System and method for treatment of pain related to limb joint replacement surgery

摘要

It has been discovered that pain 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. A method has been developed to reduce pain in a painful region following limb joint replacement by 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 total knee arthroplasty surgery or other limb joint replacement surgeries.

主权项

1. A system to alleviate pain following a limb joint replacement surgery, the system comprising:
at least one electrode inserted within a therapeutically effective distance from at least one nerve, wherein the at least one electrode is outside of a region of pain expected from the limb joint replacement surgery; an electrical stimulation device operatively coupled with the electrode, the electrical stimulation device applying electrical stimulation through the at least one electrode to affect the at least one nerve innervating the region of pain expected from the limb joint replacement surgery in advance of the limb joint replacement surgery; and wherein the electrical stimulation causes an area of paresthesia and the area of paresthesia is compared with the region of pain expected from the joint replacement surgery.