Systems and methods for identifying and treating patients with high-frequency electrical signals

Abstract

Systems and methods for identifying and treating patients with high frequency electrical signals. A representative method for identifying a patient as a candidate for pain treatment includes identifying a first sensory threshold, delivering an electrical signal to a neural population of the patient at a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz and, while and/or after delivering the electrical signal to the patient, identifying a second sensory threshold of the patient. If the second sensory threshold is less than the first, the method can include identifying the patient as a candidate for receiving an electrical signal at a frequency in the foregoing range for pain treatment.

1 - 28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . A method of treating a patient having a loss of sensation, comprising:
 programming a signal generator to deliver, via at least one implanted signal delivery element, an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range of 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord to at least partially restore the lost sensation.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the lost sensation includes loss of response to at least one of the following stimuli: pin prick, pressure, heat, cold, electrical test pulse. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the frequency range is 1.5 kHz to 50 kHz. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the frequency is 10 kHz. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 29  wherein a pulse width of the electrical therapy signal is in a pulse width range of 10 microseconds to 333 microseconds. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 29  wherein an amplitude of the electrical therapy signal is in an amplitude range of 0.5 mA to 10 mA. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the electrical therapy signal is directed at a duty cycle in a duty cycle range from 10% to 100%. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the at least one implanted signal delivery element is positioned at a vertebral level from T8 to T12. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 29  wherein the at least one signal delivery element includes at least one electrical contact implanted in the patient's epidural space. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 29  wherein programming a signal generator includes programming an implanted signal generator. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 29  wherein programming a signal generator includes programming an external signal generator. 
     
     
         41 . A method for treating a patient, comprising:
 in response to the patient having sensation loss, programming a signal generator to deliver, via at least one implanted signal delivery element, an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, wherein the electrical therapy signal at least partially restores the patient sensation that was lost.   
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the sensation loss includes loss of response to at least one of the following stimuli: pin prick, pressure, heat, cold, electrical test pulse. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz. 
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 41  wherein the at least one implanted signal delivery element is positioned at a vertebral level from T8 to T12. 
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 41  wherein programming a signal generator includes programming an implanted signal generator. 
     
     
         46 . A method for treating a patient identified as having sensation loss, comprising:
 based at least in part on the identification of the patient having sensation loss, programming a signal generator to deliver, via at least one implanted signal delivery element, an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz, and wherein the electrical therapy signal at least partially restores the patient sensation that was lost.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the sensation loss includes loss of response to at least one of the following stimuli: pin prick, pressure, heat, cold, electrical test pulse. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the frequency range is 3 kHz to 20 kHz. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 46  wherein the at least one implanted signal delivery element is positioned at a vertebral level from T8 to T12. 
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 46  wherein programming a signal generator includes programming an implanted signal generator. 
     
     
         51 . A method for at least partially restoring sensation loss in a patient, comprising:
 directing an electrical therapy signal having a frequency in a frequency range from 1.5 kHz to 100 kHz to the patient's spinal cord region via an implanted signal delivery element to at least partially restore the sensation that was lost.   
     
     
         52 . The method of  claim 51  wherein directing the electrical therapy signal includes directing the electrical therapy signal based at least in part on an identification of the patient having sensation loss. 
     
     
         53 . The method of  claim 51  wherein directing the electrical therapy signal includes directing the electrical therapy signal in response to the patient having sensation loss.