Devices and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of discogenic back pain
AssigneeWarsaw Orthopedic, Inc.
InventorJared Wilsey
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Abstract
A device is provided for supplying electrical current to an intervertebral disc. The device comprises a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween. The distal end comprises a beveled tip for contacting a region of the intervertebral disc, and an electrode disposed within or on a surface of the cannula adjacent to the distal end. The electrode is configured to discharge the electrical current to the region of the intervertebral disc. Methods of diagnosing and/or treating discogenic back pain are also provided.
Claims11
A method of diagnosing and treating discogenic back pain, the method comprising administering electrical current from a device to a region of an intervertebral disc, the device comprising a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the distal end comprising a beveled tip for contacting the region of the intervertebral disc, an electrode disposed within or on a surface of the cannula adjacent to the distal end, the electrode configured to discharge the electrical current to the region of the intervertebral disc to evoke a pain response;
- and administering an effective amount of a neurotoxin to the region of the intervertebral disc to reduce the discogenic back pain, wherein the electrical current is administered to the region of the intervertebral disc comprising a selected area of a healthy intervertebral disc of a patient, and the method further comprises recording a first evoked action potential threshold of the healthy intervertebral disc of the patient.
A method of diagnosing discogenic back pain, the method comprising administering electrical current from a device to a region of an intervertebral disc, the device comprising a cannula having a proximal end and a distal end and a longitudinal axis therebetween, the distal end comprising a beveled tip for contacting the region of the intervertebral disc;
- an electrode disposed within or on a surface of the cannula adjacent to the distal end, the electrode configured to discharge the electrical current to the region of the intervertebral disc, wherein the beveled tip has an air gap disposed in an inner layer of the beveled tip and the electrode is adjacent to the beveled tip such that the air gap insulates the electrical current and the electrical current is discharged only through the beveled tip, wherein the region of the intervertebral disc comprises an annulus fibrosus of the intervertebral disc such that the beveled tip is configured to facilitate separation of collagenous fibers of the annulus fibrosus by rotating parallel to a lamella of the annulus fibrosus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.