System and method for closed-loop neural stimulation

• US 10,029,099 B2
• Filed: 03/11/2013
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Libbus, Imad, Kramer, Andrew P., Moffitt, Julia
• Primary Examiner(s): Alter, Alyssa M
• Application Number:
  US13/792,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20130190837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,961 Days
• Field of Search: 607 44, 607 48, 607116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36117 for treating hypertension
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency

Abstract

Various aspects of the present subject matter provide a device. In various embodiments, the device comprises a port adapted to connect a lead, a pulse generator connected to the port and adapted to provide a neural stimulation signal to the lead, and a signal processing module connected to the port and adapted to receive and process a nerve traffic signal from the lead into a signal indicative of the nerve traffic. The device includes a controller connected to the pulse generator and the signal processing module. The controller is adapted to implement a stimulation protocol to provide the neural stimulation signal with desired neural stimulation parameters based on the signal indicative of the nerve traffic. Other aspects are provided herein.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

delivering a neural stimulation therapy to a neural target in an autonomic nervous system;

sensing a reflex response to the neural stimulation therapy, including sensing a nerve traffic signal from the autonomic nervous system, and processing the sensed nerve traffic signal into a signal indicative of the reflex response to the neural stimulation therapy; and

adjusting the neural stimulation therapy based on the at least one feature of the nerve traffic signal to cause the neural stimulation therapy to elicit a desired reflex neural response to the neural stimulation therapy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal at a site within the autonomic nervous system; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal to the site.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal at a site within the autonomic nervous system; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal to another site within the autonomic nervous system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the nerve traffic signal is a response by the central nervous system to the applied neural stimulation.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal at an afferent nerve site; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal to an efferent nerve site.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal from a first neural pathway; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal to a second neural pathway.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal using a first lead; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal using the first lead.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein:

sensing the nerve traffic signal includes sensing the nerve traffic signal using a first lead; and

delivering neural stimulation therapy includes delivering a neural stimulation signal using as second lead.