ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO ALLEVIATE CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN

• US 20100318157A1
• Filed: 08/23/2010
• Published: 12/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gerber, Martin T., Giftakis, Jonathon E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,423,146 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

The disclosure describes a method and system for applying electrical stimulation to a genitofemoral nerve or a genital branch of a genitofemoral nerve of a patient. The system includes electrical stimulators that apply electrical stimulation for alleviation of pelvic pain. The system may apply electrical stimulation for pelvic pain in men or women. The electrical stimulators may comprise various types of electrodes such as cuff electrodes, electrode leads, and microstimulators implanted at various locations proximate to a single or both genitofemoral nerves and the genital branch of a single or both genitofemoral nerves of a patient. When implanted proximate to a genital nerve branch, the electrode may be implanted proximate to the genital nerve branch. In a male patient stimulation may be delivered proximate to the spermatic cord, which contains a portion of the genital nerve branch.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable stimulation device that generates electrical stimulation selected to alleviate pelvic pain;

an electrode coupled to the implantable stimulation device, wherein the electrode is positioned proximate to a genital nerve branch of a genitofemoral nerve of a patient at a point after the genitofemoral nerve has branched to form the genital nerve branch and a femoral nerve branch; and

a computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the genital nerve branch via the electrode.

2. The system of claim 1,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the genital nerve branch via a spermatic cord of the patient.

3. The system of claim 1,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the genital nerve branch at a point on a side of an inguinal canal of the patient opposite a spermatic cord of the patient.

4. The system of claim 1,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the genital nerve branch at a point on a side of an inguinal canal of the patient adjacent a spermatic cord of the patient.

5. The system of claim 1,

wherein the genital nerve branch of the genitofemoral nerve comprises a first genital nerve branch,

wherein the system further comprises a second electrode positioned proximate to a second genital nerve branch of a second genitofemoral nerve of the patient at a point after the second genitofemoral nerve has branched to form the second genital nerve branch and a second femoral nerve branch, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply electrical stimulation to the second genital nerve branch via the second electrode.

6. The system of claim 5,

wherein the patient is a male patient,

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the first genital nerve branch via a first spermatic cord of the patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the second genital nerve branch via a second spermatic cord of the patient.

7. The system of claim 5,

wherein the patient is a male patient,

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the first genital nerve branch at a point on a side of a first inguinal canal that is opposite a first spermatic cord of the patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply electrical stimulation to the second genital nerve branch at a point on a side of a second inguinal canal that is opposite a second spermatic cord of the patient.

8. The system of claim 5,

wherein the patient is a male patient,

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the first genital nerve branch at a point on a side of a first inguinal canal that is adjacent to a first spermatic cord of the patient, and

wherein the computer-readable storage medium comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the second genital nerve branch at a point on a side of a second inguinal canal that is adjacent to a second spermatic cord of the patient.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the pelvic pain includes at least one of chronic testicular pain, post vasectomy pain, genitofemoral neuralgia, vulvodynia, and interstitial cystitis.

10. The system of claim 1,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the electrode at least partially engages a portion of a spermatic cord of the patient.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrode includes at least one of a cuff electrode, a ring electrode, a planar electrode and an electrode on a leadless stimulator.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the electrode includes a cuff electrode including a cuff-like fixation structure and one or more electrodes.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising an implantable medical lead coupled to the implantable stimulation device, wherein the cuff electrode is mounted on the implantable medical lead.

14. The system of claim 12,

wherein the implantable stimulation device includes a leadless stimulator, and

wherein the cuff electrode is mounted on the leadless stimulator.

15. The system of claim 14,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the fixation structure is flexible and at least partially conformable to the spermatic cord.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the implantable stimulation device includes a leadless stimulator sized for at least partial implantation within a facia of a spermatic cord of the patient.

17. The system of claim 1,

wherein the genital nerve branch of the genitofemoral nerve comprises a first genital nerve branch,

wherein the system further comprises a second electrode positioned proximate to a second genital nerve branch of a second genitofemoral nerve of the patient at a point after the second genitofemoral nerve has branched to form the second genital nerve branch and a second femoral nerve branch,

wherein the computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions that, when executed, cause the implantable stimulation device to apply the electrical stimulation to the first genital nerve branch at a point prior to the first genital nerve branch entering a first inguinal canal of the patient, and to apply the electrical stimulation to the second genital nerve branch at a point after the second genital nerve branch exits a second inguinal canal of the patient.

18. A system comprising:

means for applying electrical stimulation, which is selected to alleviate pelvic pain, to at least a portion of a first genitofemoral nerve of a patient at a point prior to the first genitofemoral nerve entering a first inguinal canal of the patient; and

means for applying electrical stimulation, which is selected to alleviate pelvic pain, to at least a portion of a second genitofemoral nerve of the patient at a point after the second genitofemoral nerve exits a second inguinal canal of the patient.

19. The system of claim 18,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the means for applying the electrical stimulation to at least the portion of the first genitofemoral nerve comprises means for applying the electrical stimulation to a genital nerve branch of the first genitofemoral nerve on a side of the first inguinal canal of the patient that is opposite a first spermatic cord of the patient.

20. The system of claim 18,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the means for applying the electrical stimulation to at least the portion of the second genitofemoral nerve comprises applying the electrical stimulation to a genital nerve branch of the second genitofemoral nerve on a side of the second inguinal canal of the patient that is adjacent a second spermatic cord of the patient.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the pelvic pain includes at least one of chronic testicular pain, post vasectomy pain, genitofemoral neuralgia, vulvodynia, and interstitial cystitis.

22. The system of claim 18,

wherein the patient is a male patient, and

wherein the system further comprises an electrode configured to at least partially engage a portion of a spermatic cord of the patient.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the electrode includes at least one of a cuff electrode, a ring electrode, a planar electrode and an electrode on a leadless stimulator.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the electrode includes a cuff electrode including a cuff-like fixation structure and one or more electrodes.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the cuff electrode is mounted on an implanted medical lead.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the cuff electrode is mounted on the leadless stimulator.

27. The system of claim 26, and wherein the cuff-like fixation structure is flexible and at least partially conformable to the spermatic cord.

28. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause an implantable stimulation device to:

apply electrical stimulation, which is selected to alleviate pelvic pain, to a genital nerve branch of a genitofemoral nerve of a patient via an electrode that is positioned proximate to the genital nerve branch at a point after the genitofemoral nerve has branched to form the genital nerve branch and a femoral nerve branch.