Apparatus, system, and method for selective stimulation

• US 9,884,191 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Issued: 02/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ImThera Medical, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: ImThera Medical, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Inventors: Meadows, Paul M., Lima, Marcelo G., Craig, Stanley R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US14/811,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20150328455A1
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37514 Brain implants
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

An implantable neurostimulator system is disclosed, the neurostimulator system comprising a hollow cylindrical electronics enclosure having a top, a bottom, and a side; a coil extending from a first part of the electronics enclosure; and at least one electrode operatively connected to the electronics enclosure.

Claims

1. A method of treating sleep apnea using neurostimulation to control the position of a patient'"'"'s tongue, comprising the steps of:

implanting a first electrode having at least one first contact into a patient to electrically couple the at least one first contact to a first Hypoglossal nerve of the patient;

implanting a second electrode having at least one second contact into a patient to electrically couple the at least one second contact to a second Hypoglossal nerve of the patient;

implanting an implantable pulse generator (IPG) into the patient, the IPG being electronically coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode;

programming the IPG to deliver electric signals to the at least one first contact and the at least one second contact during a therapy session; and

applying the electric signals via the at least one first contact and the at least one second contact to the first and second Hypoglossal nerves respectively to stimulate a portion of the first Hypoglossal nerve and a portion of the second Hypoglossal nerve to treat sleep apnea by preventing the tongue from blocking an airway during the therapy session,

wherein applying the electric signals includes driving each of the at least one first contact and the at least one second contact by their own independent current source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode each include a cuff housing and wherein implanting the first electrode includes wrapping the cuff housing of the first electrode around a portion of the first Hypoglossal nerve and implanting the second electrode includes wrapping the cuff housing of the second electrode around a portion of the second Hypoglossal nerve.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein implanting the first electrode includes wrapping the cuff housing of the first electrode around the portion of the first Hypoglossal nerve at least once and implanting the second electrode includes wrapping the cuff housing of the second electrode around the portion of the second Hypoglossal nerve at least once.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric signals are applied approximately simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric signals are applied sequentially.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric signals are applied to the first and second Hypoglossal nerves such that the stimulation of one of the at least two muscles of the tongue partially overlaps with the stimulation of another of the at least two muscles of the tongue.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electric signals is an asymmetric pulse.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the electric signals is a pulse train having a frequency between approximately 1 and approximately 100 Hertz.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric signals are applied to the first and second Hypoglossal nerves via an open loop system.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the IPG is programmed without taking into account a timing of respiration.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the IPG is implanted in the sub-mandibular space of the patient.