SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TREATING SEXUAL DISORDERS USING ELECTRO-STIMULATION
First Claim
1. An electrical stimulation system for treatment of erectile dysfunction in a patient, the system comprising:
- an implantable stimulation unit comprising;
an array of electrodes disposed on at least one flexible substrate sized and shaped to abut at least a portion of a pelvic plexus of a patient;
a programmable controller operatively coupled to the array of electrodes, the programmable controller including a stimulation circuit, a nonvolatile memory and a microprocessor coupled to the stimulation circuit and the nonvolatile memory,wherein the nonvolatile memory stores an identity of an empirically determined subset of the array of electrodes and a stimulation routine used by the microprocessor to supply electrical stimulation via the stimulation circuit and the pelvic plexus to at least one cavernous nerve sufficient to cause an erection; and
an external patient controller configured to selectably activate the implantable stimulation unit responsive to a patient input; and
an external physician controller configured to selectively activate desired subsets of the array of electrodes to determine the empirically determined subset of the array of electrodes and to cause the nonvolatile memory of the implantable stimulation unit to store the stimulation routine used by the microprocessor.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for treating a sexual disorder such as erectile dysfunction (ED) or female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD). An electrical stimulation system may include an implantable stimulation unit, an external patient controller, and an external physician controller. The implantable stimulation unit has an array of electrodes disposed on one or more flexible substrates configured to conform to a patient'"'"'s anatomy at the pelvic plexus. Post-implantation, the physician controller may direct the stimulation unit to stimulate with select electrode(s) of the array to determine which electrode configuration provides optimal sexual arousal. The patient controller may be used to cause the stimulation unit to stimulate using the optimal electrode configuration at desired times.
15 Citations
32 Claims
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1. An electrical stimulation system for treatment of erectile dysfunction in a patient, the system comprising:
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an implantable stimulation unit comprising; an array of electrodes disposed on at least one flexible substrate sized and shaped to abut at least a portion of a pelvic plexus of a patient; a programmable controller operatively coupled to the array of electrodes, the programmable controller including a stimulation circuit, a nonvolatile memory and a microprocessor coupled to the stimulation circuit and the nonvolatile memory, wherein the nonvolatile memory stores an identity of an empirically determined subset of the array of electrodes and a stimulation routine used by the microprocessor to supply electrical stimulation via the stimulation circuit and the pelvic plexus to at least one cavernous nerve sufficient to cause an erection; and an external patient controller configured to selectably activate the implantable stimulation unit responsive to a patient input; and an external physician controller configured to selectively activate desired subsets of the array of electrodes to determine the empirically determined subset of the array of electrodes and to cause the nonvolatile memory of the implantable stimulation unit to store the stimulation routine used by the microprocessor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification