High-Charge Electrodes for Safe Nerve Conduction Block
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for electrical nerve conduction block (ENCB) often cause electrochemical damage due to the formation of damaging reaction products, limiting their effectiveness and safety for treating neurological disorders such as pain and muscle spasticity.
Innovation Solution
The use of high-charge capacity materials like platinum black, iridium oxide, and tantalum in electrode contacts that prevent the formation of irreversible electrochemical reactions, allowing for safe and effective ENCB without causing nerve damage, using waveforms like monophasic DC or HFAC to block nerve conduction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If DC waveform is used to eliminate onset response, then nerve conduction block effectiveness is improved, but electrochemical damage to nerve occurs due to formation of damaging reaction products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the electrical parameters by using biphasic or multiphasic waveforms with balanced charge delivery, where the net charge over each cycle is zero or near-zero. This prevents accumulation of charge that would lead to electrochemical reaction products, thereby eliminating nerve damage while maintaining effective conduction block.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs periodic alternating current waveforms (AC, bipolar, or multipolar) that reverse polarity in a cyclic manner. This periodic action ensures that any electrochemical reactions initiated during one phase are reversed in the subsequent phase, preventing formation of damaging reaction products while maintaining effective nerve conduction block.
2Reliability
If HFAC waveform is used to provide localized conduction block, then nerve block effectiveness is improved, but transient onset response occurs that takes seconds to diminish
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the approach by using low-frequency or DC waveforms instead of high-frequency AC waveforms. This inversion eliminates the transient onset response characteristic of HFAC while achieving effective nerve conduction block through controlled charge delivery and reversal mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary charge balancing phases before the main blocking phase, ensuring that no net charge accumulates that would cause prolonged onset responses. The preparatory phases set up conditions for immediate, clean nerve block without transient effects.
3Reliability
If flanking electrode with DC waveform is used to neutralize onset response, then onset response is eliminated, but nerve conduction is lost after several applications due to electrochemical damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the waveform parameters to balanced biphasic or multipolar configurations where the area under the curve for each phase is equal and opposite. This parameter adjustment ensures complete charge neutralization without electrochemical damage, allowing indefinite repetition of nerve block applications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables reversible and effective nerve conduction block without electrochemical damage, allowing for prolonged and safe delivery of charges, effectively reducing pain and muscle spasticity while maintaining normal nerve function when the block is removed.
Implementation Method 1
without the occurrence of irreversible electrochemical reactions
Implementation Method 2
voltage across the electrode-electrolyte interface leaves the water-window (a voltage in a cyclic voltammogram (CV) between the specific the production of molecular oxygen and molecular hydrogen)
Implementation Method 3
application of a high frequency alternating current (HFAC) waveform
Implementation Method 4
application of a high frequency alternating current (HFAC) waveform and/or a direct current (DC) waveform
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods of treating various neurological disorders using electrical nerve conduction block (ENCB) without causing electrochemical damage. Examples of the various neurological disorders can include pain, muscle spasticity, hyperhidrosis, vertigo, sialorrhea, or the like. The methods can include placing an electrode contact in electrical communication with a nerve that transmits a signal related to the neurological disorder. The method also includes applying an ENCB to the nerve through the electrode contact. The electrode contact can include a high charge capacity material that prevents formation of damaging electrochemical reaction products at a charge delivered by the ENCB. The method also includes blocking transmission of the signal related to the neurological disorder through the nerve with the ENCB to treat the neurological disorder.