Patent ID: 7337004

Claim:
A method of reducing chronic pain in animals by radio frequency (RF) neuromodulation of peripheral nerves of the animal, comprising the steps of: placing an active and a dispersive percutaneous probe at respective active and dispersive locations against a peripheral nerve of the animal associated with the pain to be reduced; generating a first pulsed RF signal configured according to a first protocol for coupling to the active and dispersive probes via conductive leads to verify the location of the peripheral nerve; and generating a second pulsed RF signal configured according to a second protocol for coupling to the active and dispersive probes via the conductive leads after the first pulsed RF signal is withdrawn, to modify propagation of pain sensation in the peripheral nerve without ablation thereof; wherein at least the active percutaneous probe includes an RF cannula having an elongated conductive spatulate blade conformably attached to a dorsal side of a curved, blunt-ended tubular tip portion of the RF cannula.