Systems and methods for identifying and treating patients with high-frequency electrical signals
AssigneeNevro Corporation
InventorDongchul Lee
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for identifying and treating patients with high frequency electrical signals. A representative method for identifying a patient as a candidate for pain treatment includes identifying a first sensory threshold, delivering an electrical signal to a neural population of the patient at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz and, while and/or after delivering the electrical signal to the patient, identifying a second sensory threshold of the patient. If the second sensory threshold is less than the first, the method can include identifying the patient as a candidate for receiving an electrical signal at a frequency in the foregoing range for pain treatment.
Claims28
A method for identifying a patient as a candidate for pain treatment, comprising:
- identifying a first sensory threshold of the patient;
- directing an electrical signal to a neural population of the patient at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz;
- while and/or after directing the electrical signal to the patient, identifying a second sensory threshold of the patient;
- and
- if the second sensory threshold is less than the first sensory threshold, identifying the patient as a candidate for receiving an electrical therapy signal at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz.
The method of example 1 wherein identifying the first sensory threshold includes applying a test signal to the patient's spinal cord.
A method for treating a patient, comprising:
- directing a first electrical signal to a neural population of the patient in accordance with a first set of signal delivery parameters, including a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz;
- identifying a first sensory threshold of the patient;
- directing a second electrical signal to the patient in accordance with a second set of signal therapy parameters different than the first;
- while and/or after delivering the second electrical signal to the patient, identifying a second sensory threshold of the patient;
- and
- if the second sensory threshold is less than the first sensory threshold, directing an electrical therapy signal to the patient in accordance with the second set of signal delivery parameters.
A system for treating a patient, comprising:
- a signal generator that includes signal generation circuitry;
- and
- a computer-readable medium operatively coupled to the signal generation circuitry and programmed with instructions that, when executed:
- direct a first, sensory stimulation signal to the patient to elicit a first sensory response;
- receive an indication of a first sensory threshold of the patient corresponding to the first sensory stimulation signal;
- direct an electrical signal to a neural population of the patient at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz;
- while and/or after directing the electrical signal to the patient, direct a second sensory stimulation signal to the patient to elicit a second sensory response;
- receive an indication of a second sensory threshold of the patient corresponding to the second sensory stimulation signal;
- and
- if the second sensory threshold is less than the first sensory threshold, perform at least one of the following actions:
- identify the patient as a candidate for receiving an electrical therapy signal at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz;
- or
- change a signal delivery parameter in accordance with which the patient receives therapy via the electrical signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.