WITH SPINAL TRAUMA AND STROKE

This applicalion claims priority to United States Patent Application Serial No. 1.3/838,180 filed March 15, 2013 entitled "Spinal Nerve ^" Stimulation Rings For Rehabilitation of Patients With Spinal. Trauma and Stroke" by Huang and Dayaw&iisa.

TECHNICAL FI ELD

The present invention relates generally to medical devices, and more particularly to a medical device for rehabilitation of patients with nerve related disorders.

BACKGROUND ART

Spinal cord iraunia is damage to die spinal cord, it may result from direct injury to the cord itself or indirectly from disease of the surrounding bones, tissues, or blood vessels.

Injuries at any level can cause altered muscle tone (spasticity), loss of normal bowel and bladder control (may include constipation, incontinence, bladder spasms), numbness, sensory changes, pain, weakness, and paralysis. When spinal cord injuries occur in the neck area, symptoms can affect the arms, legs, and middle of the body. The symptoms may occur on one or both sides of the body. Symptoms can also include breathing difficulties from paralysis of the breathing muscles, if the injury is high up in the neck. When spinal injuries occur at chest level, symptoms can affect the legs. Injuries to the cervical or high thoracic spinal cord ma also result in blood pressure problems, abnormal sweating, and trouble maintaining norma! body temperature. When spinal injuries occur at the lower back level symptoms can affect one or both legs, as well as the muscles thai control the bowels and bladder.

Forms of treatment vary. Corticosteroids, such as dexamethasone or methyl prednisolone, are used to reduce swelling that may damage the spinal cord, if spinal cord pressur is caused by a growth that can be removed or reduced before the spinal nerves are completely destroyed, the incidence of paralysis may be reduced, ideally, corticosteroids should begin as soon as possible after the injury.

Surgery may be needed to remove fluid or tissue that presses o the spinal cord (decom ression laminectomy); remove bone fragments, disk fragments, or foreign, objects; or fuse broken spinal bones or place spinal braces.

Bedrest may b needed to allow the bones of the spine to heal.

Spinal traction may be recommended. That can. help keep the spine from moving. The skull may be held i place with tongs (metal braces placed in the skull and attached to traction weights or to a harness on the body). The patient may need to wear the spine braces for a long time. The patieni may need physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other rehabilitation therapies after the injury has healed. Rehabilitation will help the patient to cope with the disability from the spina! cord injury. Muscle spasticity can be .relieved with medications taken by mouth or injected into the spinal canal Botox injections into the muscles may also be helpful Painkillers (analgesics), muscle relaxers, and physical therapy are used to help control pain.

However, none of those treatments encourage regrowih of nerve tissue. One form of treatment that is intended to do so is magnetic nerve stimulation. Available magnetic nerve stimulation devices for stimulating sacral nerve root are indirect. Indirect magnetic stimulation of spinal segments and sacral nerve roots has been shown to promote bowel emptying of patients with spinal, cord damage as well as induce enhancement of respiratory function in tetrapiegic patients, However, indirect magnetic .nerve stimulation has received mixed results, possibly due to its indirectness. There are no existing devices .for direct magnetic spinal nerve stimulation.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It Is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a medical device that surrounds a nerve for electric stimulation, it is another object of the present invention to provide a medical device that surrounds a nerve for magnetic stimulation. I is a further object of the present invention to provide a medical device that surrounds a nerve and provides dual mode stimulation with both electric and magnetic stimulation modes.

To achieve the above and other objects of the present invention, described herein is a device that encircles the spinal segmental nerves like a ring and causes stimulation of the nerves. Electric stimulation of severed .nerve roots has given favorable results in testing. Some testing indicates that magnetic stimulation reduces spasticity. The present invention offers magnetic as well as electric stimulation properties in order to balance the two modes, in some embodiments of the present invention, the device does not contact the nerve, and avoids nerve damage that ensues when there is direct physical contact with a nerve for extended periods of time.

