Devices For Treatment of Central Nervous System Injuries

An apparatus for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the apparatus comprising:

• a stimulus generator capable of generating a chopped DC current, the generator having first and second oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first and second output terminals comprises a cathode and the other one of the first or second output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second output terminals;
• and
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the stimulus generator configured to reverse the polarity of the stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal.

A method for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the method comprising:

• providing a device for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the device comprising:
• a constant current DC stimulus generator, the generator having first and second groups of oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first and second groups of output terminals comprises a cathode and the other of the first and second groups of output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second groups of electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second groups of output terminals;
• a beacon signal generator electrically coupled to the DC stimulus generator;
• and
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator and configured to reverse the polarity of the DC stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the DC stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal;
• and
• implanting the device in a mammal.

A method for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the method comprising:

• providing a device for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the device comprising:
• a stimulus generator capable of generating a chopped DC current, the generator having first and second oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first or second output terminals comprises a cathode and the other one of the first or second output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second groups of electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second output terminals;
• and
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the stimulus generator configured to reverse the polarity of the stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal;
• and implanting the device in a mammal.

An apparatus for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the apparatus comprising:

• a constant current DC stimulus generator, the generator having first and second groups of oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first or second groups of output terminal comprises a cathode and the other one of the first or second groups of output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second groups of electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second groups of output terminals;
• a rechargeable charge storage device electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator;
• and
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator configured to reverse the polarity of the DC stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the DC stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal.

An apparatus for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the apparatus comprising:

• a constant current DC stimulus generator, the generator having first and second groups of oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first or second groups of output terminal comprises a cathode and the other one of the first or second groups of output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second groups of electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second groups of output terminals;
• a charge storage device electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator;
• a case having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the constant current DC stimulus generator and the charge storage device are positioned between the top portion and bottom portion;
• and
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator configured to reverse the polarity of the DC stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the DC stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal.

An apparatus implanted in a mammalian body having a spine and a lesion in the spinal cord for stimulating axon growth of the nerve cells in the spinal cord of mammals, the apparatus comprising:

• a constant current DC stimulus generator, the generator having first and second groups of oppositely polarized output terminals wherein one of the first and second groups of output terminals comprises a cathode and the other of the first and second groups of output terminals comprises an anode of the generator;
• first and second groups of electrodes electrically coupled respectively to the first and second groups of output terminals, each of said first and second groups of electrodes having a first electrode corresponding to a first electrode of the other of the first and second groups, a second electrode corresponding to a second electrode of the other of the first and second groups, a third electrode corresponding to a third electrode of the other of the first and second groups, and a fourth electrode corresponding to a fourth electrode of the other of the first and second groups;
• a polarity reversing circuit electrically coupled to the constant current DC stimulus generator and configured to reverse the polarity of the DC stimulus each time a predetermined period of time elapses, wherein each time the polarity of the DC stimulus is reversed the output terminal which comprised the cathode before the polarity reversal comprises the anode after the reversal and the output terminal which comprised the anode before the polarity reversal comprises the cathode after the polarity reversal,
• wherein the first electrodes of the first and second group of electrodes are positioned on the right lateral facet of the spine of the mammalian body with the electrode of the first group of electrodes positioned rostrally from the lesion and the electrode of the second group of electrodes positioned caudally from the lesion, the second electrodes of the first and second group of electrodes are positioned on the left lateral facet of the spine of the mammalian body with the electrode of the first group of electrodes positioned rostrally from the lesion and the electrode of the second group of electrodes positioned caudally from the lesion, the third electrodes of the first and second group of electrodes are positioned on the paravertebral muscle and fascia of the dorsal (posterior) facet of the mammalian body with the electrode of the first group of electrodes positioned rostrally from the lesion and the electrode of the second group of electrodes positioned caudally from the lesion, and the fourth electrodes of the first and second group of electrodes are positioned adjacent to paravertebral musculature at the extreme mediolateral/ventral (anterior) vertebral column of the mammalian body with the electrode of the first group of electrodes positioned rostrally from the lesion and the electrode of the second group of electrodes positioned caudally from the lesion.