Neuromodulation system and method for providing multiple modulation patterns in a single channel

• US 9,694,183 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2014
• Issued: 07/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Grandhe, Sarvani
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Erica
• Application Number:
  US14/199,845
• Publication Number:
  US 20140277281A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36062 Spinal stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36175 Pulse width or duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36178 Burst or pulse train parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A neuromodulation system and method includes delivering first electrical modulation energy to a patient through a timing channel at a relatively high energy level (e.g., at a frequency in the range of 2 KHz-50 KHz) during a first time period in accordance with a stored modulation energy delivery schedule, delivering second electrical modulation energy to the patient through the same timing channel at a relatively low energy level (e.g., at a frequency in the range of 2 Hz to 1500 Hz) during a second time period in accordance with the stored modulation energy delivery schedule.

Claims

1. A neuromodulation system for delivering a spinal cord modulation (SCM) therapy to treat a chronic pain condition, comprising:

a plurality of electrical terminals configured for being coupled to a respective plurality of electrodes;

modulation output circuitry configured for being placed either in a high-energy consumption mode in which first electrical modulation energy is delivered through a single timing channel to a first set of the electrodes at a relatively high energy level to modulate a first spinal cord tissue region, or a low-energy consumption mode in which second electrical modulation energy is delivered through the single timing channel to a second set of the electrodes at a relatively low energy level to modulate a second spinal cord tissue region, wherein the first and second electrode sets are different from each other;

memory configured for storing a modulation energy delivery schedule to define scheduled times for operating in the high-energy consumption mode to deliver the first electrical modulation energy that is therapeutically-effective for the SCM therapy to treat the chronic pain condition during the scheduled times and other scheduled times for operation in the low-energy consumption mode to deliver the second electrical modulation energy that is also therapeutically-effective for the SCM therapy to treat the chronic pain condition during the other scheduled times; and

control circuitry configured for transitioning the modulation output circuitry between the high-energy consumption mode and the low-energy consumption mode in accordance with the modulation energy delivery schedule.

2. The neuromodulation system of claim 1, wherein the first electrical modulation energy comprises a first electrical pulse train, and the second electrical modulation energy comprises a second electrical pulse train.

3. The neuromodulation system of claim 2, wherein the first electrical pulse train has a first pulse frequency, and the second electrical pulse train has a second pulse frequency less than the first pulse frequency.

4. The neuromodulation system of claim 3, wherein the first pulse frequency is in the range of 2 KHz-50 KHz, and the second pulse frequency is in the range of 2 Hz-1500 Hz.

5. The neuromodulation system of claim 2, wherein the first electrical pulse train has a first pulse amplitude, and the second electrical pulse train has a second pulse amplitude less than the first pulse amplitude.

6. The neuromodulation system of claim 2, wherein the first electrical pulse train has a first pulse duration, and the second electrical pulse train has a second pulse duration less than the first pulse duration.

7. The neuromodulation system of claim 1, further comprising a user interface configured for receiving an input from a user specifying the modulation energy delivery schedule.

8. The neuromodulation system of claim 1, wherein the modulation energy delivery schedule defines the low energy level and the high energy level.

9. The neuromodulation system of claim 1, wherein:

the therapy includes a multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains and is configured to auto-initiate at desired time instances without user intervention; and

the first electrical modulation energy of the high-energy consumption mode includes some of the multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains, and the second electrical modulation energy of the low-energy consumption mode includes others of the multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains.

10. A neuromodulation system for delivering a spinal cord modulation (SCM) therapy to treat a chronic pain condition, comprising:

a plurality of electrical terminals configured for being coupled to a respective plurality of electrodes;

modulation output circuitry configured for being placed either in a high-energy consumption mode in which first electrical modulation energy is delivered to a first electrode set of the plurality of electrodes at a first frequency in the range of 2 KHz-50 KHz to modulate a first spinal cord tissue region, or a low-energy consumption mode in which second electrical modulation energy is delivered to a second electrode set of the plurality of electrodes at a second frequency in the range of 2 Hz-1500 Hz to modulate a second spinal cord tissue region, wherein the first and second electrode sets are different from each other;

memory configured for storing a modulation energy delivery schedule to define scheduled times for operating in the high-energy consumption mode to deliver the first electrical modulation energy that is therapeutically-effective for the SCM therapy to treat the chronic pain condition during the scheduled times and other scheduled times for operation in the low-energy consumption mode to deliver the second electrical modulation energy that is also therapeutically-effective for the therapy to treat the chronic pain condition during the other scheduled times; and

control circuitry configured for switching the modulation output circuitry between the high-energy consumption mode and the low-energy consumption mode in accordance with the modulation energy delivery schedule, wherein the scheduled times or operating in the high-energy consumption mode and the scheduled times for operating in the low-energy mode are aggregated into the single timing channel such that a high-energy scheduled time ends before a subsequent low-energy scheduled time begins, which ends before a subsequent high-energy scheduled time begins.

11. The neuromodulation system of claim 10, wherein the first electrical modulation energy comprises a first electrical pulse train, and the second electrical modulation energy comprises a second electrical pulse train.

12. The neuromodulation system of claim 10, further comprising a user interface configured for receiving an input from a user specifying the modulation energy delivery schedule.

13. The neuromodulation system of claim 10, wherein the modulation energy delivery schedule defines the first frequency and the second frequency.

14. The neuromodulation system of claim 10, wherein:

the therapy includes multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains and is configured to auto-initiate at desired time instances without user intervention; and

the first electrical modulation energy of the high-energy consumption mode includes some of the multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains, and the second electrical modulation energy of the low-energy consumption mode includes others of the multiple patterns of modulation pulse trains.