Autonomic nervous system control via high frequency spinal cord modulation, and associated systems and methods
Autonomic nervous system control via high frequency spinal cord modulation, and associated systems and methods. A method for treating a patient in accordance with a particular embodiment includes selecting a neural modulation site to include a neural population of the patient's spinal cord, and selecting parameters of a neural modulation signal to at least reduce an autonomic system deficit in the patient.
1. A method for regulating a patient's blood glucose levels, comprising:
programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord region via at least one implanted signal delivery device,
wherein the electrical signal regulates the patient's blood glucose levels by modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system includes normalizing a combined effect of the patient's sympathetic and parasympathetic systems to regulate the patient's blood glucose levels.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal modulates neurons of the patient's sympathetic nervous system.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the electrical signal inhibits neurons of the patient's sympathetic nervous system.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system includes reducing or modifying organ dysfunction in the patient to regulate the patient's blood glucose levels.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at a vertebral level associated with an organ responsible for the organ dysfunction in the patient.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the vertebral level is an upper thoracic vertebral level.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the vertebral level is a cervical vertebral level.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one implanted signal delivery device is positioned in an epidural space within the patient's spinal cord region.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 50 kHz.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 25 kHz.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is 10 kHz.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 25 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
16. The method of claim 1 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz, and wherein the electrical signal further has (i) an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA, and (ii) a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 25 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein programming the implantable signal generator includes programming the implantable signal generator to deliver the electrical signal in accordance with a duty cycle.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein programming the implantable signal generator is done in response to the patient having a disorder characterized by abnormal regulation of blood glucose levels.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the signal generator is implantable.
20. A method for normalizing a patient's diabetic response, comprising:
programming a signal generator to deliver an electrical signal having a frequency in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord region via at least one implanted signal delivery device,
wherein the electrical signal normalizes the patient's diabetic response by modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system.
21. The method of claim 20 wherein modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system includes normalizing a combined effect of the patient's sympathetic and parasympathetic systems to normalize the patient's diabetic response.
22. The method of claim 20 wherein the electrical signal modulates neurons of the patient's sympathetic nervous system.
23. The method of claim 22 wherein the electrical signal inhibits neurons of the patient's sympathetic nervous system.
24. The method of claim 22 wherein modulating neurons of the patient's autonomic nervous system includes reducing or modifying organ dysfunction in the patient to normalize the patient's diabetic response.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the implanted signal delivery device is positioned at a vertebral level associated with an organ responsible for the organ dysfunction in patient.
26. The method of claim 25 wherein the vertebral level is an upper thoracic vertebral level.
27. The method of claim 25 wherein the vertebral level is a cervical vertebral level.
28. The method of claim 20 wherein the at least one implanted signal delivery device is positioned in an epidural space within the patient's spinal cord region.
29. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz.
30. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 50 kHz.
31. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 5 kHz to 25 kHz.
32. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency is 10 kHz.
33. The method of claim 20 wherein the electrical signal has an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA.
34. The method of claim 20 wherein the electrical signal has a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 25 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
35. The method of claim 20 wherein the frequency is in a frequency range of from 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz, and wherein the electrical signal further has (i) an amplitude in an amplitude range of from 0.1 mA to 20 mA, and (ii) a pulse width in a pulse width range of from 25 microseconds to 166 microseconds.
36. The method of claim 20 wherein programming the implantable signal generator includes programming the implantable signal generator to deliver the electrical signal in accordance with a duty cycle.
37. The method of claim 20 wherein programming the implantable signal generator is done in response to the patient having a disorder characterized by an abnormal diabetic response.
38. The method of claim 20 wherein the signal generator is implantable.