Techniques for reducing pain associated with nerve stimulation

US7904176B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Bio Control Medical (B.C.M.) Ltd. · IL

Inventors

• Omry Ben-Ezra · Jerusalem, IL
• Tamir Ben-David · Nes Ziona, IL
• Ehud Cohen · Kiryat Ono, IL

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 7, 2006
• Grant date: Mar 8, 2011
• Expiry date: Sep 14, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/36114
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Apparatus is provided including an electrode device and a control unit. The electrode device is configured to be coupled to a site of a subject selected from the group consisting of: a vagus nerve, an epicardial fat pad, a pulmonary vein, a carotid artery, a carotid sinus, a coronary sinus, a vena cava vein, a right ventricle, a right atrium, and a jugular vein. The control unit is configured to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current in at least first and second bursts, the first burst including a plurality of pulses, and the second burst including at least one pulse, and set (a) a pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the first burst to be on average at least 20 ms, (b) an interburst interval between initiation of the first burst and initiation of the second burst to be less than 10 seconds, (c) an interburst gap between a conclusion of the first burst and the initiation of the second burst to have a duration greater than the average PRI, and (d) a burst duration of the first burst to be less than a percentage of the interburst interval between, the percentage being less than 67%. Other embodiments are also described.