Apparatus and method for spinal cord stimulation to treat pain
First Claim
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1. A spinal cord stimulation device comprising:
- a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses;
a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation intensity; and
an autonomic nervous system (“
ANS”
) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively, said control unit being configured to control the intensity of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit,wherein the ANS sensing unit is configured to generate said ANS indicating signals from respiration signals that represent respiration activity, and wherein the ANS sensing unit is further configured to determine from the respiration signals inspiration and expiration phases and to generate respiration phase indicating signals accordingly,wherein the control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the stimulation intensity by means of varying stimulation frequency, pulse width or pulse amplitude, or a combination thereof, in synchronization with received respiration phase indicating signals, such that high intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased sympathetic tone whereas lower intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased parasympathetic tone.
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Abstract
A spinal cord stimulation device having a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses, a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation intensity and an autonomic nervous system (“ANS”) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals that represent an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively. The control unit is configured to control the intensity of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit.
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Citations
18 Claims
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1. A spinal cord stimulation device comprising:
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a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses; a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation intensity; and an autonomic nervous system (“
ANS”
) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively, said control unit being configured to control the intensity of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit,wherein the ANS sensing unit is configured to generate said ANS indicating signals from respiration signals that represent respiration activity, and wherein the ANS sensing unit is further configured to determine from the respiration signals inspiration and expiration phases and to generate respiration phase indicating signals accordingly, wherein the control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the stimulation intensity by means of varying stimulation frequency, pulse width or pulse amplitude, or a combination thereof, in synchronization with received respiration phase indicating signals, such that high intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased sympathetic tone whereas lower intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased parasympathetic tone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A spinal cord stimulation device comprising:
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a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses; a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation intensity; and an autonomic nervous system (“
ANS”
) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively, said control unit being configured to control the intensity of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit,wherein the ANS sensing unit is configured to generate said ANS indicating signals from respiration signals that represent respiration activity, and wherein the ANS sensing unit is further configured to determine from the respiration signals inspiration and expiration phases and to generate respiration phase indicating signals accordingly, said control unit being configured to control the intensity of respective stimulation pulses in synchronization with respective respiration phase indicating signals received from said ANS sensing unit, wherein the control unit is configured to dynamically adjust the stimulation intensity by means of varying stimulation frequency, pulse width or pulse amplitude, or a combination thereof, in synchronization with received respiration phase indicating signals, such that high intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased sympathetic tone whereas lower intensity stimulation pulses are delivered at increased parasympathetic tone. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A spinal cord stimulation device comprising:
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a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses; a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation amplitude; and an autonomic nervous system (“
ANS”
) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively, said control unit being configured to control the amplitude of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit,wherein the control unit is configured to control the amplitude of respective stimulation pulses such that relatively higher amplitude stimulation pulses are generated in case of ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone and relatively lower amplitude stimulation pulses are generated in case of ANS indicating signals representing an increased parasympathetic tone. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A spinal cord stimulation device comprising:
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a stimulation unit for generation and delivery of stimulation pulses; a control unit for controlling the stimulation unit with respect to stimulation amplitude; and an autonomic nervous system (“
ANS”
) sensing unit that is configured to generate ANS indicating signals representing an increased sympathetic tone or an increased parasympathetic tone, respectively, said control unit being configured to control the amplitude of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective ANS indicating signal as generated by said ANS sensing unit,wherein the control unit is configured to control the amplitude of respective stimulation pulses depending on a respective respiration phase indicating signal such that relatively higher amplitude stimulation pulses are delivered at inspiration phases and relatively lower amplitude stimulation pulses are delivered at expiration phases.
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Specification