US 12,226,638 B2
Method and system for improving stimulation of excitable tissue
Jens Schouenborg, Lund (SE); and Hjalmar Bjartmarz, Höllviken (SE)
Assigned to NEURONANO AB, Karlshamn (SE)
Appl. No. 16/306,574
Filed by NEURONANO AB, Karlshamn (SE)
PCT Filed Dec. 7, 2016, PCT No. PCT/SE2016/051227
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 2, 2018,
PCT Pub. No. WO2017/209673, PCT Pub. Date Dec. 7, 2017.
Claims priority of application No. PCT/SE2016/050534 (WO), filed on Jun. 3, 2016; and application No. PCT/SE2016/050698 (WO), filed on Jul. 7, 2016.
Prior Publication US 2019/0134401 A1, May 9, 2019
Int. Cl. A61N 1/36 (2006.01); A61B 5/24 (2021.01); A61B 5/377 (2021.01); A61N 1/05 (2006.01); A61N 1/372 (2006.01); A61N 1/378 (2006.01)
CPC A61N 1/36132 (2013.01) [A61B 5/24 (2021.01); A61B 5/377 (2021.01); A61N 1/0534 (2013.01); A61N 1/36064 (2013.01); A61N 1/36067 (2013.01); A61N 1/36071 (2013.01); A61N 1/36085 (2013.01); A61N 1/36096 (2013.01); A61N 1/36139 (2013.01); A61N 1/36175 (2013.01); A61N 1/36185 (2013.01); A61N 1/37241 (2013.01); A61N 1/37247 (2013.01); A61N 1/378 (2013.01); A61B 2562/0209 (2013.01); A61B 2562/046 (2013.01); A61N 1/05 (2013.01); A61N 1/36114 (2013.01)] 39 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for optimization of stimulation specificity of implanted electrodes in excitable tissue of a patient, the method comprising:
activating all electrodes at the same time while increasing a stimulation strength to establish thresholds for therapeutic effects and adverse effects; and then
electrically stimulating excitable tissue between one or more combinations of electrode pairs in a cluster of electrodes, or
electrically stimulating excitable tissue between one or more combinations of electrode pairs in two or up to 50 clusters of electrodes, each cluster containing 1-15 electrodes, wherein two electrodes of the electrode pairs do not belong to the same cluster of electrodes;
wherein each of the electrodes is located on a physically separated entity in the tissue, such that the tissue surrounds and separates each electrode from all other electrodes, thereby allowing tissue between the electrodes to be stimulated;
wherein,
the electrical stimulation between different combinations of electrode pairs in the cluster of electrodes creates a main direction of the directed electrical fields within the cluster of electrodes, or
the electrical stimulation between different combinations of electrode pairs in the two or more clusters of electrodes creates a main direction of the directed electrical fields within the cluster of electrodes, or
each electrode pair comprises a first electrode assembly formed by two or more separate electrodes arranged in a first substantially linear row and a second electrode assembly comprising two or more separate electrodes arranged in a second substantially linear row, substantially parallel to the first substantially linear row, wherein each electrode assembly includes 2-16 separate electrodes, wherein the electrical stimulation between the first and the second electrode assemblies creates a main direction of the directed electrical fields within the cluster of electrodes;
wherein an effect of the directed electrical field is assessed after each electrical stimulation by registering information provided by the patient in view of a therapeutic effect and of any adverse effects, or by assigning each electrode pair a value related to the information provided by the patient; and
choosing, based on the effect of the directed electrical field created between the electrode pairs, the electrode pair or pairs which give(s) rise to a most therapeutically beneficial assigned value and absence of adverse effects;
wherein the implanted electrodes are microelectrodes having a diameter of less than 100 μm; and
wherein each of the electrodes is an implanted lead including a non-insulated part where current from a stimulator passes into the tissue.