Coiled Wire Lead for Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for managing post-amputation pain, including opioids and other treatments, are associated with adverse effects and practical limitations, failing to effectively address the high incidence of acute and chronic pain in amputees, which impacts quality of life and rehabilitation.
Innovation Solution
A system and method involving a coiled wire lead with an electrode positioned proximal to the residual limb for electrical stimulation of transected nerves, using specific parameters to create comfortable sensations and alleviate phantom pain without damaging the nerves, applied before and after amputation surgery to prevent chronic pain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If opioids are used to manage post-amputation pain, then pain relief is achieved, but adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, sedation, and respiratory depression occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological intervention (opioids) with electrical stimulation therapy. The electrical stimulation system uses electrodes to deliver controlled electrical pulses to specific nerve pathways, substituting the chemical mechanism of opioids with an electrical/physiological mechanism to achieve pain relief without the associated adverse effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electrical stimulation as an intermediary mechanism between the pain source and the patient's perception. By stimulating specific nerves and neural pathways with controlled electrical signals, the system mediates pain relief through physiological modulation rather than direct pharmacological action, avoiding opioid-related side effects
2Object-affected harmful factors
If non-narcotic medications, physical or psychological therapies, or surface electrical stimulation are used, then some pain relief is achieved, but practical limitations prevent widespread use
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces surface electrical stimulation with percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS). By inserting electrodes through the skin to directly contact or approach the target nerves, the system overcomes the limitations of surface stimulation (such as poor contact and insufficient penetration depth) while maintaining the non-pharmacological advantage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent emphasizes early intervention by applying electrical stimulation before and after amputation surgery. This preliminary and continuous action prevents the development of chronic pain conditions, addressing the limitation of other therapies that are often applied too late in the pain management timeline
3Object-affected harmful factors
If spinal cord stimulation is used, then pain relief may be achieved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local electrical stimulation at the site of nerve transection or near the residual limb, rather than requiring extensive spinal cord implantation. This localized approach maintains therapeutic effectiveness while significantly reducing the invasiveness and complexity associated with spinal cord stimulation systems
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the stimulation target from the complex spinal cord system and focuses it on peripheral nerves at or near the amputation site. By targeting the specific peripheral nerves involved in phantom pain rather than requiring spinal cord involvement, the system simplifies the overall device architecture and reduces procedural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Paind felt in a given region of the body can be treated by stimulating a peripheral nerve at a therapeutically effective distance from the region where pain is felt to generate a comfortable sensation (i.e., paresthesia) overlapping the regions of pain. Systems and methods to reduce pain in a painful region following surgical amputation of an extremity or limb may include stimulating a peripheral nerve innervating the painful region with an electrode inserted into tissue and spaced from the peripheral nerve. This method may be used to help alleviate postoperative pain in patients following amputation of an extremity or limb.