Implantable Electroacupuncture Device and Method

Abstract

An electroacupuncture device includes 1) a housing configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient at an acupoint within the patient, 2) a central electrode centrally located on a first surface of the housing, 3) an annular electrode that surrounds the central electrode on the first surface of the housing, the annular electrode being spaced apart from the central electrode, and 4) pulse generation circuitry located within the housing, wherein the pulse generation circuitry generates stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05 and applies the stimulation sessions at the acupoint by way of the central electrode and the annular electrode in accordance with the duty cycle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An electroacupuncture device for treating a medical condition of a patient, comprising:
 a housing configured to be implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient at an acupoint within the patient;   a central electrode of a first polarity and centrally located on a first surface of the housing;   an annular electrode of a second polarity and that surrounds the central electrode on the first surface of the housing, the annular electrode being spaced apart from the central electrode; and   pulse generation circuitry located within the housing and electrically coupled to the annular and central electrodes, wherein the pulse generation circuitry
 generates stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, and 
 applies the stimulation sessions at the acupoint by way of the central electrode and the annular electrode in accordance with the duty cycle, 
 wherein
 each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions comprises a series of stimulation pulses, 
 the duty cycle is a ratio of T 3  to T 4 , and 
 each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions has a duration of T 3  minutes and occurs at a rate of once every T 4  minutes. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein the acupoint comprises at least one of acupoints BL14, BL23, BL52, EXHN1, EXHN3, GB34, GV4, GV20, HT5, HT7, KI6, LI4, LI11, LR3, LR8, LU2, LU7, PC5, PC6, PC7, SP4, SP6, SP9, ST36, ST37, and ST40. 
     
     
         3 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein the medical condition comprises at least one of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obesity, dyslipidemia, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and erectile dysfunction. 
     
     
         4 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein T 3  is at least 10 minutes and less than 60 minutes, and wherein T 4  is at least 1440 minutes. 
     
     
         5 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a sensor that receives, from a device external to the electroacupuncture device, a control command configured to control the electroacupuncture device.   
     
     
         6 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 5 , wherein:
 the control command sets the times T 3  and T 4  to appropriate values configured to treat the medical condition; and   the pulse generation circuitry generates the stimulation sessions in accordance with the control command.   
     
     
         7 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is coin-sized and coin-shaped. 
     
     
         8 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein the annular electrode is located on the first surface of the housing. 
     
     
         9 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , wherein the annular electrode comprises a ring electrode located around a perimeter edge of the housing. 
     
     
         10 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 1 , further comprising a primary battery contained within the housing and that provides operating power for the pulse generation circuitry, the primary battery having a nominal output voltage of 3 volts and an internal impedance greater than 5 ohms. 
     
     
         11 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 10 , wherein the pulse generation circuitry comprises:
 a boost converter circuit that boosts the nominal voltage of the primary battery to an output voltage VOUT that is at least three times the nominal battery voltage;   a control circuit for selectively turning the boost converter circuit OFF and ON to limit the amount of current that is drawn from the primary battery; and   an output circuit powered by VOUT and that generates the stimulation pulses.   
     
     
         12 . The electroacupuncture device of  claim 11 , wherein the pulse generation circuitry further is configured to create a reverse trapezoidal stimulation pulse waveshape for the stimulation pulses. 
     
     
         13 . A method of treating a medical condition of a patient, comprising:
 generating, by an electroacupuncture device implanted beneath a skin surface of the patient at an acupoint within the patient, stimulation sessions at a duty cycle that is less than 0.05, wherein
 each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions comprises a series of stimulation pulses, 
 the duty cycle is a ratio of T 3  to T 4 , 
 each stimulation session included in the stimulation sessions has a duration of T 3  minutes and occurs at a rate of once every T 4  minutes, and 
 the electroacupuncture device comprises a central electrode of a first polarity centrally located on a first surface of a housing of the electroacupuncture device and an annular electrode of a second polarity and that is spaced apart from the central electrode; and 
   applying, by the electroacupuncture device, the stimulation sessions at the acupoint by way of the central electrode and the annular electrode in accordance with the duty cycle.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the acupoint comprises at least one of acupoints BL14, BL23, BL52, EXHN1, EXHN3, GB34, GV4, GV20, HT5, HT7, KI6, LI4, LI11, LR3, LR8, LU2, LU7, PC5, PC6, PC7, SP4, SP6, SP9, ST36, ST37, and ST40. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the medical condition comprises at least one of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, obesity, dyslipidemia, Parkinson's disease, essential tremor, and erectile dysfunction. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising receiving, by the electroacupuncture device from a device external to the electroacupuncture device, a control command configured to control the electroacupuncture device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein:
 the control command sets the times T 3  and T 4  to appropriate values configured to treat the medical condition; and   the generating of the stimulation sessions is performed in accordance with the control command.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the housing is coin-sized and coin-shaped. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the annular electrode is located on the first surface of the housing. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the annular electrode comprises a ring electrode located around a perimeter edge of the housing.