System and method for uniformly displacing a region of neural stimulation
View Patent ↗A tissue stimulation system and computer software and method of operating the system is provided. An array of electrodes is placed contact with tissue of a patient (e.g., neural tissue), and electrical current is conveyed within the electrode array, thereby creating a stimulation region in the tissue. Electrical current is shifted between cathodes of the electrode array in incremental steps over a range, thereby causing displacement of the stimulation region at substantially uniform distances over the incremental steps. The electrical current may be shifted between the cathodes in accordance with a sigmoid-like function of a position of the stimulation region. A navigation table containing a series of states and corresponding gradually and non-uniformly changing electrical current values can be accessed, in which case, the electrical current may be shifted between the cathodes by incrementing through the states of the navigation table.
1. A method of operating a tissue stimulation system, comprising:
placing an array of electrodes in contact with tissue of a patient;
conveying an electrical current within the electrode array, thereby creating a stimulation region in the tissue; and
shifting electrical current between cathodes of the electrode array in pre-calculated incremental steps over a range, wherein the incremental steps at boundaries of the range are greater than the incremental steps at a center of the range to displace the stimulation region at substantially uniform distances over the incremental steps.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is shifted in accordance with a sigmoid function of a position of the stimulation region.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between equal numbers of cathodes.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between unequal numbers of cathodes.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between only two cathodes.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is fractionalized, and a smallest incremental step is equal to or less than five percent and a greatest incremental step is equal to or greater than ten percent.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical current is fractionalized, and a smallest incremental step is equal to or less than two percent and a greatest incremental step is equal to or greater than twenty percent.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising accessing a navigation table containing a series of states and corresponding electrical current values for the cathodes, wherein the electrical current is shifted by respectively incrementing through the states.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the tissue is neural tissue.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the incremental steps are non-uniform.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
implanting the electrode array adjacent the tissue;
configuring a controller that generates an electrical current to be delivered to the electrode array;
selecting an electrode configuration based on a therapeutic effect of the stimulation region as the electrical current is shifted between cathodes; and
programming the controller with the electrode configuration.
12. A method of operating a tissue stimulation system, comprising:
placing an array of electrodes in contact with tissue of a patient;
conveying an electrical current within the electrode array, thereby creating a stimulation region in the tissue; and
shifting electrical current between cathodes of the electrode array in incremental steps over a range in accordance with a sigmoid function of a position of the stimulation region, wherein the incremental steps at boundaries of the range are greater than the incremental steps at a center of the range.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the sigmoid function is an optimum sigmoid function.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between equal numbers of cathodes.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between unequal numbers of cathodes.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between only two cathodes.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical current is fractionalized, and a smallest incremental step is equal to or less than five percent and a greatest incremental step is equal to or greater than ten percent.
18. The method of claim 12 , wherein the electrical current is fractionalized, and a smallest incremental step is equal to or less than two percent and a greatest incremental step is equal to or greater than twenty percent.
19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising accessing a navigation table containing a series of states and corresponding electrical current values for the cathodes, wherein the electrical current is shifted by respectively incrementing through the states.
20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the tissue is neural tissue.
21. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:
implanting the electrode array adjacent the tissue;
configuring a controller that generates an electrical current to be delivered to the electrode array;
selecting an electrode configuration based on a therapeutic effect of the stimulation region as the electrical current is shifted between cathodes; and
programming the controller with the electrode configuration.
22. A method of operating a tissue stimulation system, comprising:
placing an array of electrodes in contact with tissue of a patient;
conveying an electrical current within the electrode array, thereby creating a stimulation region in the tissue;
accessing a navigation table containing a series of states and corresponding gradually and non-uniformly changing electrical current values, wherein differences between the electrical current values of adjacent states in the navigation table at boundaries of a range of states are greater than differences between adjacent electrical current values of adjacent states in the navigation table at a center of the range of states; and
shifting electrical current between cathodes of the electrode array by incrementing through the states of the navigation table.
23. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between equal numbers of cathodes.
24. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between unequal numbers of cathodes.
25. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical current is shifted between only two cathodes.
26. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical current values are fractionalized, and a smallest difference between adjacent states in the navigation table is equal to or less than five percent and a greatest difference between adjacent states in the navigation table is equal to or greater than ten percent.
27. The method of claim 22 , wherein the electrical current values are fractionalized, and a smallest difference between adjacent states in the navigation table is equal to or less than two percent and a greatest difference between adjacent states in the navigation table is equal to or greater than twenty percent.
28. The method of claim 22 , wherein the tissue is neural tissue.
29. The method of claim 22 , further comprising:
implanting the electrode array adjacent the tissue;
configuring a controller that generates an electrical current to be delivered to the electrode array;
selecting an electrode configuration based on a therapeutic effect of the stimulation region as the electrical current is shifted between the two electrodes; and
programming the controller with the electrode configuration.