Energy efficient high frequency nerve blocking technique
First Claim
1. A method of blocking a neural axon, comprising:
- conveying time-varying electrical energy to a blocking site on the neural axon for aninitial phase, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has an amplitude and frequency during the initial phase sufficient to block action potentials from propagating along the neural axon from a location proximal to the blocking site to a location distal to the blocking site; and
conveying the time-varying electrical energy to the blocking site on the neural axon for a subsequent phase contiguous with the initial phase, thereby treating pain suffered by a patient, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has, during the subsequent phase, a decreased amplitude relative to the initial phase and a frequency known to maintain blocking of the action potentials along the neural axon from the location proximal to the blocking site to the location distal to the blocking site, wherein the initial phase is in the range of 0.1-20 ms.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A neurostimulation system and method of blocking a neural axon. Time-varying electrical energy is conveyed to a blocking site on the neural axon for an initial phase. The conveyed electrical energy has an amplitude and frequency during the initial phase sufficient to block action potentials from propagating along the neural axon from a location proximal to the blocking site to a location distal to the blocking site. The time-varying electrical energy is conveyed to the blocking site on the neural axon for a subsequent phase contiguous with the initial phase. The conveyed electrical energy has a decreased amplitude and a frequency during the subsequent phase sufficient to maintain blocking of the action potentials along the neural axon from the location proximal to the blocking site to the location distal to the blocking site.
12 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of blocking a neural axon, comprising:
- conveying time-varying electrical energy to a blocking site on the neural axon for an
initial phase, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has an amplitude and frequency during the initial phase sufficient to block action potentials from propagating along the neural axon from a location proximal to the blocking site to a location distal to the blocking site; and conveying the time-varying electrical energy to the blocking site on the neural axon for a subsequent phase contiguous with the initial phase, thereby treating pain suffered by a patient, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has, during the subsequent phase, a decreased amplitude relative to the initial phase and a frequency known to maintain blocking of the action potentials along the neural axon from the location proximal to the blocking site to the location distal to the blocking site, wherein the initial phase is in the range of 0.1-20 ms. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
- conveying time-varying electrical energy to a blocking site on the neural axon for an
-
14. A method of blocking a neural axon, comprising:
-
conveying time-varying electrical energy to a blocking site on the neural axon for an initial phase, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has an amplitude and frequency during the initial phase sufficient to block action potentials from propagating along the neural axon from a location proximal to the blocking site to a location distal to the blocking site; and conveying the time-varying electrical energy to the blocking site on the neural axon for a subsequent phase contiguous with the initial phase, thereby treating pain suffered by a patient, wherein the conveyed electrical energy has, during the subsequent phase, a decreased amplitude relative to the initial phase and a frequency known to maintain blocking of the action potentials along the neural axon from the location proximal to the blocking site to the location distal to the blocking site; wherein the amplitude is decreased from an initial value at the end of the initial phase to a steady-state value during the subsequent phase, the subsequent phase is divided into an amplitude adjustment phase during which the amplitude is gradually decreased from the initial value to the steady-state value at the beginning of a steady-state phase during which the amplitude is maintained at the steady-state value, and the amplitude is exponentially decreased from the initial value to the steady-state value during the amplitude adjustment phase. - View Dependent Claims (15)
-
Specification