Throughout this specification, the structure of the various embodiments of the present invention will be described, using the terms ring and collar interchangeably. The present invention and the various embodiments described and envisioned herein use a structure that encircles the nerve, be it ring, a collar, or similar geometry, where applicants do not wish to be bound to any specific geometric shape or size. Rather, the present invention and the various embodiments described and depicted herein provide a structure that encircles, encompasses, or otherwise surrounds a nerve or a specific; portion of a nerve. The present invention can be utilized for direct stimulation of patients with spina! trauma and stroke. The present invention and the various embodiments described and envisioned herein serve to simulate, for example, anterior roots of the spinal cord segmental nerves related to the movements. Initially, the targeted functions will be bowel emptying, bladder stimulation, and cough induction. In some embodiments of the present invention, computer program and a stimulator will be made for all or various motor functions based on root involvement of those functions, such as limb movements. In some embodiments of me present invention, a patient can control his or her motor movements using a remote control device, In one embodiment of the present invention, the initial mode of stimulation will be magnetic. If the outcome following magnetic stimulation is reduction of hyperrefiexia or spasticity, which is a common side effect following upper motor neuron lesions like spinal cord injury or stroke, magnetic stimulation only will be insufficient to achieve full motor control. In tins case, electric stimulation through electrodes along with magnetie stimulation will be applied. A balance of these two modes of stimulation will in turn ^• control hyperrefiexia and spasticity to achieve movements. In some embodiments of the present invention, a wireless power supply and telemetric control may be provided to avoid infections and minimize the size of the device. These devices ma be implanted microsurgical ly and may be screwed to the bone using plastic screws.

Stimulating coils may be made out of a conductive material or a. conductive polymer or a plastic magnetic conductance material, for example. With the latter, a patient will be able to go through the usual MR! scans, and the like.

Immediate applications for the present invention and the various embodiments described and envisioned herein include the following;

1) Stimulate bowel movements;

2) Stimulate bladder emptying;

3) Stimulate an erection;

4) Reduce muscle spasticity following upper motor neuron lesions; and

5) Induce cough to prevent respirator infections. in some embodiments of the present invention, all spinal, cord segments will carry rings for individual nerve stimulation, and a software program will stimulate all involved segments in an optimum stimulation pattern for motor movement, to allow for immediate motor control following peripheral nerve lesions or other maladies. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A referred embodiment and variations thereof will be set forth, with, reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagram showing the placement of one embodiment of the stimulation collar in a patient's nervous system;

Figure 2 is a diagram showing placement of the stimulation collar;

Figure 3 A is a close-up view of the stimulation collar on a nerve;

Figure 3B is a cross-sectional view of the stimulation collar taken along line A-A of Figure 3 A; and.

Figure 4 is a diagram showing an alternative placement of the stimulation collar.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

A preferred embodiment of the present invention and variations thereof will b set forth in detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals refer to like elements or steps throughout.

Figure 1 shows an example of placement of a spinal stimulation collar or ring 100. The spinal cord .102 (shown here in cross section) includes a dorsal (posterior) horn 104 of spinal gray matter; a lateral horn 06, found only in segments T 1 -1,2, of preganglionic sympathetic neurons; and a ventral (anterior) horn 1.08 containing motor neurons. Dorsal and ventral roots 1 10,. 112 extend from the dorsal and ventral horns 104, 108 respectively. The dorsal root includes a dorsal ganglio 1 14, The roots 1.10, 112 join to form a spina! nerve 1.16. which branches into a dorsal primary ramus 1 18» which goes to the skin and muscles of the back and a ventral primary ramus 120, which splits into sensory fibers 122, postganglionic sympathetic innervation (into glands and blood vessels) 124, and motor axons 126 to skeletal muscle. The ventral primary ramus 120 is also connected via, a gray ramus communicans 128 and a white ramus communicans 130 to a sympathetic (paravertebral) ganglion 132,

