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Techniques for reducing pain associated with nerve stimulation

  • US 7,904,176 B2
  • Filed: 09/07/2006
  • Issued: 03/08/2011
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. Apparatus comprising:

  • an electrode device, which comprises;

    an electrically-insulating cuff, configured to be placed around a nerve of a subject; and

    electrodes mounted in the cuff; and

    a control unit, configured to;

    drive the electrode device, during stimulation periods, to apply to the site a current during “

    on”

    periods that alternate with low stimulation periods, the “

    on”

    periods having on average an “

    on”

    duration equal to at least 1 second, and the low stimulation periods having on average a low stimulation duration equal to at least 50% of the “

    on”

    duration, wherein the current applied on average during the low stimulation periods is less than 20% of the current applied on average during the “

    on”

    periods, anddrive the electrode device to provide rest periods, which alternate with the stimulation periods, during which rest periods the current applied on average is less than 20% of the current applied on average during the “

    on”

    periods,wherein the rest periods have on average a rest period duration equal to between 1 and 50 times a cycle duration that equals a duration of a single “

    on”

    period plus a duration of a single low stimulation period, and wherein the cycle duration is between 10 seconds and 10 minutes, andwherein the stimulation periods have on average a stimulation period duration equal to less than two hours.

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