Multi-electrode neurostimulation device

• US 9,572,987 B2
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Bakken Research Center B.V. (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Bakken Research Center B.V. (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Martens, Hubert Cecile Franois
• Primary Examiner(s): Schaetzle, Kennedy
• Application Number:
  US14/696,136
• Publication Number:
  US 20150224316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0531 Brain cortex electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0553 Paddle shaped electrodes, e.g. for laminotomy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3616 Voltage density or current density
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36182 Direction of the electrical field, e.g. with sleeve around stimulating electrode
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration

Abstract

A neurostimulation device is provided comprising an input, a neurostimulation probe, a stimulation unit and a distribution calculation module. At the input stimulation data is received comprising information relating to a stimulation preferability and an orientation of at least one fiber bundle. The neurostimulation probe comprises an array of stimulation electrodes which are coupled to the stimulation unit. The stimulation unit, in accordance with a specified current distribution, provides currents to the respective stimulation electrodes for generating an electric field gradient. The distribution calculation module is coupled to the input and the stimulation unit for based on the stimulation data determining a preferred position and orientation for the electric field gradient, and based on the preferred position and orientation for the electric field gradient, calculating the specified current distribution.

Claims

1. A neurostimulation device comprising:

a neurostimulation probe with an array of stimulation electrodes;

an input configured to receive stimulation data comprising information relating to a respective stimulation preferability of each respective nerve fiber bundle of a plurality of nerve fiber bundles and a respective orientation of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles with respect to the array of stimulation electrodes, wherein the information relating to the stimulation preferability of each respective nerve fiber bundle indicates whether stimulation is to be delivered to the respective nerve fiber bundle;

a distribution calculation module configured to;

determine a position and an orientation of an electrical field gradient based on the stimulation data; and

calculate a specified current distribution based on the determined position and determined orientation of the electrical field gradient; and

a stimulation unit configured to, in accordance with the specified current distribution, provide currents to the array of stimulation electrodes.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the determined position indicates a selected section of a nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the specified current distribution is calculated to direct currents to electrodes close to the selected section of the nerve fiber bundle.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation preferability of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles is a binary value indicating that either stimulation is to be delivered or no stimulation is to be delivered to the respective nerve fiber bundle.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the stimulation preferability of at least one of the plurality of stimulation bundles is to deliver stimulation to the nerve fiber bundle.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the stimulation preferability of at least one nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles is a value on a scale ranging from delivery of stimulation is highly preferable to absolutely no stimulation is to be delivered.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the distribution calculation module is configured to, in response to the stimulation preferability of the at least one nerve fiber bundle being delivery of stimulation is highly preferable, determine a preferred orientation of the electric field gradient substantially parallel to the at least one nerve fiber bundle.

8. The device of claim 6, wherein the distribution calculation module is configured to, in response to the stimulation preferability of the at least one fiber bundle being delivery of stimulation is lowly preferable, determine a preferred orientation of the electric field gradient substantially perpendicular to the at least one fiber bundle.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the distribution calculation module is configured to calculate the specified current distribution as a tripolar stimulation profile.

10. A method comprising:

receiving stimulation data comprising information relating to a respective stimulation preferability of each respective fiber bundle of a plurality of nerve fiber bundles and a respective orientation of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles with respect to an array of stimulation electrodes;

determining, using a distribution calculation module, a position and a preferred orientation of an electrical field gradient based on the stimulation data;

determining, using the distribution calculation module, a specified current distribution based on the position and orientation of the electrical field gradient; and

providing current to the array of stimulation electrodes, via a stimulation unit, in accordance with the specified current distribution.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the position indicates a selected section of a nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein providing current to the array of stimulation electrodes comprises directing currents to electrodes close to the selected section of the nerve fiber bundle based on the specified current distribution.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the stimulation preferability of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles is a binary value indicating either stimulation is to be delivered or no stimulation is to be delivered to the respective nerve fiber bundle.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the stimulation preferability of at least one of the plurality of stimulation bundles is to deliver stimulation to the nerve fiber bundle.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the stimulation preferability of at least one fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles is a value on a scale ranging from delivery of stimulation is highly preferable to absolutely no stimulation is to be delivered.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a preferred orientation of the electric field gradient substantially parallel to the at least one nerve fiber bundle in response to the stimulation preferability of the at least one nerve fiber bundle being delivery of stimulation is highly preferable.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining a preferred orientation of substantially perpendicular to the at least one nerve fiber bundle in response to the stimulation preferability of the at least one nerve fiber bundle being delivery of stimulation is lowly preferable.

18. The method of claim 10, further comprising calculating the specified current distribution as a tripolar stimulation profile.

19. A neurostimulation device comprising:

means for receiving stimulation data comprising information relating to a respective stimulation preferability of each respective fiber bundle of a plurality of nerve fiber bundles and a respective orientation of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles with respect to an array of stimulation electrodes;

means for determining a position and a preferred orientation of an electrical field gradient based on the stimulation data;

means for determining a specified current distribution based on the position and orientation of the electrical field gradient; and

means for providing current to the array of stimulation electrodes, in accordance with the specified current distribution.

20. The neurostimulation device of claim 19, wherein the stimulation preferability of each respective nerve fiber bundle of the plurality of nerve fiber bundles is a binary value indicating that either stimulation is to be delivered or no stimulation is to be delivered to the respective nerve fiber bundle.