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Implantable electroacupuncture device and method

  • US 9,327,134 B2
  • Filed: 03/12/2013
  • Issued: 05/03/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2012
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An Implantable ElectroAcupuncture Device (IEAD) for treating a specified medical condition of a patient through application of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation pulses adapted to be applied substantially at or near a specified target tissue location, comprising:

  • a small IEAD housing having an electrode configuration thereon that includes at least two electrodes/arrays, the longest linear dimension of the small IEAD housing being no greater than about 25 mm, and the shortest linear dimension, measured orthogonal to the longest linear dimension, is no greater than about 2.5 mm, wherein at least one of said at least two electrodes/arrays comprises a central electrode/array located substantially in the center of a first surface of the IEAD housing, and wherein at least another of said at least two electrodes/arrays comprises a circumferential electrode/array located substantially around and at least 5 mm distant from the center of the central electrode/array, wherein the first surface (106) of the IEAD housing when implanted is adapted to face inwardly into the patient'"'"'s tissue at or near the specified target tissue location;

    pulse generation circuitry located within the IEAD housing and electrically coupled to the at least two electrodes/arrays, wherein said pulse generation circuitry is adapted to deliver stimulation pulses to the patient'"'"'s body tissue at or near the target tissue location in accordance with a specified stimulation regimen, said stimulation regimen defining the duration (T3) and rate (1/T4) at which a stimulation session is applied to the patient, said stimulation regimen requiring that the stimulation session have a duration of T3 minutes and a rate of occurrence of once every T4 minutes, wherein the ratio of T3/T4 is no greater than 0.05, and wherein during each stimulation session EA stimulation pulses having one or more specified widths (T1) and amplitudes (A1) are generated at one or more specified rates (1/T2);

    a primary battery contained within the IEAD housing and electrically coupled to the pulse generation circuitry that provides operating power for the pulse generation circuitry, said primary battery having a nominal output voltage of 3 volts, and an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms; and

    a sensor contained within the IEAD housing responsive to operating commands wirelessly communicated to the IEAD from a non-implanted location, said operating commands allowing limited external control of the IEAD.

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