Renewable Electrode Nerve Block for Sustained Pain Signal Suppression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pain management technologies, such as spinal cord stimulation, indirectly reduce pain by stimulating non-nociceptive fibers, which is not complete and can cause uncomfortable side effects like paresthesia, and do not directly block pain signals, making it desirable to develop systems that can directly block pain fibers.
Innovation Solution
The development of an electron-to-ion current conversion cell (EICCC) system that uses electrodes, such as silver-silver chloride, to generate ion current for modulating nerve membrane potential, achieving acute or chronic nerve block by delivering direct current, thereby directly blocking pain signals without stimulating the nerve.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If spinal cord stimulation is used to indirectly reduce pain by stimulating non-nociceptive fibers, then pain management is achieved, but pain transmission inhibition is incomplete and side effects such as paresthesia occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and isolates the nociceptive pain transmitting fibers for selective targeting. By using high-frequency stimulation specifically directed at pain-carrying fibers rather than general non-nociceptive fibers, the system selectively blocks pain transmission without activating the pathways that cause paresthesia, thus separating the therapeutic effect from the harmful side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies different stimulation qualities to different fiber types. High-frequency stimulation is specifically applied to nociceptive fibers to block pain transmission, while non-nociceptive fibers are either not stimulated or stimulated with different parameters. This localized differentiation of stimulation quality achieves complete pain inhibition without triggering paresthesia.
2Reliability
If direct current is delivered to block nerve conduction, then complete pain signal block is achieved, but prolonged current delivery may cause tissue damage
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses periodic alternation between cathodic and anodic current phases. During the cathodic phase, direct current blocks nerve conduction to inhibit pain signals. During the anodic phase, the current polarity reverses, allowing nerve recovery and preventing cumulative depolarization damage. This periodic action maintains effective pain block while preventing tissue damage from continuous current delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates recovery phases where the nerve is allowed to reset during anodic current delivery or inter-stimulus intervals. This discarding of the blocked state temporarily allows physiological recovery, preventing tissue damage while maintaining overall pain inhibition through repeated cycling of block and recovery phases.
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
This approach effectively blocks pain signals, reducing discomfort and side effects, and can be used for various conditions including pain management, movement disorders, and cardiovascular health by maintaining nerve suppression even after current cessation, providing prolonged pain relief.
Implementation Method 1
an electrode at which an electrochemical process occurs to generate current in the form of ions to change the electrical potential around the nerve and modulate the nerve membrane potential
Implementation Method 2
an electrode at which a capacitive charging process occurs to generate current in the form of ions to change the charge density around the nerve and modulate the nerve membrane potential
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein are systems and methods for nerve conduction block. The systems and methods can utilize at least one renewable electrode. The methods can include delivering a first direct current with a first polarity to an electrode proximate nervous tissue sufficient to block conduction in the nervous tissue. Delivering the first direct current can place the nervous tissue in a hypersuppressed state at least partially preventing conduction of the nervous tissue after cessation of delivering of the first direct current. The nervous tissue can be maintained in the hypersuppressed state for a desired period, such as at least about 1 minute.