Neural stimulator placement
A method for implanting a wireless neural stimulator device, the method including: inserting a device through on a patient's skin on a posterior side of the patient's neck region, wherein the device includes a proximal end, a distal end, a first opening at the proximal end, a second opening at the distal end, and a lumen extending between the first opening and the second opening; after inserting the device through the patient's skin, advancing the distal end into the epidural space of the patient; inserting the wireless neural stimulator device through the first opening; advancing the wireless neural stimulator from the first opening through the lumen until the wireless neural stimulator exits the second opening and into the patient's epidural space; and advancing the wireless neural stimulator through the epidural space until a target site is reached.
1. A method for implanting a wireless neural stimulator device, the method comprising:
performing percutaneous introduction of an introducer assembly on a posterior side of the patient's neck region by inserting an assembly of a needle stylet and an introducer cannula through the patient's skin, wherein the introducer cannula includes a proximal end, a distal end, a first opening at the proximal end, a second opening at the distal end, and a lumen extending between the first opening and the second opening;
after inserting the introducer cannula through the patient's skin, advancing the distal end into an epidural space of the patient;
removing the needle stylet from the assembly of the needle stylet and the introducer cannula;
subsequently inserting the wireless neural stimulator device through the first opening;
advancing the wireless neural stimulator from the first opening through the lumen until the wireless neural stimulator exits the second opening and into the epidural space of the patient;
advancing the wireless neural stimulator through the epidural space until a target site is reached by advancing a distal end of the assembly of the needle stylet and the introducer cannula into the epidural space of the patient; and
while maintaining the wireless neural stimulator device in the epidural space of the patient, advancing the wireless neural stimulator device until the wireless neural stimulator device reaches a target site at a level of a vertebrae.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein advancing the distal end into the epidural space comprises advancing the distal end through an intervertebral space between a pair of thoracic vertebrae until the distal end enters the epidural space.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the pair of thoracic vertebrae are T1 and T2.
4. The method of claim 2 wherein advancing the wireless neural stimulator device through the epidural space until a target site is reached comprises advancing a distal end of the wireless neural stimulator device through the epidural space until the distal end reaches a level of a cervical vertebrae.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the cervical vertebrae is C3.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein electrodes are positioned on the wireless neural stimulator device such that neural tissue at a level of C4-C5 is stimulated when the wireless neural stimulator device is operated.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the target site is located such that the wireless neural stimulator device stimulates a cervical nerve or a nucleus caudalis when the wireless neural stimulator device is operated.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless neural stimulator device is implanted without implanting an implantable pulse generator (IPG) under the patient's skin.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the wireless neural stimulator device is implanted without running a wire to connect the wireless neural stimulator device to an external power source.