Methods, systems, and devices for treating tinnitus with VNS pairing

• US 9,265,661 B2
• Filed: 05/23/2014
• Issued: 02/23/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: MicroTransponder Inc., Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Kilgard, Michael P., Engineer, Navzer, Pierce, David Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Kahelin, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAIRCHILD, MALLIKA DIPAYAN
• Application Number:
  US14/286,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20140257132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 607/55
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/128 evaluating tinnitus
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/00 Methods or devices for treatment of the ears or hearing sense implantable prostheses that substitute or replace internal ear parts, e.g. ear-drums, A61F2/18; methods or devices to cause a change in the state of auditory consciousness A61M21/00; electrotherapy applying electrical stimulation of the auditory system, or circuits therefor A61N1/36; radiotherapy using optical stimulation of the auditory system A61N5/06; electro-acoustic hearing aids H04R25/00; Non-electric hearing aids; Methods or devices for enabling ear patients to achieve auditory perception through physiological senses other than hearing sense; Protective devices for the ears, carried on the body or in the hand headwear, e.g. caps or helmets, with means for protecting the ears A42B1/0188, A42B3/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36092 Mental training
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/361 Phantom sensations, e.g. tinnitus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36167 Timing, e.g. stimulation onset
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36178 Burst or pulse train parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/28 for medicine
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 25/75 Electric tinnitus maskers providing an auditory perception

Abstract

A method of treating tinnitus comprising measuring a patient'"'"'s hearing, determining the patient'"'"'s hearing loss and the patient'"'"'s tinnitus frequency using the measurements of the patient'"'"'s hearing, programming a clinical controller with the measurements of the patient'"'"'s hearing, selecting a plurality of therapeutic tones, where the therapeutic tones are selected to be at least a half-octave above or below of the patient'"'"'s tinnitus frequency, setting an appropriate volume for each of the plurality of tones, repetitively playing each of the plurality of therapeutic tones, and pairing a vagus nerve stimulation pulse train with each playing of a therapeutic tone, thereby reducing the patient'"'"'s perception of tinnitus.

Claims

1. A method of treating tinnitus comprising:

determining the patient'"'"'s tinnitus frequency;

programming a clinical controller with information based on the determined tinnitus frequency;

selecting a plurality of therapeutic tones, where the therapeutic tones are selected to be at least a half-octave above or below the determined patient'"'"'s tinnitus frequency;

setting an appropriate volume for each of the selected plurality of tones;

repetitively playing each of the selected plurality of therapeutic tones; and

pairing a vagus nerve stimulation pulse train with each playing, thereby reducing the patient'"'"'s perception of tinnitus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein respective trains are paired with respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones, thereby reducing the patient'"'"'s perception of tinnitus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are respectively at one discrete tone.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are respectively at two or more different tones.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are at different tones.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are respectively single frequency tones.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented using a tone generator that respectively operates as a tone generator when generating at least some respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are at one discrete tone.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least some tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are at the same frequency.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

respective therapeutic tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are outside the range of the patient'"'"'s tinnitus frequency.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least one tone corresponding to non-tinnitus frequency tones, wherein the selected at least one tone corresponds to at least one of the plurality of therapeutic tones exposed to the patient.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the action of playing each of the plurality of therapeutic tones includes:

exposing the patient to a respective tone at a volume different from that of another respective tone.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are played at the same volume.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones are played at one or more volumes effective to reduce the patient'"'"'s perception of tinnitus.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the patient'"'"'s hearing loss.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting respective volumes for respective tones of the plurality of therapeutic tones exposed to the patient, wherein the respective tones exposed to the patient are exposed at the respective set volumes.