The stimulation collars 100 surround the ventral nerve roots 1 12 and are, in some embodiments of the present invention, attached to the bone by mioroscrews or other suitable techniques. The spinal stimulation collar UK) provides for electric and magnetic stimulation of the nerves. A stimulator is used for applying stimulation to the stimulation collar, and may comprise magnetic or electric stimulation, or a combination of both electric and magnetic stimulation. The stimulator may comprise a coil, an electrode, or a material that provides the necessary electric or magnetic stimulation. The spinal stimulation collar 100 may comprise an electrically conductive material such as a stainless steel or ni ^' tinol that, is electrically connected to an electric field source such as a battery, nStraeapaeitor. or the like, in some embodiments of the present invention, the electric field is a constant field. In other embodiments, the electric field may be pulsed, sinusoidal, sporadic, or otherwise temporally patterned or intermittent. The electric field may also, in some embodiments of the present invention, change polarity, gradient, strength, polarization, direction, or other parameters. In some embodiments of the present Invention, the spinal stimulation collar may generate an electric field independent of an external electromotive source. For example, the spinal stimulation collar 100 may include an e!eetret material such as properly processed quartz, silicon dioxides, synthetic polymers such as iluoropolyraers, polypropylene, poly thySeneterephthalate. poSytetrafiuoroethySene, parylene, and the like. An exemplary process for making electrets is disclosed in United States Patent 4,2-91 ,245 to Now!irt et al _» and entitled "Electrets", the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The spinal stimulation collar 100 may also comprise an electric field generating material such as a piezoelectric .materia! that generates an electric field upon the application of an ^' external force, such as body movements. Suitable piezoelectric materials include, for example, barium iiianaie, lead iiianaie, gallium orthophosphate, bismuth ferrite, sodium potassium uiobate, sodium niobate, polyvinylidene fluoride, aluminum nitride, or the like. Electroaetive polymers may also be used to provide an electric field generating coating or structure for the ^' stimulation collar, and may be applied in conjunction with another material such as a piezoelectric material, eleciret material, or the like. Electroaetive polymers ma be dielectric or ionic, and may, in one embodiment of die present invention, be a ferroelectric polymer where they maintain a permanent electric polarization that may be reversed in the presence of an external electric field. One example of a ferroelectric polymer is polyvinylidene fluoride. Dielectric electroaetive polymers include, tor example, silicones and acrylic elastomers such as the acrylic elastomer VHB491Q available from the 3M Company, St. Paul, Minnesota. Examples of ionic electroaetive polymers include conductive polymers and ionic polymer-metal composites. Polyelectrolytes may also be used as an electric field generating material in accordance with the present invention. Polyelectrolytes are polymers whose repeating units have an electrolyte group. The polymers become charged when dissociated in water. For example, polyacrylie acid s negatively charged when dissociated in water, as is poly(sodrara styrene sulfonate), Galvani potential materials may further be used to provide an electric field generating coating or structure for a medical device in accordance with the present invention. Dissimilar metals may be joined together as a layer or composite structure. When two different metals make electrical contact, electrons flow from the metal with the lower work function to the metal with the higher work, function, and an electric double layer is formed at the interface. In addition, semiconductor materials may be used and may, in some embodiments of the present invention, be combined with other materials such as e!eetret materials, conductive -materials, piezoelectric materials, and the like

In additio to an electric field generating .material or an electric field source and associated electrode material, the stimulation collar may, in some embodiments of the present invention. contain a .magnetic field component. The magnetic field source may be, in some embodiments of the present invention a coil to provide a source of a magnetic field. Other embodiments of the present invention may use permanent magnet materials such as, for example, ferrhe, alnico, rare earth materials, and the like. The stimulation collar may also contain a battery, capacitor, or other electrical charge storage device that is electrically connected to the coil The stimulation collar may, m one embodiment of the present invention, continuously generate a low intensity magnetic field (0.01 Tesla, for example). The coil may, in one embodiment of the present invention, be a Ifclmholiz coil. In other embodiments of the present invention, the magnetic field may be pulsed, sinusoidal, sporadic, or otherwise temporally patterned or intermittent The magnetic field may also, in some embodiments of the present invention, change polarity, gradient, strength, polarization, direction, or other parameters.

Both the magnetic and electric field components of the present invention may be under the control of a. microprocessor based controller to turn the field on and off, change the magnitude, duration, frequency, or other attributes of the field. In some embodiments of the present invention, there is only an electric field. In other embodiments of the present invention, there is only a magnetic field.

Figure 2 shows the spine 200 defining the spinal canal 202. The posteriors of the vertebral bodies and the vertebral, arches form the bony border of the spinal canal 202. The spinal canal 202 contains the spina! cord 102 and the nerve roots 1 10, 1 12. A spina! stimulating collar 100 is attached as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 A shows a collar 1 0 surrounding a ventral root. 1 12. Figure 3B shows a. corona! section of the collar 100. including stimulating magnetic fibers 302. The stimulating magnetic fibers 302 may, in some embodiments of the present invention, be generally parallel to each other within or upon a biocompatible material . In other embodiments of the present invention, the magnetic fibers 302 may be random or pseudo-random in distributio within or upon a biocompatible .material ^' The stiffiuiation collar 100 may, in some embodiments of the present invention, be cylindrical, The stimulation collar 100 may also contain an opening, break, or other structural discontinuity to facilitate surgica! placement around the nerve root. The stimulation collar 100 may then be elosed around the nerve by way of sutures, pins, screws, hinges, rivets, flanges, bolts, flares, interlocking elements, push fit joints, or the like.

Figure 4 shows the use of one preferred embodiment of the present in vention to. surround nerve roots during peripheral nerve repair. An implanted stimulator 400 includes a transmitting coil 402 for control and is connected ^' via electrode leads 404 to collars or rings 100, The coil 402 allows wireless communication with a processor 406 for control Such a stimulator 400 and processor 406 can. he used in many embodiments of the present in vention to provide the correct stimulation needed for therapeutic effect.

It is, therefore, apparent, that there has been provided, in. accordance with the various objects of the present invention, spinal nerve stimulation rings for rehabil.iiai.ion of patients with spinal trauma and stroke.

Whil the various objects of this invention have been described in conjunction with preferred embodiments thereof .it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace ail such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of this specification, claims and drawings appended herein.