Adjustable nerve electrode
First Claim
1. An adjustable nerve electrode, comprising:
- a set of contacts configured to switch between a first geometric configuration and a second geometric configuration relative to a nerve by altering a physical relationship of the set of contacts;
where, in the first geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a first HFAC to the nerve to mitigate an onset response, where the first HFAC has a threshold current sufficient to establish an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve; and
where, in the second geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a second HFAC to the nerve temporally after the onset response is mitigated, the second HFAC having a current sufficient to maintain the HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Example adjustable electrodes are described. One example adjustable electrode includes two or more contacts configured to selectively deliver high frequency alternating current (HFAC) to a nerve in an amount sufficient to produce an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve. The example adjustable electrode may also include a logic configured to selectively control which of the two or more contacts deliver HFAC to the nerve to control whether the nerve electrode is in a first (e.g., onset response mitigating) configuration or in a second (e.g., HFAC nerve conduction block maintenance) configuration. The electrode may be used in applications including, but not limited to, nerve block applications, and nerve stimulation applications. The electrode may be adjusted by changing attributes including, but not limited to, the number, length, orientation, distance between, surface area, and distance from a nerve of contacts to be used to deliver the HFAC.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. An adjustable nerve electrode, comprising:
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a set of contacts configured to switch between a first geometric configuration and a second geometric configuration relative to a nerve by altering a physical relationship of the set of contacts; where, in the first geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a first HFAC to the nerve to mitigate an onset response, where the first HFAC has a threshold current sufficient to establish an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve; and where, in the second geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a second HFAC to the nerve temporally after the onset response is mitigated, the second HFAC having a current sufficient to maintain the HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An electrode, comprising:
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two or more contacts configured to physically reconfigure between a first geometric configuration and a second geometric configuration relative to a nerve, where the first geometric configuration is an onset mitigating configuration, and wherein in the first geometric configuration, the two or more contacts are configured to apply a first HFAC to the nerve to mitigate an onset response, where the first HFAC has a threshold current sufficient to establish an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve, and where the second geometric configuration is a HFAC nerve conduction block maintenance configuration, and wherein in the second geometric configuration, the two or more contacts are configured to apply a second HFAC to the nerve temporally after the onset response is mitigated, the second HFAC having a current sufficient to maintain the HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve; and a logic configured to selectively control the physical reconfiguration between the first geometric configuration and the second geometric configuration. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An adjustable nerve electrode, comprising:
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a set of contacts configured to switch between a first geometric configuration and a second geometric configuration relative to a nerve by altering a physical relationship of the set of contacts, where, in the first geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a first HFAC to the nerve to mitigate an onset response, where the first HFAC has a threshold current sufficient to establish an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve, and where, in the second geometric configuration, the set of contacts is configured to apply a second HFAC to the nerve temporally after the onset response is mitigated, the second HFAC having a current sufficient to maintain the HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve; and a control logic configured to cause the adjustable nerve electrode to switch between the first geometric configuration and the second geometric configuration. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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Specification