Topical nerve stimulator and sensor for bladder control
AssigneeNeurostimOAB, Inc.
InventorsGraham Creasey, Hoo-Min D Toong
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
What is provided is a method and apparatus for modifying bladder function comprising: applying a dermal patch having an integral electrode in proximity to a sacral or pudendal nerve; selecting the sacral or pudendal nerve by a sensor integral on the dermal patch; determining a stimulation corresponding to the sacral or pudendal nerve, by logic of the dermal patch; applying the stimulation by the electrodes and a stimulator integral to the dermal patch to produce an electric field; and selectively activating the sacral or pudendal nerve by the electric field.
Claims20
A method of modifying bladder function of a user comprising:
- applying a dermal patch on an external surface of a skin of the user on a lower leg of the user adjacent to a tibial nerve, the dermal patch comprising electrodes, a sensor, communications, a control unit and a stimulator, the electrodes, the sensor, the communications, the control unit and the stimulator integral to the dermal patch;
- automatically determining a state of a bladder of the user using the sensor;
- determining an electrical stimulation corresponding to the tibial nerve, by the control unit of the dermal patch, the control unit processing instructions comprising:
- in response to the automatically determined state of the bladder, automatically initiating an applying, without user intervention, on the external surface of the skin, of the electrical stimulation by the electrodes and the stimulator to produce an electric field;
- and
- selectively activating the tibial nerve by the electric field using the electrodes on the external surface of the skin to inhibit a contraction of the bladder.
A bladder control system for modifying bladder function of a user, the system comprising:
- a dermal patch configured to be applied on an external surface of a skin of the user on a lower leg of the user adjacent to a tibial nerve, comprising electrodes, a sensor, communications, a control unit and a stimulator, the electrodes, the sensor, the communications, the control unit and the stimulator integral to the dermal patch;
- the control unit processing instructions that, when executed, configure the control unit to:
- automatically determine a state of a bladder of the user using the sensor;
- determine an electrical stimulation corresponding to the tibial nerve;
- in response to the automatically determined state of the bladder, automatically initiate an applying, without user intervention, on the external surface of the skin, the electrical stimulation by the electrodes and the stimulator to produce an electric field;
- and
- selectively activating the tibial nerve by the electric field using the electrodes on the external surface of the skin to inhibit a contraction of the bladder.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.