Selective stimulation of peripheral nerves

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12551702-B2
Application number	US-202117759731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2021
Priority date	Feb 21, 2020
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Methods and systems for providing peripheral nerve stimulation are disclosed. Stimulation is delivered to a trunk of the nerve using electrodes configured at different circumferential locations about the nerve. Action potentials evoked by the stimulation within branches of the nerve are measured to map neural element within the trunk to the branches. The mapping can inform the selection of stimulation parameters that provide a therapeutic benefit and/or avoid unwanted side effects.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . As system for electrically stimulating a peripheral nerve, the peripheral nerve comprising a trunk and a plurality of branches, the system comprising:
an electrical stimulator, a plurality of trunk electrodes each configurable at different circumferential locations about the trunk, one or more recording electrodes each configurable proximate to one or more of the plurality of branches, and control circuitry configured to:
send instructions to the stimulator to cause the stimulator to deliver electrical stimulation to the trunk using one or more of the plurality of trunk electrodes, wherein delivering the electrical stimulation comprises:
delivering a first electrical stimulation that selectively recruits a first population of neural elements within the trunk, and
delivering a second electrical stimulation that selectively recruits a second population of neural elements within the trunk,

cause the one or more recording electrodes to record action potentials evoked by the first and second electrical stimulations at at least one of the plurality of branches, and
determine an amount of coupling of the first population of neural elements and the second population of neural elements with the at least one branch based on the sensed action potentials.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trunk electrodes comprises at least three trunk electrodes each configured at different circumferential locations about the trunk.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first electrical stimulation and the second electrical stimulation are each delivered at different circumferential locations about the trunk.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein recording action potentials at at least one of the plurality of branches comprises recording action potentials at two or more branches.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein recording action potentials at at least one of the plurality of branches comprises sensing electrical potentials at least one of the plurality of branches using one or more branch electrodes.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more branch electrodes comprise percutaneous electrodes, implanted electrodes, or transdermal electrodes.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein delivering either, or both of, the first and second electrical stimulations comprises using current steering to deliver electrical stimulation at a location between at least two trunk electrodes.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trunk electrodes further comprises at least two electrodes at different longitudinal locations along the trunk.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of trunk electrodes comprises:
a first longitudinal set of electrodes configured at a first longitudinal location along the trunk, a second longitudinal set of electrodes configured at a second longitudinal location along the trunk, and a third longitudinal set of electrodes configured at a third longitudinal location along the trunk.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein delivering either, or both of, the first and second electrical stimulations comprises:
selecting an electrode of the first longitudinal set of electrodes as a first local anode, selecting an electrode of the second longitudinal set of electrodes as a second local anode, and selecting an electrode of the third longitudinal set of electrodes as a local cathode, sourcing electrical current from the two local anodes into a target neural region of the trunk, sinking a first portion of the electrical current from the target neural region into the local cathode, and sinking a second portion of the electrical current into at least one cathode remote from the target neural region.

11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein a ratio of the sourced electrical current over the first portion of the sunk electrical current has a value that allows the first population of neural elements or the second population of neural elements to be recruited.

12 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
one or more electrode leads, wherein each electrode lead is configured to be placed, at least partially, around the nerve, each of the electrode leads comprising two or more electrodes configured such that each electrode is at a different circumferential location about the nerve, and an implantable pulse generator (IPG) configured to provide electrical stimulation to the electrodes.

13 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrode leads comprise cuff electrode leads.

14 . The system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more electrode leads comprise helical electrode leads.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the peripheral nerve is a vagus nerve.

Assignees

• Boston Scient Neuromodulation Corp

Inventors

• Moffitt Michael

Classifications

• A61N1/0558

  Anchoring or fixation means therefor · CPC title

• A61N1/0556

  Cuff electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/36182

  Direction of the electrical field, e.g. with sleeve around stimulating electrode · CPC title

• A61N1/36135

  using physiological parameters · CPC title