Adjustable nerve electrode

US8843188B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY · US

Inventors

• Kevin L. Kilgore · Cleveland, US
• Douglas Michael Ackermann · San Francisco, US
• Niloy Bhadra · Cleveland Heights, US
• Narendra Bhadra · Chesterland, US
• Joe Payer · Brecksville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Nov 18, 2010
• Grant date: Sep 23, 2014
• Expiry date: Jan 30, 2032

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A61N1/36185
• WIPO field: Medical technology
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Example adjustable electrodes are described. One example adjustable electrode includes two or more contacts configured to selectively deliver high frequency alternating current (HFAC) to a nerve in an amount sufficient to produce an HFAC nerve conduction block in the nerve. The example adjustable electrode also includes a logic configured to selectively control which of the two or more contacts deliver HFAC to the nerve to control whether the nerve electrode is in a first (e.g., onset response mitigating) configuration or in a second (e.g., HFAC nerve conduction block maintenance) configuration. The electrode may be used in applications including, but not limited to, nerve block applications, and nerve stimulation applications. The electrode may be adjusted by changing attributes including, but not limited to, the number, length, orientation, distance between, surface area, and distance from a nerve of contacts to be used to deliver the HFAC.