SELECTIVE HIGH FREQUENCY SPINAL CORD MODULATION FOR INHIBITING PAIN WITH REDUCED SIDE EFFECTS, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS
Selective high-frequency spinal chord modulation for inhibiting pain with reduced side affects 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 chord region to address low back pain without creating unwanted sensory and/or motor side affects. In other embodiments, modulation in accordance with similar parameters can be applied to other spinal or peripheral locations to address other indications.
1 - 137 . (canceled)
138 . A spinal cord modulation system for treating a patient, the system comprising:
a pulse generator that, in operation, generates a non-paresthesia-producing therapy signal, wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal has at least one of: (a) a frequency that varies within a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 100 kHz, (b) a pulse width that varies within a pulse width range between 10 microseconds and 333 microseconds, or (c) an amplitude that varies within an amplitude range between 0.1 milliamps and 20 milliamps; and
one or more implantable electrical contacts electrically coupled to the pulse generator and designed to deliver the therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region.
139 . The system of claim 138 wherein the frequency varies within the frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 100 kHz.
140 . The system of claim 139 wherein the frequency varies in a random manner.
141 . The system of claim 139 wherein the frequency varies in a pseudorandom manner.
142 . The system of claim 139 wherein the signal includes pulses at a first frequency interleaved with pulses at a second frequency, different than the first frequency.
143 . The system of claim 142 wherein the first frequency is 5 kHz and the second frequency is 10 kHz.
144 . The system of claim 139 wherein the signal includes sequential packets of pulses at different frequencies.
145 . The system of claim 139 wherein the frequency varies in accordance with a preset program.
146 . The system of claim 139 wherein the pulse generator includes an input device and wherein the at least one of frequency, pulse width or amplitude varies in response to a patient input provided via the input device.
147 . The system of claim 146 , further comprising a patient remote, and wherein the patient input is provided to the input device via the patient remote.
148 . The system of claim 138 wherein the pulse generator includes an input device and wherein the at least one of frequency, pulse width, or amplitude varies in response to a practitioner input provided via the input device.
149 . The system of claim 148 , further comprising a practitioner remote, and wherein the practitioner input is provided to the input device via the practitioner remote.
150 . The system of claim 138 wherein the amplitude varies within the amplitude range between 0.1 milliamps and 20 milliamps.
151 . The system of claim 138 wherein the pulse width varies within the pulse width range between 10 microseconds and 333 microseconds.
152 . The system of claim 138 wherein a duration of the signal varies in accordance with a duty cycle.
153 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal includes biphasic pulses.
154 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal has a frequency of 3 kHz for a period of time.
155 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal has a frequency of 5 kHz for a period of time.
156 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal has a frequency of 10 kHz for a period of time.
157 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal has a frequency of 20 kHz for a period of time.
158 . The system of claim 138 wherein the signal has a frequency of 50 kHz for a period of time.
159 . A spinal cord modulation system for treating a patient, the system comprising:
a pulse generator that, in operation, generates a therapy signal, wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal has at least one of: (a) a frequency that varies within a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 10 kHz, (b) a pulse width that varies within a pulse width range between 30 microseconds and 35 microseconds, or (c) an amplitude that varies within an amplitude range between 0.5 milliamps and 4 milliamps; and
one or more implantable electrical contacts electrically coupled to the pulse generator and designed to deliver the therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region.
160 . The system of claim 159 wherein the frequency varies within the frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 10 kHz.
161 . The system of claim 160 wherein the frequency varies in a random manner.
162 . The system of claim 160 wherein the frequency varies in a pseudorandom manner.
163 . The system of claim 160 wherein the signal includes pulses at a first frequency interleaved with pulses at a second frequency, different than the first frequency.
164 . The system of claim 163 wherein the first frequency is 5 kHz and the second frequency is 10 kHz.
165 . The system of claim 163 wherein the signal includes sequential packets of pulses at different frequencies.
166 . The system of claim 163 wherein the frequency varies in accordance with a preset program.
167 . The system of claim 163 wherein the pulse generator includes an input device and wherein the at least one of frequency, pulse width or amplitude varies in response to a patient input provided via the input device.
168 . The system of claim 167 , further comprising a patient remote, and wherein the patient input is provided to the input device via the patient remote.
169 . The system of claim 159 wherein the pulse generator includes an input device and wherein the at least one of frequency, pulse width, or amplitude varies in response to a practitioner input provided via the input device.
170 . The system of claim 169 , further comprising a practitioner remote, and wherein the practitioner input is provided to the input device via the practitioner remote.
171 . The system of claim 159 wherein the amplitude varies within the amplitude range between 0.5 milliamps and 4 milliamps.
172 . The system of claim 159 wherein the pulse width varies within the pulse width range between 30 microseconds and 35 microseconds.
173 . The system of claim 159 wherein a duration of the signal varies in accordance with a duty cycle.
174 . The system of claim 159 wherein the signal includes biphasic pulses.
175 . The system of claim 159 wherein the signal has a frequency of 3 kHz for a period of time.
176 . The system of claim 159 wherein the signal has a frequency of 5 kHz for a period of time.
177 . The system of claim 159 wherein the signal has a frequency of 10 kHz for a period of time.
178 . A spinal cord modulation system for treating a patient, the system comprising:
a pulse generator having a computer-readable medium with instructions that, when executed, generate a non-paresthesia-producing therapy signal, wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal has at least one of: (a) a frequency that varies within a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 100 kHz, (b) a pulse width that varies within a pulse width range between 10 microseconds and 333 microseconds, or (c) an amplitude that varies within an amplitude range between 0.1 milliamps and 20 milliamps; and
one or more implantable electrical contacts electrically coupled to the pulse generator and designed to deliver the therapy signal to the patient's spinal cord region.
179 - 195 . (canceled)
196 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
directing, via machine-readable instructions, a non-paresthesia-producing signal to a patient's spinal cord region via one or more electrical contacts, wherein at least a portion of the therapy signal has at least one of (a) a frequency that varies within a frequency range between 1.5 kHz and 100 kHz, (b) a pulse width that varies within a pulse width range between 10 microseconds and 333 microseconds, or (c) an amplitude that varies within an amplitude range between 0.1 milliamps and 20 milliamps.
197 - 216 . (canceled)