US 10,537,740 B2Granted

Charge recovery bi-phasic control for tissue stimulation

AssigneeBoston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation

InventorsRafael Carbunaru, Kerry Bradley

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Abstract

A method and external control device for providing therapy to a patient using first and second electrodes implanted within the patient is provided. A train of electrical multi-phasic pulses is generated. A first electrical current is sourced from the second electrode and at least a portion of the first electrical current is sunk to the first electrode during a stimulation phase of each multi-phasic pulse, thereby therapeutically stimulating a first tissue region adjacent the first electrode. A second electrical current is sourced from the first electrode and at least a portion of the second electrical current is sunk to the second electrode during a charge recovery phase of each multi-phasic pulse, thereby recovering at least a portion of the charge that had been injected into the patient during the stimulation phase of each multi-phasic pulse, and therapeutically stimulating a second tissue region adjacent the second electrode.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method of providing therapy to a patient using electrodes implanted in a patient, the electrodes including a first electrode, a second electrode and a third electrode implanted within the patient, the method comprising:

generating an electrical waveform with a first phase and a second phase, wherein a first electrical current is provided by the first phase and a second electrical current is provided by the second phase;
stimulating a first tissue region during the first phase of the electrical waveform by sourcing a portion of the first electrical current as anodic current from at least the second electrode and another portion of the first electrical current as anodic current from the third electrode and sinking at least a portion of the first electrical current as cathodic current to the first electrode;
and
stimulating a second tissue region during the second phase of the electrical waveform by sourcing a portion of the second electrical current as anodic current from the first electrode and another portion of the second electrical current anodic current from the third electrode and sinking at least a portion of the second electrical current as cathodic current to the second electrode during the second phase, wherein the sourcing the portion of the second electrical current as anodic current from the first electrode recovers at least a portion of injected charge during the first phase of the electrical waveform.

1 more element

A method of providing therapy to a patient using first and second electrodes implanted within the patient, the method comprising:

generating an electrical waveform with a first phase and a second phase;
sourcing a first electrical current from the second electrode and sinking at least a portion of the first electrical current to the first electrode during the first phase to therapeutically stimulate a first tissue region adjacent the first electrode, the first tissue region having a first cathodic stimulation threshold;
sourcing a second electrical current from the first electrode and sinking at least a portion of the second electrical current to the second electrode during the second phase to recover at least a portion of the charge that had been injected into the patient during the first phase to stimulate a second tissue region adjacent the second electrode, the second tissue region having a second cathodic stimulation threshold different from the first cathodic stimulation threshold, wherein electrical current between the first and second electrodes during the first and second phase does not cause discomfort due to excessive stimulation of the first tissue region and the second tissue region;
and
performing at least one of the following steps:
sinking another portion of the first electrical current to a third electrode implanted within the patient during the first phase if the first cathodic stimulation threshold for the first tissue region is less than the second cathodic stimulation threshold for the second tissue region;
and
sinking another portion of the second electrical current to a third electrode implanted within the patient during the second phase if the second cathodic stimulation threshold for the second tissue region is less than the first cathodic stimulation threshold for the first tissue region.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 15/234,866Filed 11 Aug 2016 · continuation
Priority: 2 Nov 2009
Published: US 2016/0346550 A11 Dec 2016
Granted: 21 Jan 2020
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A61N 1/36128
Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system: control systems
A61N 1/0551
For implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode: spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
A61N 1/36125
Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system: details of circuitry or electric components
A61N 1/36178
Timing, e.g. stimulation onset: burst or pulse train parameters

Family

Application61/257,279Us provisional application · filed 2 Nov 2009
Application12/938,202Parent of this continuation · filed 2 Nov 2010
US 2016/0346550 A1Pre-grant publication · published 1 Dec 2016
US 9,415,223 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2011/0106214 A1Published application
US 10,537,740 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.