Method and apparatus for reduction of pain from electric stimulation therapies
US6711442B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 8, 1999 |
| Grant date | Mar 23, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 8, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N1/36071
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method and apparatus that pretreat a patient prior to each therapeutic painful stimulus in a series of therapeutic painful stimuli, comprising the application of pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to the application of each therapeutic painful stimulus in the series. Applying pain inhibiting stimuli comprises the steps of sensing a need for a next therapeutic painful stimulus in a series, preparing to deliver the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the next therapeutic painful stimulus, and delivering the pain inhibiting stimuli to the patient prior to applying the next therapeutic painful stimulus. The method and apparatus are embodied in modern, noninvasive, transcutaneous or transesophageal pacing devices, either as stand-alone cardiac pacemakers, combination pacemaker-ECG monitors, or combination pacemaker-monitor-defibrillators. The pain inhibiting prepulse method is intended primarily for use in conscious patients but may also be used in sleeping patients.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.