Patents by Inventor Warren M. Grill

Warren M. Grill has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9555245
    Abstract: It has been discovered that pain felt in a given region of the body can be treated by stimulating a peripheral nerve at a therapeutically effective distance from the region where pain is felt to generate a comfortable sensation (i.e., paresthesia) overlapping the regions of pain. A method has been developed to reduce pain in a painful region following limb joint replacement by stimulating a peripheral nerve innervating the painful region with an electrode inserted into tissue and spaced from the peripheral nerve. This method may be used to help alleviate postoperative pain in patients following total knee arthroplasty surgery or other limb joint replacement surgeries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: SPR THERAPEUTICS, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph W. Boggs, II, Maria E. Bennett, Amorn Wongsarnpigoon, John Chae, Warren M. Grill, Kathryn Stager, Rosemary Zang
  • Patent number: 9446245
    Abstract: Systems and methods selectively stimulate components of the pudendal nerve away from the sacral root to evoke desired physiologic responses in persons who lack the ability to otherwise produce these responses—e.g., maintain continence and/or produce micturition, and/or provide male/female sexuality responses, and/or provide bowel responses. The systems and methods use a multiple electrode array, or individual electrodes, placed on, in, or near the pudendal nerve. The electrode array, or individual electrodes, in association with a pulse generator, provide selective stimulation of individual fascicles within the pudendal nerve, to achieve different physiologic responses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: Case Western Reserve University
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Kenneth J. Gustafson, Graham H. Creasey
  • Publication number: 20160206884
    Abstract: Systems and methods selectively stimulate components of the pudendal nerve away from the sacral root to evoke desired physiologic responses in persona who lack the ability to otherwise produce these responses—e.g., maintain continence and/or produce micturition, and/or provide male/female sexuality responses, and/or provide bowel responses. The systems and methods use a multiple electrode array, or individual electrodes, placed on, in, or near the pudendal nerve. The electrode array, or individual electrodes, in association with a pulse generator, provide selective stimulation of individual fascicles within the pudendal nerve, to achieve different physiologic responses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Publication date: July 21, 2016
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Kenneth J. Gustafson, Graham H. Creasey
  • Publication number: 20160158555
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2016
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, JR., Alan D. Dorval, II
  • Publication number: 20160144182
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for the treatment of pain through activation of select neural fibers. The neural fibers may comprise one or more afferent neural fibers and/or one or more efferent neural fibers. If afferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with efferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate afferent pathways in a manner approximating natural afferent activity. The afferent fibers may be associated with primary receptors of muscle spindles, golgi tendon organs, secondary receptors of muscle spindles, joint receptors, touch receptors, and other types of mechanoreceptors and/or proprioceptors. If efferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with afferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate intrafusal and/or extrafusal muscle fibers, which results in an indirect activation of afferent fibers associated therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Maria E. Bennett, Joseph W. Boggs, II, Warren M. Grill, John Chae
  • Publication number: 20160136431
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2016
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: WARREN M. GRILL, DAVID T. BROCKER
  • Publication number: 20160129258
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue apply a stimulation waveform that is derived by a developed genetic algorithm (GA), which may be coupled to a computational model of extracellular stimulation of a mammalian myelinated axon. The waveform is optimized for energy efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: May 12, 2016
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Amorn Wongsarnpigoon
  • Patent number: 9259579
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Alan D. Dorval, II
  • Publication number: 20160038740
    Abstract: Systems and methods for administering spinal cord stimulation (SCS) based on temporal patterns of electrical stimulation are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes using a computational model of a wide-dynamic range (WDR) neuron to determine one or more non-regular temporal patterns that results in predetermined WDR neuronal output and stimulation activity for one of efficacy optimization and efficiency optimization. The method also includes administering to a subject spinal cord stimulation based on the determined one or more of the non-regular temporal patterns.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Tianhe Zhang
  • Patent number: 9248289
