摘要:
An interactive implantable medical device system includes an implantable medical device and a network-enabled external device capable of bi-directional communication and interaction with the implantable medical device. The external device is programmed to interact with other similarly-enabled devices. The system facilitates improved patient care by eliminating unnecessary geographic limitations on implantable medical device interrogation and programming, and by allowing patients, physicians, and other users to access medical records, history, and information and to receive status and care-related alerts and messages anywhere there is access to a communications network.
摘要:
Disclosed is a system and method for treating headaches. The system employs a self-contained, battery operated, readily portable and easy-to-operate head-mounted magnetic depolarizer to generate a transient or time-varying high-intensity magnetic field into and around the user's head or neck. The magnetic depolarizer system can be used to depolarize the neurons of the brain and/or the trigeminal nerve. This type of neuronal depolarization has the capability for terminating migraine or other types of headaches.
摘要:
Disclosed is a means and method for placing an implantable neurostimulator control module into a place in the cranium where cranial bone has been removed. The method for accomplishing this cranial implantation is by first removing a patient's hair over the site of the implant, then cutting the scalp at that site and pulling it back to expose the cranium. A neurosurgeon would then remove a portion of the cranial bone to accept a control module to be implanted within that hole. The control module would then be placed into that hole. It is also conceived that the control module would be fixed in place by the use of one or more attachment devices such as a multiplicity of bone screws placed through holes in one or more flanges that extend over the cranium beyond the control module. The implantation could also include a fairing placed around the control module to provide a smooth contour under the patient's scalp. Also described is a spacer shim placed under the flange(s) to adjust the position of the control module so that its bottom surface does not put pressure on the dura mater lying directly over the brain tissue at the bottom of the hole. It is also envisioned that a resorbable disk could be placed under the bottom surface of the control module to further protect the brain and/or to elute an anti-biotic or anti-inflammatory substance to reduce the possibility of infection and/or inflammation.
摘要:
Disclosed herein is a multiple electrode, closed-loop system for the treatment of certain neurological disorders such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson's disease. Specifically, the present invention combines a multi-electrode array with sophisticated signal processing techniques to achieve reliable detection of the onset of a neurological event (such as an epileptic seizure or migraine headache) typically originating from a focus of limited spatial extent within the brain. It is highly desirable to detect an epileptic seizure at least 5 seconds before the onset of clinical symptoms. Since there is often a d-c shift in the EEG voltage more than 5 seconds before the seizure, disclosed herein is a means for utilizing the d-c shift of the EEG for early detection of the seizure.
摘要:
A system for treating neurological conditions by low-frequency time varying electrical stimulation includes an electrical device for applying such low-frequency energy, in a range below approximately 10 Hz, to the patient's brain tissue. An implantable embodiment applies direct electrical stimulation to electrodes implanted in or on the patient's brain, while a non-invasive embodiment causes a magnetic field to induce electrical currents in the patient's brain.
摘要:
Disclosed is a multiple electrode, closed-loop, responsive system for the treatment of certain neurological diseases such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson's disease. Brain electrodes would be placed in close proximity to the brain or deep within brain tissue. When a neurological event such as the onset of an epileptic seizure occurs, EEG signals from the electrodes are processed by signal conditioning means in a control module that can be placed beneath the patient's scalp, within the patient's chest, or situated externally on the patient. Neurological event detection means in the control module will then cause a response to be generated for stopping the neurological event. The response could be an electrical signal to brain electrodes or to electrodes located remotely in the patient's body. The response could also be the release of medication or the application of a sensory input such as sound, light or mechanical vibration or electrical stimulation of the skin. The response to the neurological event can originate from devices either internal or external to the patient. The system also has the capability for multi-channel recording of EEG related signals that occur both before and after the detection of a neurological event. Programmability of many different operating parameters of the system by means of external equipment provides adaptability for treating patients who manifest different symptoms and who respond differently to the response generated by the system.
摘要:
An interactive implantable medical device system includes an implantable medical device and a network-enabled external device capable of bi-directional communication and interaction with the implantable medical device. The external device is programmed to interact with other similarly-enabled devices. The system facilitates improved patient care by eliminating unnecessary geographic limitations on implantable medical device interrogation and programming, and by allowing patients, physicians, and other users to access medical records, history, and information and to receive status and care-related alerts and messages anywhere there is access to a communications network.
摘要:
Disclosed is a means and method for the treatment of migraine headaches. Patients who have migraine headaches typically have a band of excited brain neurons that are a precursor of the headache. By placing an intense alternating magnetic field onto a certain region of the brain, an electrical current can be generated in the cerebral cortex that can depolarize these excited brain neurons. This procedure can stop a migraine headache in some patients or at least decrease its severity. The device to perform this function can be called a “magnetic depolarizer”. The magnetic depolarizer can be placed in some headgear such as a bicycle helmet in order to place the magnetic field at the correct location relative to the patient's cerebral cortex. This technique can be particularly valuable for patients who have a perceptible aura that occurs prior to the onset of a migraine headache. A visual aura caused by the progression of an excited band of neurons in a patient's occipital lobe, which aura occurs 20 to 30 minutes prior to the onset of head pain, would be particularly well treated by means of the magnetic depolarizer.
摘要:
Disclosed is a multiple electrode, closed-loop, responsive system for the treatment of certain neurological diseases such as epilepsy, migraine headaches and Parkinson's disease. Brain electrodes would be placed in close proximity to the brain or deep within brain tissue. When a neurological event such as the onset of an epileptic seizure occurs, EEG signals from the electrodes are processed by signal conditioning means in a control module that can be placed beneath the patient's scalp, within the patient's chest, or situated externally on the patient. Neurological event detection means in the control module will then cause a response to be generated for stopping the neurological event. The response could be an electrical signal to brain electrodes or to electrodes located remotely in the patient's body. The response could also be the release of medication or the application of a sensory input such as sound, light or mechanical vibration or electrical stimulation of the skin. The response to the neurological event can originate from devices either internal or external to the patient. The system also has the capability for multi-channel recording of EEG related signals that occur both before and after the detection of a neurological event. Programmability of many different operating parameters of the system by means of external equipment provides adaptability for treating patients who manifest different symptoms and who respond differently to the response generated by the system.
摘要:
A system for treating neurological conditions by low-frequency time varying electrical stimulation includes an electrical device for applying such low-frequency energy, in a range below approximately 10 Hz, to the patient's brain tissue. An implantable embodiment applies direct electrical stimulation to electrodes implanted in or on the patient's brain, while a non-invasive embodiment causes a magnetic field to induce electrical currents in the patient's brain.