Circuits and Methods for Using a High Impedance, Thin, Coin-Cell Type Battery in an Implantable Electroacupuncture Device

摘要

An implantable electroacupuncture device (IEAD) treats a specified medical condition of a patient through application of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation pulses applied substantially at or near a specified acupoint, its underlying nerves, or other target tissue location. The IEAD includes an IEAD housing having an electrode configuration thereon that includes at least two electrodes, and pulse generation circuitry located within the IEAD housing and electrically coupled to the at least two electrodes. The pulse generation circuitry is adapted to deliver stimulation pulses to the patient's body tissue at or near the target tissue location in accordance with a specified stimulation regimen, the stimulation regimen requiring that the stimulation session have a duration of T3 minutes and a rate of occurrence of once every T4 minutes, and wherein a ratio of T3/T4 is no greater than 0.05.

主权项

1. An Implantable ElectroAcupuncture Device (IEAD) for treating a specified medical condition of a patient through application of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation pulses applied substantially at or near a specified acupoint, its underlying nerves, or other target tissue location, comprising:
an IEAD housing having an electrode configuration thereon that includes at least two electrodes, wherein at least one of the at least two electrodes comprises a central electrode located substantially in the center of a first surface of the IEAD housing, and wherein at least another of the at least two electrodes comprises a circumferential electrode located substantially around and at least 5 mm distant from the center of the central electrode, wherein the first surface of the IEAD housing when implanted is adapted to face inwardly into the patient's tissue at or near the specified target tissue location; and pulse generation circuitry located within the IEAD housing and electrically coupled to the at least two electrodes, wherein the pulse generation circuitry is adapted to deliver stimulation pulses to the patient's body tissue at or near the target tissue location in accordance with a specified stimulation regimen, the stimulation regimen defining the duration and rate at which a stimulation session is applied to the patient, the stimulation regimen requiring that the stimulation session have a duration of T3 minutes and a rate of occurrence of once every T4 minutes, wherein the ratio of T3/T4 is no greater than 0.05.