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for the treatment of pain through activation of select neural fibers. The neural fibers may comprise one or more afferent neural fibers and/or one or more efferent neural fibers. If afferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with efferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate afferent pathways in a manner approximating natural afferent activity. The afferent fibers may be associated with primary receptors of muscle spindles, golgi tendon organs, secondary receptors of muscle spindles, joint receptors, touch receptors, and other types of mechanoreceptors and/or proprioceptors. If efferent fibers are stimulated, alone or in combination with afferent fibers, a therapeutically effective amount of electrical stimulation is applied to activate intrafusal and/or extrafusal muscle fibers, which results in an indirect activation of afferent fibers associated therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2016
    Assignee: SPR Therapeutics, LLC
    Inventors: Maria E. Bennett, Joseph W. Boggs, II, Warren M. Grill, John Chae
  • Publication number: 20160022993
    Abstract: Systems and methods for applying electrical stimulation to different sub-populations of targeted neurological tissue for optimizing spinal cord stimulation are disclosed. According to an aspect, a method includes applying a first pattern of electrical stimulation to a first sub-population of targeted neurological tissue of a subject. The method also includes applying a second pattern of electrical stimulation to a second sub-population of targeted neurological tissue of the subject, the second pattern of electrical stimulation being applied at a different frequency than the first pattern of electrical stimulation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Publication date: January 28, 2016
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Tianhe Zhang
  • Patent number: 9242095
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2016
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Jr., David T. Brocker
  • Publication number: 20150251007
    Abstract: One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Paul B. Yoo, Warren M. Grill, Juan Gabriel Hincapie Ordonez
  • Patent number: 9089708
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue apply a stimulation waveform that is derived by a developed genetic algorithm (GA), which may be coupled to a computational model of extracellular stimulation of a mammalian myelinated axon. The waveform is optimized for energy efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: NDI Medical, LLC
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, Amorn Wongsarnpigoon
  • Publication number: 20150174408
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2014
    Publication date: June 25, 2015
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, JR., David T. Brocker
  • Patent number: 9042981
    Abstract: One or more temporal stimulation parameters of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) are selected to substantially modulate one or more target physiological functions without substantially modulating one or more non-target physiological functions. In one embodiment, a stimulation duty cycle is selected such that VNS is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve trunk to modulate a cardiovascular function without causing laryngeal muscle contractions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignees: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc., Duke University
    Inventors: Paul B. Yoo, Warren M. Grill, Juan Gabriel Hincapie Ordonez
  • Publication number: 20150127066
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, JR., Alan D. Dorval, II, Robert Strother
  • Publication number: 20150073496
    Abstract: It has been discovered that pain felt in a given region of the body can be treated by stimulating a peripheral nerve at a therapeutically effective distance from the region where pain is felt to generate a comfortable sensation (i.e., paresthesia) overlapping the regions of pain. A method has been developed to reduce pain in a painful region following limb joint replacement by stimulating a peripheral nerve innervating the painful region with an electrode inserted into tissue and spaced from the peripheral nerve. This method may be used to help alleviate postoperative pain in patients following total knee arthroplasty surgery or other limb joint replacement surgeries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Joseph W. Boggs, II, Maria E. Bennett, Amorn Wongsarnpigoon, John Chae, Warren M. Grill, Kathryn Stager, Rosemary Zang
  • Publication number: 20150073495
    Abstract: Systems and methods for stimulation of neurological tissue generate stimulation trains with temporal patterns of stimulation, in which the interval between electrical pulses (the inter-pulse intervals) changes or varies over time. Compared to conventional continuous, high rate pulse trains having regular (i.e., constant) inter-pulse intervals, the non-regular (i.e., not constant) pulse patterns or trains that embody features of the invention provide a lower average frequency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Warren M. Grill, JR., Alan D. Dorval, II
  • Patent number: RE45718
    Abstract: Systems and methods for blocking nerve impulses use an implanted electrode located on or around a nerve. A specific waveform is used that causes the nerve membrane to become incapable of transmitting an action potential. The membrane is only affected underneath the electrode, and the effect is immediately and completely reversible. The waveform has a low amplitude and can be charge balanced, with a high likelihood of being safe to the nerve for chronic conditions. It is possible to selectively block larger (motor) nerve fibers within a mixed nerve, while allowing sensory information to travel through unaffected nerve fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: BOSTON SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kevin L. Kilgore, Warren M. Grill, Cameron C. McIntyre, John T. Mortimer