Patent EA-004166-B1 (EA)
Title: Augmentation of muscle contractility by biphasic stimulation
IPC: A61N1/02
Filed: 1999-05-21
Abstract: 1. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase amplitude being ramped from a baseline value to a second value, serves for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 2. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase amplitude is ramped from a baseline value to a second value serves for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that corresponds in absolute value to the second value of the first phase amplitude; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 3. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, first stimulation phase further comprising a series of stimulating pulses of a predetermined amplitude, polarity, and duration and serving for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 4. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, first phase polarity being positive and has a maximum subthreshold amplitude of about 0.5 to 3.5 volts and serving for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 5. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase duration being about two to nine milliseconds and serving for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, the first phase duration is at least as long as the second phase duration; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 6. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase serving for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, the second phase duration being about 0.3 to 0.8 millisecond; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 7. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase serves for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, being about two volts to twenty volts; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 8. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase serves for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude is greater than twenty volts, that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, the second phase duration is less than 0.3 milliseconds; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue. 9. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first phase serves for preconditioning the muscle tissue to accept subsequent stimulation, and the second stimulation phase has a polarity opposite to the first phase polarity, a second phase amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue directly or through skin. 10. An apparatus for stimulating muscle tissue, selected from the group consisting of striated muscle, smooth muscle and mixed muscle, by means of biphasic waveforms, comprising pulse generation electronics that generates a pulse, the first stimulation phase has a positive polarity, amplitude is about 0.5 to 3.5 volts, and the first phase duration is about two to nine milliseconds; and the second stimulation phase has a negative polarity, amplitude that is larger in absolute value than the first phase amplitude, where the second phase amplitude is about three volts to twenty volts, and the second phase duration is about 0.3 to 0.8 millisecond; and leads connected to the pulse generation electronics and being adapted to apply the first stimulation phase and the second stimulation phase in sequence to the muscle tissue directly or through skin.