Systems and methods to place one or more leads in muscle for providing electrical stimulation to treat pain

Abstract

Systems and methods are adapted to provide the relief of pain. The systems and methods make possible the percutaneous placement of one or more intramuscular leads, without the need for fluoroscopy, for providing electrical stimulation to activate a motor point innervating the muscle, to provide the therapeutic relief of pain. The one or more intramuscular leads may be placed in muscle(s) to resist migration. The target nerves and their motor points innervate the muscles in which the one or more leads are placed. The systems and methods can include a two-stage solution. The first stage may include temporary systems and methods, including the use of an external pulse generator. The second stage may include more permanent systems and methods, including the use of an implanted pulse generator.

Having thus described the invention, I claim: 
     
         1 . A method to reduce and/or relieve pain comprising:
 percutaneously placing an intramuscular lead into a muscle in a region where pain is felt, such that the lead is in electrical proximity, but not touching, a motor point within the muscle, and   electrically stimulating the motor point within the muscle where the lead is placed to reduce and/or relieve the pain in the region where the pain is felt.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1 :
 wherein the intramuscular lead includes at least one anchoring member to anchor the lead in the muscle.   
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1 :
 wherein electrically stimulating the motor point reduces and/or relieves the pain without any functional movement or response.   
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1 :
 wherein the region where the pain is felt comprises the muscle where the intramuscular lead is placed.   
     
     
         5 . A system for providing therapeutic electrical stimulation to a muscle region where pain is felt to reduce the perception of pain in a muscle region, the system comprising:
 an intramuscular lead having at least one electrode, the lead and electrode adapted to be placed between motor points of at least two muscles, and   a pulse generator adapted to provide the therapeutic electrical stimulation to the lead and electrode to therapeutically stimulate the motor points of the at least two muscles to reduce the perception of pain in the muscle region.   
     
     
         6 . A system according to  claim 5 :
 wherein the intramuscular lead includes at least one anchoring member to anchor the lead in the muscle.   
     
     
         7 . A system according to  claim 5 :
 wherein the muscle region where pain is felt comprises the at least two muscle where the intramuscular lead is placed.   
     
     
         8 . A system for providing therapeutic electrical stimulation to a region of pain to reduce the perception of pain, the system comprising:
 an intramuscular lead having at least one electrode, the lead and electrode adapted to be placed in electrical proximity but not touching a motor point of a muscle, and   a pulse generator adapted to provide the therapeutic electrical stimulation to the lead and electrode to therapeutically stimulate the motor point of the muscle to reduce the perception of pain in the region of pain.   
     
     
         9 . A system according to  claim 8 :
 wherein the intramuscular lead includes at least one anchoring member to anchor the lead in the muscle.   
     
     
         10 . A system according to  claim 8 :
 wherein the therapeutic electrical stimulation is adapted to provide a therapeutic stimulation function, the therapeutic stimulation function including a function selected from a group comprising the treatment of (i) shoulder pain, (ii) arm pain, (iii) calf pain, (iv) leg pain, (v) neck pain, (vi) head pain, and (vii) back pain.   
     
     
         11 . A method of reducing the perception of pain in a muscle region, the method comprising:
 placing an intramuscular lead in muscle near but not touching a motor point of the muscle,   providing therapeutic electrical stimulation via the intramuscular lead to the motor point of the muscle,   activating the motor point of the muscle with the therapeutic electrical stimulation, and   causing the reduction of the perception of pain in the muscle region where the lead is placed.   
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 11 :
 wherein the intramuscular lead is placed percutaneously via an introducer.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 :
 wherein therapeutic electrical stimulation may be applied to target motor points in muscles, the muscles comprising the posterior, anterior, and/or middle deltoid, trapezius, erector spinae, gastrocnemius, occipitailis, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, iliotibial band, biceps femoris, adductor magnus, semitendinosus, gracilis, semimembranosus, sartorius, pectineus, adductor longus, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, and rectus femoris.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 11 :
 wherein the muscle region where the pain is perceived comprises the muscle where the intramuscular lead is placed.