Implantable microstimulators and methods for unidirectional propagation of action potentials

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9283394-B2
Application number	US-201314037839-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 26, 2013
Priority date	Jun 20, 2002
Publication date	Mar 15, 2016
Grant date	Mar 15, 2016

Abstract

Miniature implantable stimulators (i.e., microstimulators) are capable of producing unidirectionally propagating action potentials (UPAPs). The methods and configurations described may, for instance, arrest action potentials traveling in one direction, arrest action potentials of small diameters nerve fibers, arrest action potentials of large diameter nerve fibers. These methods and systems may limit side effects of bidirectional and/or less targeted stimulation.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent:

1. An implantable electrical stimulation device comprising:
a device body:
electrical circuitry disposed within the device body and configured and arranged to generate electrical stimulation;
a power source disposed within the device body and coupled to the electrical circuitry;
at least four electrodes disposed on a portion of the device body and coupled to the electrical circuitry for delivery of the electrical stimulation to tissue, wherein the device is configured and arranged so that each of the electrodes can be driven by the electrical circuitry as a cathode or an anode, wherein the at least four electrodes comprises at least one electrode formed as a ring around the device body and at least one set of independent partitioned electrodes, each set of independent partitioned electrodes comprising a plurality of the at least four electrodes as partitioned electrodes disposed around a circumference of the device body; and
insulating material separating the partitioned electrodes from each other;
wherein the implantable stimulation device is configured and arranged for implantation near at least one neuron and for providing therapeutic electrical stimulation to the at least one neuron through the partitioned electrodes;
wherein the electrical circuitry and at least four electrodes are configured and arranged so that a current amplitude of each electrode is independently programmable such that two of the electrodes can be simultaneously driven as anodes with different current amplitudes.

2. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the partitioned electrodes are each disposed in short arcs around the circumference of the device body.

3. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises at least two of the sets of independent partitioned electrodes.

4. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the implantable stimulation device is a microstimulator.

5. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the implantable stimulation device comprises a lead forming at least a portion of the device body, wherein at least one of the at least one set of independent partitioned electrodes is disposed on the lead.

6. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the at least one set of independent partitioned electrodes comprises at least three of the sets of independent partitioned electrodes, each set comprising four partitioned electrodes positioned around a circumference of the device body.

7. The implantable stimulation device of claim 6 , wherein the implantable stimulation device comprises a lead forming at least a portion of the device body, wherein at least one of the at least three sets of independent partitioned electrodes is disposed on the lead.

8. The implantable stimulation device of claim 1 , wherein the partitioned electrodes are individually programmable.

9. An implantable electrical stimulation system comprising:
a device body;
electrical circuitry disposed within the device body and configured and arranged to generate electrical stimulation;
a power source disposed within the device body and coupled to the electrical circuitry;
an implantable lead forming part of the device body;
at least four electrodes disposed on a portion of the lead and coupled to the electrical circuitry for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the tissue, wherein the lead is configured and arranged so that each of the electrodes can be driven by the electrical circuitry as a cathode or an anode, wherein the at least four electrodes comprises at least one electrode formed as a ring around the device body and at least one set of independent partitioned electrodes, each set of independent partitioned electrodes comprising a plurality of the at least four electrodes as partitioned electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead, wherein the partitioned electrodes are individually programmable;
insulating material separating the partitioned electrodes from each other; and
an implantable microstimulator attached to the lead, the microstimulator containing circuitry to deliver current stimulus through the partitioned electrodes;
wherein the implantable lead is configured and arranged for implantation near at least one neuron and for providing therapeutic electrical stimulation to the at least one neuron through the partitioned electrodes;
wherein the electrical circuitry and at least four electrodes are configured and arranged so that a current amplitude of each electrode is independently programmable such that two of the electrodes can be simultaneously driven as anodes with different current amplitudes.

10. A method of stimulating tissue comprising:
providing the implantable electrical stimulation system of claim 9 ; and
programming stimulation parameters of the implantable electrical stimulation system to deliver the electrical stimulation and for steering an electric field of the electrical stimulation around or longitudinally along the lead using a plurality of the partitioned electrodes.

11. A method of stimulating tissue comprising:
providing the implantable stimulation device of claim 1 ; and
programming stimulation parameters of the implantable stimulation device to deliver the electrical stimulation and for steering an electric field of the electrical stimulation around or longitudinally along the device body using a plurality of the partitioned electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the implantable stimulation device is a microstimulator.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein programming stimulation parameters includes activating at least one of the partitioned electrodes, programming each activated partitioned electrode as a cathode, anode or an open circuit, and controlling current flowing from each partitioned electrode that is activated.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the microstimulator comprises at least three sets of the partitioned electrodes, each set comprising four partitioned electrodes disposed around a circumference of the body of the microstimulator.

15. A method of stimulating tissue comprising:
providing an implantable stimulation device comprising a device body; electrical circuitry disposed within the device body and configured and arranged to generate therapeutic electrical stimulation; a power source disposed within the device body and coupled to the electrical circuitry; and a lead forming part of the device body and having at least four electrodes disposed on the lead, wherein the lead is configured and arranged so that each of the electrodes can be driven by the electrical circuitry as a cathode or an anode for delivery of the therapeutic electrical stimulation to tissue, wherein the at least four electrodes comprises at least one electrode formed as a ring around the device body and at least one set of independent partitioned electrodes, each set of independent partitioned electrodes comprising a plurality of the at least four electrodes as partitioned electrodes disposed around a circumference of the lead, wherein a current amplitude of each of the partitioned electrodes is individually programmable such that two of the partitioned electrodes can be simultaneously driven as anodes with different current amplitudes;
programming stimulation parameters of the implantable stimulation device to activate different ones of the partitioned electrodes and program each activated partitioned electrode as a cathode, anode or an open circuit for controlling current flowing from each partitioned electrode that is activated, thereby stee

Assignees

• Boston Scient Neuromodulation

Inventors

• Whitehurst Todd K
• Carbunaru Rafael
• Mcgivern James P
• Haller Matthew I
• He Tom Xiaohai
• Bradley Kerry
• Kuzma Janusz A

Classifications

• A61N1/37205 Primary

  Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula · CPC title

• A61N1/37252 Primary

  Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data · CPC title

• A61N1/0556

  Cuff electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/37288

  Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient · CPC title

• A61N1/36071

  Pain · CPC title