seizure. The optical signal may also be combined with an electrical signal to produce an aggregate effect in tissue for treating the disease or condition such as a neurological disease or condition.

Claims

1. A method for stimulating neural tissue to treat a neurological condition, the method comprising:

providing a stimulator apparatus configured to operate in or on the neural tissue, the stimulator apparatus including a substrate positioned on a housing of the stimulator apparatus and abutting a wall of the housing, the substrate comprising a transparent dielectric material formed into an optical window, the stimulator apparatus configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals configured to pass through the optical window to neural tissue; and

delivering an optical stimulation signal generated by the stimulator apparatus to the neural tissue through the optical window to treat the neurological condition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical stimulation signal is delivered to brain tissue to treat the neurological condition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stimulator apparatus is implanted in the skull.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the stimulator apparatus is implanted in the brain.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the optical stimulation signal is further delivered to allow for measurement of changes in optical properties of the brain tissue.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical stimulation signal is configured to treat an epileptic seizure.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the optical stimulation signal is configured to inhibit or prevent the epileptic seizure.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the optical stimulation signal is delivered to a foci in the brain causing the epileptic seizure.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the optical stimulation signal is delivered to tissue surrounding a foci in the brain causing the epileptic seizure.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

delivering an electrical stimulation signal to brain tissue to treat the neurological condition.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical stimulation signal is generated by the stimulator.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical stimulation signal is synchronized with the optical stimulation signal.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the electrical stimulation signal and the optical stimulation signal produce an aggregate effect in the neural tissue to treat the neurological condition.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical stimulation signal is configured to treat a migraine headache.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical stimulation signal is configured to treat chronic neurological pain.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the optical window is coupled to an optical conduit, the method further comprising:

delivering the optical stimulation signal to the neural tissue through the optical conduit.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein at least a portion of the optical conduit is implanted in the neural tissue.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the optical conduit comprises an optical fiber.

19. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

measuring the optical properties of the brain tissue through the optical window, the optical properties including one or more of a blood glucose level or a blood oxygen saturation.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

modulating the optical stimulation signal in response to the measured optical properties of the brain tissue exceeding or dropping below a predetermined threshold.

21. A method for stimulating neural tissue to treat a neurological condition, the method comprising:

providing a stimulator apparatus configured to operate in or on the neural tissue, the stimulator apparatus including a substrate positioned on a housing of the stimulator apparatus the substrate including a conductive portion and a optically transparent portion comprising a transparent dielectric material formed into an optical window, the stimulator apparatus configured to generate one or more optical stimulation signals configured to pass through the optical window to neural tissue; and

delivering an optical stimulation signal generated by the stimulator apparatus to the neural tissue through the optical window to treat the neurological condition.