# US 11,998,744 B1 · Methods and systems for disease treatment using electrical stimulation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,998,744 B1 - Document ID: US11998744B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 16/922,304 - Filed: 2020-07-07 - Granted: 2024-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-10 - Assignees: Nevro Corporation - Applicants: Nevro Corp. - Inventors: Gary Heit; Bradford Evan Gliner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11998744B1 ## CPC - A61N 1/36071: {Pain} - A61N 1/36062: {Spinal stimulation} - A61N 1/36157: {Current (A61N1/3616 takes precedence)} - A61N 1/36171: {Frequency} - A61N 1/36175: {Pulse width or duty cycle} - A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B) ## Abstract Systems for disease treatment using electrical stimulation are disclosed. A representative method for treating a patient includes changing an activity, expression, or both activity and expression of a fast sodium channel, a glial cell, or both a fast sodium channel and a glial cell of the patient by applying to a target neural population of the patient an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for treating pain in a patient by changing an activity of a glial cell of the patient, comprising: programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical therapy signal to a neural population located in the patient's spinal cord via an implanted signal delivery element to treat the patient, wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency in a frequency range from 2 Hz to 100 kHz, and wherein the electrical therapy signal produces changes in the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes include a downregulation of the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes include a decrease in a release, by glial cells, of at least one of nitric oxide, a proinflammatory cytokine, an excitatory amino acid, or a prostaglandin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes include a reduction of glial cell activity by reducing an extracellular potassium level. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes include a modulation of glial interaction with one or more neuronal cells. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes include an increase in the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the neural population is at a thoracic vertebral level of the patient's spinal cord. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the changes reduce chronic pain in the patient. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the electrical therapy signal does not cause paresthesia in the patient. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the amplitude is programmed so the patient does not experience paresthesia. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 10 microsecond to 333 microseconds, and an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the electrical therapy signal does not cause paresthesia in the patient. ### Claim 15 A method for treating pain in a patient by changing an activity of a glial cell of the patient, comprising: using a signal generator to generate an electrical therapy signal; transmitting the electrical therapy signal to a signal delivery element positioned proximate to a neural population in the patient's spinal cord; applying the electrical therapy signal to the neural population, wherein the electrical therapy signal produces changes in the activity of the glial cell to reduce pain in the patient. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds and has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the neural population is at a thoracic vertebral level of the patient's spinal cord. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the changes include a modulation of glial interaction with one or more neuronal cells. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the changes include an increase in the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 wherein the changes reduce chronic pain in the patient. ### Claim 21 A method for treating pain in a patient by changing an activity of a glial cell of the patient, comprising: programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical therapy signal to a neural population located in the patient's dorsal horn and/or dorsal column via an implanted signal delivery element to treat the patient, wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency in a frequency range from 2 Hz to 100 kHz, and wherein the electrical therapy signal produces changes in the activity of the glial cell to reduce pain in the patient. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the changes include a downregulation of the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 23 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the changes include a modulation of glial interaction with one or more neuronal cells. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the changes include an increase in the activity of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 25 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the neural population is located in the patient's dorsal column. ### Claim 26 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21 wherein the amplitude of the electrical therapy signal is in an amplitude range from 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 27 A method for treating pain in a patient by changing an expression of a glial cell of the patient, comprising: programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical therapy signal to a neural population located in the patient's spinal cord via an implanted signal delivery element to treat the patient, wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency in a frequency range from 2 Hz to 100 kHz, and wherein the electrical therapy signal produces changes in the expression of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein the changes include a downregulation of the expression of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 29 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein the changes include an increase in the expression of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 30 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds. ### Claim 31 (depends on 27) The method of claim 27 wherein the electrical therapy signal has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein the amplitude is programmed so the patient does not experience paresthesia. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The method of claim 31 wherein the neural population is at a thoracic vertebral level of the patient's spinal cord. ### Claim 34 A method for treating pain in a patient by changing an expression of a glial cell of the patient, comprising: using a signal generator to generate an electrical therapy signal; transmitting the electrical therapy signal to a signal delivery element positioned proximate to a neural population in the patient's spinal cord; applying the electrical therapy signal to the neural population, wherein the electrical therapy signal produces changes in the expression of the glial cell that reduces pain in the patient. ### Claim 35 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the changes include a downregulation of the expression of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 36 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the changes include a decrease in a release, by glial cells, of at least one of nitric oxide, a proinflammatory cytokine, an excitatory amino acid, or a prostaglandin. ### Claim 37 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the changes include an increase in the expression of the glial cell of the patient. ### Claim 38 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the neural population is at a thoracic vertebral level of the patient's spinal cord. ### Claim 39 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the changes reduce chronic pain in the patient. ### Claim 40 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds. ### Claim 41 (depends on 34) The method of claim 34 wherein the electrical therapy signal has an amplitude in an amplitude range of 0.1 mA to 20 mA. ### Claim 42 (depends on 40) The method of claim 40 wherein the amplitude is programmed to be subthreshold with regard to paresthesia.