Spinal Cord Stimulation Body Maps for Electrode Targeting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Determining optimal stimulation parameters and locations for spinal cord stimulation therapy is laborious and inefficient due to the lack of reliable guidance in existing systems, requiring clinicians to test multiple locations without effective methods to predict the most effective electrode configurations.

Innovation Solution

An external system with a user interface and control circuitry that utilizes body maps, translation algorithms, and selection elements to determine mediolateral and dermatomal locations for precise electrode array stimulation, allowing for automated determination of therapeutic locations based on patient feedback and symptom correlation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If clinicians manually test multiple electrode locations to determine optimal stimulation parameters, then they can identify effective treatment configurations, but the process becomes laborious and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of stimulation parameter determinationVSAvoidprogramming time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically determining mediolateral and dermatomal locations based on patient feedback before final stimulation parameter optimization. The body map interface and translation algorithms pre-process patient responses to predict effective electrode configurations, reducing the need for extensive manual trial-and-error testing during the programming session.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of body maps, translation algorithms, and automated location determination tools that mediate between patient feedback and optimal stimulation parameter selection. This intermediary process translates subjective patient responses into objective mediolateral and dermatomal location data, facilitating more efficient parameter optimization without requiring clinicians to manually test every possible configuration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If clinicians use traditional trial-and-error methods to program stimulation, then they can find effective parameters, but the process lacks reliable guidance and requires testing multiple locations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffectiveness of stimulation parameter determinationVSAvoidcomplexity of programming process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements structured feedback mechanisms where patient responses to test stimulations are captured through the body map interface and fed into translation algorithms. This feedback loop continuously refines the determination of mediolateral and dermatomal locations, providing reliable guidance for parameter optimization while maintaining a manageable programming process through systematic rather than random testing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical trial-and-error approach with an automated computational system. Translation algorithms and body map technologies substitute for manual clinician judgment and physical electrode testing, automatically calculating optimal mediolateral and dermatomal locations based on patient feedback patterns, thereby reducing the complexity of the programming process while improving reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If no automated location determination system is used, then the programming process remains simple, but efficient and accurate placement of spinal cord stimulation cannot be achieved

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveefficiency of stimulation parameter programmingVSAvoidcomplexity of programming system

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system enables a form of self-service where the programming process automatically determines optimal electrode locations based on patient feedback without requiring extensive clinician intervention. The translation algorithms and body map interface allow the system to self-calculate mediolateral and dermatomal locations, improving programming efficiency while keeping the user interface relatively simple and intuitive for clinicians to operate.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20260007898A1Body Maps for Spinal Cord Stimulation Targeting

Publication Date: 2026.01.08 BOSTON SCI NEUROMODULATION CORP

AI summary

Methods and systems for determining an optimal stimulation location in an electrode array of a neurostimulator are disclosed. An external system such as a clinician programmer includes a targeting algorithm implemented as part of a graphical user interface. The disclosure describes a user interface providing body maps for inputting pain/paresthesia locations based on intuitive body locations. Information from the body maps may be translated to a physiological or anatomical reference frame to provide information that can be used by the targeting algorithm for determining stimulation parameters that are likely to be therapeutic for the patient.