Implantable system enabling responsive therapy for pain
AssigneeNeuroPace, Inc.
InventorsBenjamin D. Pless, Michael Sasha John
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An implantable neurostimulator system for treating pain includes scheduled and responsive therapy capabilities including responsive stimulation applied to the brain and peripheral sections of the nervous system. Methods for treating chronic nociceptive, neuropathic, and psychogenic pain employ an inventive system to advantageously reduce multiple symptoms and components of pain and to address underlying causes of pain.
Claims35
An implantable apparatus for treating pain in a human patient by selectively applying therapy, the apparatus comprising:
- a therapy subsystem coupled to at least one therapy output, wherein the therapy subsystem is operative to selectively initiate delivery of a therapy to the therapy output;
- a detection subsystem coupled to at least one sensor, wherein the detection subsystem is operative to receive and process a detected signal generated by the sensor;
- and
- a processor operative to identify a pain signature in the detected signal based on spectral characteristics of the detected signal and to cause the therapy subsystem to initiate application of the therapy in response thereto.
A method for treating pain in a human patient with an implantable apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a signal from at least one sensor at a detection location;
- analyzing the signal to detect a pain signature in the signal based on spectral characteristics of the signal;
- and
- in response to detecting the pain signature, initiating an action at a therapy location, wherein the action is therapeutic.
A method for treating pain in a human patient with an implantable apparatus, the method comprising the steps of:
- receiving a sensor signal from at least one sensor at a detection location;
- analyzing the sensor signal to detect a pain-related event in the signal based on spectral characteristics of the sensor signal;
- and
- in response to detecting the pain-related event, initiating an action at a therapy location, wherein the action is therapeutic.
An implantable apparatus for treating pain in a human patient by selectively applying therapy, the apparatus comprising:
- a therapy subsystem coupled to at least one therapy output, wherein the therapy subsystem is operative to selectively initiate delivery of a therapy to the therapy output;
- a detection subsystem coupled to at least two sensors, wherein the detection subsystem is operative to receive and process a detected signal generated by each sensor, the at least two sensors being configured so that one of the at least two sensors is located more proximal to a region of the human patient that is related to pain perception than at least another one of the at least two sensors that is located in a neighboring region;
- and
- a processor operative to identify a pain signature in the detected signals based on comparisons of the detected signals and to cause the therapy subsystem to initiate application of the therapy in response thereto.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.