US 2002/0161403 A1 · Deep brain stimulation system for the treatment of parkinson's disease or other disorders

Abstract

A deep brain stimulation (DBS) system (10) provides a multiplicity of stimulation channels through which stimulation may be delivered deep within the brain of the patient. The DBS system is powered by a rechargeable battery (27). In one embodiment, the system has four channels driving sixteen electrodes (32). The DBS system is easily programmed fur use by a clinician using a clinician programming system (60), and further affords a simple but highly advanced hand held programmer (50) control interface through which the patient may easily change stimulation parameters within acceptable limits. The DBS system (10) includes a small, implantable pulse generator (20) that is small enough to be implanted directly in the cranium of the patient, thereby eliminating the long lead wires and tunneling procedures that have been used in the past. Further, the DBS system allows up to two electrode arrays (30, 30′) to be attached to the implantable pulse generator (20), thereby eliminating the requirement for implanting two independent implantable pulse generators for bilateral stimulation of deep brain structures.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A multichannel deep brain stimulation system (10) comprising:

an implantable pulse generator (20) connected to at least one electrode array (30), said at least one electrode array having a plurality of electrodes (32) through which electrical stimuli may be applied to body tissue;
a rechargeable battery (27) coupled to the implantable pulse generator;
a hand-held programmer (50);
and
an external battery charging system (40);
wherein the implantable pulse generator (20) and at least one electrode array (30) are adapted to be implanted directly in the cranium of a patient, whereby electrical stimuli may be applied to brain tissue of the patient;
and
wherein the implantable pulse generator (20) includes control circuits (21, 26, 27) and memory circuits (22, 24) that cause stimulation pulses to be applied through at least one of a plurality of channels to the electrodes (32) of the at least one electrode array in accordance with a program stored within the memory circuits of the implantable pulse generator;
and
wherein the hand-held programmer (50) may be coupled to the implantable pulse generator through an RF link (44) for the purpose of programming and testing the implantable pulse generator (20);
and
wherein the external battery charging system (40) may be inductively coupled to the rechargeable battery (27) for the purpose of replenishing the power stored within the rechargeable battery.

9 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Deep brain stimulation system for the treatment of parkinson's disease or other disorders

Life of this patent

Deep brain stimulation system for the treatment of parkinson's disease or other disorders

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims9