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

• US 9,522,085 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• 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: 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): FAIRCHILD, MALLIKA DIPAYAN
• Application Number:
  US14/527,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20150051658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 783 Days
• Field of Search: 607 55- 57
• 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 system, comprising:

a clinical controller providing therapy output signals including stimulation signals and sound signals;

stimulator communicably connected to the clinical controller and receiving stimulation signals from the clinical controller; and

headphones communicably connected to the clinical controller and receiving sound signals from the clinical controller,

wherein

the clinical controller provides a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator to relieve tinnitus symptoms, and

the series of sound signals are configured to cause the headphones to output a series of discrete therapeutic tones separated by a quiet period, the discrete therapeutic tones having a frequency other than a predetermined tinnitus frequency of a patient having the tinnitus symptoms.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the clinical controller provides a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are paired with stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the clinical controller provides a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are temporally linked with stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the clinical controller provides a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are temporally proximate to stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the clinical controller simultaneously provides a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to stimulator to relieve tinnitus symptoms.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the clinical controller provides respective sound signals to the headphones before providing respective stimulation signals to the stimulator to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the clinical controller provides respective sound signals to the headphones after providing respective stimulation signals to the stimulator to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the discrete therapeutic tones are pure tones.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation control signal.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation voltage.

11. A system comprising:

tinnitus therapy software configured to cause the generation of stimulation ion signals and sound signals;

a stimulator controllable by the tinnitus therapy software and receiving stimulation signals; and

headphones controllable by the tinnitus therapy software and receiving sound signals;

wherein

the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator, and

the series of sound signals are configured to cause the headphones to output a series of discrete therapeutic tones separated b a quiet period, the discrete therapeutic tones having a frequency other than a predetermined tinnitus frequency of a patient having the tinnitus symptoms.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are paired with the stimulation signals.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are temporally linked to the stimulation signals.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals are temporally proximate to the stimulation signals.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of respective sound signals to the headphones before the provision of respective stimulation signals to the stimulator.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of respective sound signals to the headphones after the provision of respective stimulation signals to the stimulator.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of respective sound signals to the headphones while causing the provision of respective stimulation signals to the stimulator.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the tinnitus therapy software is configured to cause the provision of a series of sound signals to the headphones and stimulation signals to the stimulator so that the series of sound signals and the stimulation signals are synchronized.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation control signal.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation voltage.

21. A system comprising:

a clinical controller for providing therapy output signals including stimulation signals and sound signals;

a stimulator communicably connected to the clinical controller and receiving stimulation signals from the clinical controller; and

a sound generator communicably connected to the clinical controller and receiving sound signals from the clinical controller;

wherein

the clinical controller is configured to provide a plurality of sound signals to the sound generator and stimulation signals to the stimulator to relieve tinnitus symptoms, and

the clinical controller is configured to provide a plurality of sound signals such that the sound generator outputs respective therapeutic tones at least a half-octave above or below a predetermined tinnitus frequency of the patient having the tinnitus symptoms.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the clinical controller is configured to provide the plurality of sound signals such that the sound generator outputs the respective therapeutic tones at least a half-octave above a predetermined tinnitus frequency of the patient having the tinnitus symptoms.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the clinical controller is configured to provide the plurality of sound signals such that the sound generator outputs the respective therapeutic tones at least a half-octave below a predetermined tinnitus frequency of the patient having the tinnitus symptoms.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the clinical controller is configured to provide a plurality of sound signals to the sound generator and stimulation signals to the sound generator so that the series of sound signals are paired with stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the clinical controller is configured to provide a plurality of sound signals to the sound generator and stimulation signals to the sound generator so that the series of sound signals are temporally linked to stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the clinical controller is configured to provide a plurality of sound signals to the sound generator and stimulation signals to the sound generator so that the series of sound signals are temporally proximate to stimulation signals to relieve the tinnitus symptoms.

27. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation control signal.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein:

the stimulation signal is a stimulation voltage.