Selective high frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects, and associated systems and methods
View Patent ↗Selective high-frequency spinal cord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side effects and associated systems and methods are disclosed. In particular embodiments, high-frequency modulation in the range of from about 1.5 KHz to about 50 KHz may be applied to the patient's spinal cord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side effects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.
1. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
delivering or instructing delivery of an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord via at least one implantable signal delivery device to reduce or inhibit pain in the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia, the signal having a frequency in a range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 50 kHz; and
continuing to deliver or instruct delivery of the electrical therapy signal without:
(a) changing or instructing the patient to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient position; or
(b) causing the system to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient position.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises:
at a subsequent point in time, varying a current amplitude of the electrical therapy signal from a first amplitude value to a second, increased amplitude value that is more than 60% greater than the first value.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein reducing or inhibiting pain in the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia is maintained as the current amplitude is varied from the first amplitude value to the second amplitude value.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
placing or instructing placement of the at least one signal delivery device at a position lateral of a midline of the spinal cord as at least part of a placement process, without using patient feedback during the placement process to at least assist in selecting the position.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the position has an axial location and a lateral location, and wherein placing or instructing placement includes identifying or instructing identification of the position of the at least one signal delivery device without using or instructing use of patient feedback to adjust one of (a) the axial location of the at least one signal delivery device, or (b) the lateral location of the at least one signal delivery device.
6. The method of claim 4 wherein the position has an axial location and a lateral location, and wherein placing or instructing placement includes identifying or instructing identification of the position of the at least one signal delivery device without using or instructing use of patient feedback to adjust both (a) the axial location of the at least one signal delivery device, and (b) the lateral location of the at least one signal delivery device.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal reduces or inhibits at least one of low-back pain and leg pain.
8. The method of claim 1 the electrical therapy signal reduces or inhibits both low-back pain and leg pain.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 5 kHz to about 15 kHz.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 20 kHz.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 10 kHz.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of about 10 kHz.
14. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
delivering an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord via at least one implanted signal delivery device to reduce or inhibit pain in the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia, the signal having a frequency in a range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 50 kHz; and
continuing deliver the electrical therapy signal without:
(a) changing or instructing the patient to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient activity; or
(b) causing the system to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient activity.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method further comprises:
at a subsequent point in time, varying a current amplitude of the electrical therapy signal from a first amplitude value to a second, increased amplitude value that is more than 60% greater than the first value.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein reducing or inhibiting pain in the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia is maintained as the current amplitude is varied from the first amplitude value to the second amplitude value.
17. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
placing or instructing placement of the at least one signal delivery device at a position lateral of a midline of the spinal cord as at least part of a placement process, without using patient feedback during the placement process to at least assist in selecting the position.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the position has an axial location and a lateral location, and wherein placing or instructing placement includes identifying or instructing identification of the position of the at least one signal delivery device without using or instructing use of patient feedback to adjust one of (a) the axial location of the at least one signal delivery device, or (b) the lateral location of the at least one signal delivery device.
19. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal reduces or inhibits at least one of low-back pain and leg pain.
20. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 5 kHz to about 15 kHz.
21. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz.
22. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 20 kHz.
23. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 10 kHz.
24. The method of claim 14 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of about 10 kHz.
25. A method for treating a patient, comprising:
delivering or instructing delivery of an electrical therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord via at least one implanted signal delivery device to reduce or inhibit pain to the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia, the signal having a frequency in a range of from about 1.5 kHz to about 50 kHz; and
continuing to deliver or instruct delivery of the electrical therapy signal without:
(a) changing or instructing the patient to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient sleep state; or
(b) causing the system to change an amplitude of the signal in response to a change in patient sleep state.
26. The method of claim 25 , wherein the method further comprises:
at a subsequent point in time, varying a current amplitude of the electrical signal from a first amplitude value to a second, increased amplitude value that is more than 60% greater than the first value.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein reducing or inhibiting pain in the patient without the patient perceiving paresthesia is maintained as the current amplitude is varied from the first amplitude value to the second amplitude value.
28. The method of claim 25 , further comprising:
placing or instructing placement of the at least one signal delivery device at a position lateral of a midline of the spinal cord as at least part of a placement process, without using patient feedback during the placement process to at least assist in selecting the position.
29. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical therapy signal reduces or inhibits at least one of low-back pain and leg pain.
30. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 5 kHz to about 15 kHz.
31. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 15 kHz.
32. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 20 kHz.
33. The method of claim 25 wherein the electrical therapy signal has a frequency of from about 3 kHz to about 10 kHz.