High-frequency electrical nerve block

• US 9,295,841 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2015
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Neuros Medical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Meuros Medical Incorporated
• Inventors: Fang, Zi-Ping, Snyder, Jon J., Shah, Nemath Syed
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dinga, Roland
• Application Number:
  US14/656,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20150182749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 607/47, 607/116, 607/117
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36157 Current A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency

Abstract

A method and apparatus that resulted in blocking an action potential in a nerve.

Claims

1. A method of relieving post-amputation pain in an amputee patient, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a neuroma by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain.

2. The method of claim 1 achieving at least equal analgesic effect in the patient in the absence of a pharmaceutical analgesic.

3. The method of claim 2 achieving at least one of enhanced analgesia efficacy or enhanced analgesia predictability compared to lidocaine block analgesia.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising optionally repeating application of the waveform at an interval greater than lidocaine half-life.

5. The method of claim 4 where the neuropathic pain is selected from the group consisting of post-surgical pain, pain from shingles, neuropathic diabetic pain, migraine pain, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 achieving at least equal analgesic effect in the patient relative to either spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and/or peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS).

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising optionally repeating application of the waveform at an interval not shorter than nine hours.

8. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is battery-powered and the interval decreases an interval for battery recharging.

9. The method of claim 1 where the waveform is applied by operatively connecting the nerve waveform generator to an implanted electrode.

10. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is implanted in the patient and is activated by a remote controller.

11. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is external to the patient and is activated at the waveform generator.

12. A method of relieving neuropathic pain in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a site of pain by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain.

13. A method of providing improved mobility in an amputee above or below a knee, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a neuroma by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain facilitating tolerance of a lower limb prosthetic resulting in improved mobility.

14. The method of claim 13 where the nerve is selected from the group consisting of a tibial nerve or a sciatic nerve.

15. The method of claim 13 where the nerve diameter is up to 12 mm.