Nerve stimulation methods for averting imminent onset or episode of a disease
First Claim
1. A method of averting an onset of an acute medical event in a patient, the method comprising:
- sensing a signal by a sensor, wherein the signal is at least one of physiological or environmental, wherein the signal is at least one of within, on, or about the patient, wherein the signal comprises a value;
forecasting the onset of the acute medical event based at least in part on the value;
positioning a portion of a housing in contact with a skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein the portion of the housing comprises a contact surface and the housing comprises an electrical impulse generator;
generating an electrical impulse within the housing; and
transmitting, based at least in part on the forecasting, the electrical impulse from the housing via the contact surface transcutaneously and non-invasively through the skin surface of the neck of the patient to a vagus nerve in the patient to treat the acute medical event.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Systems, devices and methods for averting imminent medical attacks comprise transcutaneous electrical and magnetic nerve stimulation devices using energy that is delivered non-invasively to the patient. One or more sensors detect physiological and/or environmental signals within a patient and the values of these signals are used to forecast an acute medical event, which can be treated via non-invasive nerve stimulation. The acute medical events may comprise, among others, bronchoconstriction, epileptic seizures, primary headache, such as migraine or cluster headaches, transient ischemic attack or stroke, onset of atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, and acute depression or anxiety.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of averting an onset of an acute medical event in a patient, the method comprising:
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sensing a signal by a sensor, wherein the signal is at least one of physiological or environmental, wherein the signal is at least one of within, on, or about the patient, wherein the signal comprises a value; forecasting the onset of the acute medical event based at least in part on the value; positioning a portion of a housing in contact with a skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein the portion of the housing comprises a contact surface and the housing comprises an electrical impulse generator; generating an electrical impulse within the housing; and transmitting, based at least in part on the forecasting, the electrical impulse from the housing via the contact surface transcutaneously and non-invasively through the skin surface of the neck of the patient to a vagus nerve in the patient to treat the acute medical event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for averting an acute medical event in a patient, the system comprising:
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a sensor configured to sense a physiological signal, wherein the physiological signal is at least one of within, on, or about the patient, wherein the physiological signal comprises a value; a controller coupled to the sensor, wherein the controller is configured to forecast an onset of the acute medical event based at least in part on the value; a housing comprising an electrically permeable or conducting contact surface configured to contact an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient, wherein the electrically permeable or conducting contact surface is integral with the housing; an energy source housed within the housing, wherein the energy source is configured to generate an electric field sufficient to transmit an electric current via the electrically permeable or conducting contact surface transcutaneously and non-invasively through the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient to a vagus nerve at a target region within the patient; and wherein the electric current is sufficient to avert or at least partially ameliorate the acute medical event selected from a group of medical events comprising an asthma attack, an epileptic seizure, an attack of a migraine headache, a transient ischemic attack or a stroke, an onset of an atrial fibrillation, a myocardial infarction, an onset of a ventricular fibrillation or a tachycardia, a panic attack, and an attack of acute depression. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method comprising:
averting an onset of an acute medical event in a patient, via at least; forecasting based at least in part on a value of a signal obtained from a sensor, wherein the signal is indicative of at least one physiological or environmental condition or event, and wherein the condition or event is detected within, on, or about the patient; and transcutaneously and non-invasively transmitting, based at least in part on the forecasting, one or more electrical impulses to a vagus nerve in a neck of the patient to treat the acute medical event, wherein the transmitting is via a contact surface of a housing, wherein the housing containing an energy source configured to generate the one or more electrical impulses, wherein the housing is in contact with the neck during the transmitting, and wherein the housing is integral with the contact surface.
Specification