High-frequency electrical nerve block
A method and apparatus that resulted in blocking an action potential in a nerve.
1. A method of relieving post-amputation pain in an amputee patient, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a neuroma by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain.
2. The method of claim 1 achieving at least equal analgesic effect in the patient in the absence of a pharmaceutical analgesic.
3. The method of claim 2 achieving at least one of enhanced analgesia efficacy or enhanced analgesia predictability compared to lidocaine block analgesia.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising optionally repeating application of the waveform at an interval greater than lidocaine half-life.
5. The method of claim 4 where the neuropathic pain is selected from the group consisting of post-surgical pain, pain from shingles, neuropathic diabetic pain, migraine pain, and combinations thereof.
6. The method of claim 1 achieving at least equal analgesic effect in the patient relative to either spinal cord stimulation (SCS) and/or peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS).
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising optionally repeating application of the waveform at an interval not shorter than nine hours.
8. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is battery-powered and the interval decreases an interval for battery recharging.
9. The method of claim 1 where the waveform is applied by operatively connecting the nerve waveform generator to an implanted electrode.
10. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is implanted in the patient and is activated by a remote controller.
11. The method of claim 1 where the waveform generator is external to the patient and is activated at the waveform generator.
12. A method of relieving neuropathic pain in a patient in need thereof, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a site of pain by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain.
13. A method of providing improved mobility in an amputee above or below a knee, the method comprising providing a device for administering a frequency between 5 kHz to 50 kHz to a nerve at a site proximal to a neuroma by a plurality of contact surfaces with the nerve to block conduction of an action potential in the nerve and not stimulate and not generate an action potential in the nerve, at a voltage between 4 V peak-to-peak (Vpp) to 20 Vpp or at a current between 4 mA peak-to-peak (mApp) to 26 mApp for an interval sufficient to relieve pain facilitating tolerance of a lower limb prosthetic resulting in improved mobility.
14. The method of claim 13 where the nerve is selected from the group consisting of a tibial nerve or a sciatic nerve.
15. The method of claim 13 where the nerve diameter is up to 12 mm.