Spinal cord stimulation lead with an anode guard

Abstract

The present invention relates to an epidural stimulation lead having at least one electrode that substantially encircles another electrode. Operatively, the encircling electrode can be set as an anode and the encircled electrode can be set as a cathode to generate an electrical field therebetween. The encircling electrode functions in this capacity as an anode guard, which among other things, concentrates the electrical field about the designated cathode and limits the lateral range of a generated electrical field.

1 . A stimulation load comprising: 
 a body having a first surface;    a plurality of terminals;    a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and    a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode,    wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and    wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.    
     
     
         2 . A stimulation lead in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode array, which includes the first electrode, and the second electrode substantially encircles the first electrode array.  
     
     
         3 . A stimulation lead in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the first electrode array comprises a plurality of electrodes arranged in at least two columns.  
     
     
         4 . A stimulation lead comprising: 
 a plurality of terminals;    a plurality of electrodes forming at least two electrode arrays; and    a plurality of conductors,    wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode,    wherein a first electrode array of the at least two electrode arrays includes at least a first electrode and a second electrode, and the first electrode substantially circumscribes at least the second electrode.    
     
     
         5 . A stimulation lead in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein the first electrode of the first electrode array substantially circumscribes a plurality of electrodes, such plurality of electrodes including the second electrode.  
     
     
         6 . A stimulation lead in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein a second electrode array of the at least two electrode arrays includes at least a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and the third electrode substantially circumscribes at least the fourth electrode.  
     
     
         7 . A stimulation lead in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the third electrode of the second electrode array substantially circumscribes a plurality of electrodes, such plurality of electrodes including the fourth electrode.  
     
     
         8 - 11 . Canceled.  
     
     
         12 . A stimulation lead comprising: 
 a plurality of terminals;    a plurality of electrodes; and    a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode,    wherein the plurality of electrodes includes first electrode and a second electrode, and    wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.    
     
     
         13 . A method of placing a stimulation lead in a human patient, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a stimulation lead, the stimulation lead having: 
 a body;  
 a plurality of terminals;  
 a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and  
 a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode;  
   surgically accessing a site proximate to a desired stimulation lead placement site in the patient; and placing the stimulation lead at the desired stimulation lead placement site,    wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and    wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.    
     
     
         14 . A method of placing a stimulation lead in a human patient, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a stimulation lead the stimulation lead having: 
 a body;  
 a plurality of terminals;  
 a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and  
 a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode;  
   percutaneously accessing a site proximate to a desired stimulation lead placement site in the patient; and    placing the stimulation lead at the desired stimulation lead placement site,    wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and    wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.    
     
     
         15 . An epidural stimulation lead operable to provide a stimulation pattern from an applied electric field comprising: 
 a body having a first surface;    a plurality of terminals;    a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and    a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode, wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode, forming an anode guard, and wherein said second electrode is coupled to an energy source that provides a positive polarity to said second electrode relative to said first electrode.    
     
     
         16 . The epidural stimulation lead of  claim 15 , wherein the first electrode comprises an array of electrodes substantially encircled by the second electrode.  
     
     
         17 . The epidural stimulation lead of  claim 16 , wherein the array of electrodes comprises said first electrode comprising at least two columns of electrodes.  
     
     
         18 . The epidural stimulation lead of  claim 16  wherein said second electrode comprises an array of electrodes that substantially encircle said first electrode.  
     
     
         19 . A method of providing a stimulation pattern from an applied electric field with an epidural stimulation lead comprising the steps of: 
 coupling a plurality of terminals of said lead to an energy source wherein said lead further comprises: 
 a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode; and  
 a plurality of electrodes forming at least two electrode arrays, wherein a first electrode array of the at least two electrode arrays includes at least a first electrode and a second electrode; positively biasing said first electrode relative to said second electrode, wherein said first electrode substantially circumscribes said second electrode.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the first electrode of the first electrode array substantially circumscribes a plurality of electrodes, such plurality of electrodes including the second electrode.  
     
     
         21 . The epidural stimulation lead of  claim 19 , wherein a second electrode array of the at least two electrode arrays includes at least a third electrode and a fourth electrode, and the third electrode substantially circumscribes at least the fourth electrode.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the third electrode of the second electrode array substantially circumscribes a plurality of electrodes, such plurality of electrodes including the fourth electrode.  
     
     
         23 . An epidural stimulation lead operable to provide patterned stimulation from an electric field comprising: 
 a plurality of terminals coupled to an energy source;    a plurality of electrodes;    a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode,    wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode that substantially encircles said first electrode forming an anode guard.    
     
     
         24 . A method of placing a stimulation lead in a human patient, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a stimulation lead, the stimulation lead having: 
 a body;  
 a plurality of terminals;  
 a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and  
 a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode;  
 surgically accessing a site proximate to a desired stimulation lead placement site in the patient; and  
 placing the stimulation lead at the desired stimulation lead placement site, 
 wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and  
 wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.  
 
   
     
     
         25 . A method of providing a stimulation pattern from an applied electric field, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an epidural stimulation lead, the stimulation lead further comprising: 
 a body;  
 a plurality of terminals;  
 a plurality of electrodes positioned relative to the first surface of the body; and  
 a plurality of conductors, wherein a conductor electrically couples one terminal of the plurality of terminals with at least one electrode;  
   percutaneously accessing a site proximate to a desired stimulation lead placement site in the patient;    placing the stimulation lead at the desired stimulation lead placement site, wherein the plurality of electrodes includes a first electrode and a second electrode, and    coupling said epidural stimulation lead to an energy source wherein said energy source provides a positive voltage to said second electrode relative to said first electrode, wherein the second electrode substantially encircles at least the first electrode.