Systems and methods for delivering pulmonary therapy
First Claim
1. A system for delivering depletion block stimulation to a neural target that innervates airways using an implantable electrode near the neural target where the depletion block stimulation at a measurable activation threshold (AT) begins to increase nerve activity with increasing current amplitude and the depletion block stimulation at a measurable saturation threshold is where all or nearly all nerve fibers propagate action potentials such that nerve activity does not significantly increase in response to further increases in current amplitude, the system comprising:
- the electrode which is configured to be implanted near the neural target that innervates airways; and
a pulse generation system configured to be operably connected to the electrode and programmed to deliver through the electrode a full depletion block stimulation where a current amplitude is at or above the saturation threshold followed by a partial depletion block where a stimulation intensity is reduced to a level below the saturation threshold and above the activation threshold to alleviate symptoms of pulmonary disease, the programmed pulse generation system and the electrode configured to cooperate to capture only some of the axons in the neural target when the partial depletion block is delivered to cause those captured axons to propagate action potentials and to capture all or almost all of the axons in the neural target when the full depletion block stimulation is delivered to cause those captured axons to propagate action potentials wherein both the full depletion block stimulation and the partial depletion block stimulation include a series of pulses within a depletion frequency range between about 100 Hz to about 1 kHz such that the series of pulses generate action potentials in the captured axons but block communication across synaptic clefts.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An example of a system may include an electrode and a pulse generation system. The electrode may be configured to be implanted near a neural target that innervates airways. The pulse generation system may be configured to be operably connected to the electrode to deliver depletion block stimulation through the electrode to alleviate symptoms of pulmonary disease. The pulse generation system and the electrode may be configured to cooperate to capture axons in the neural target. The depletion block stimulation may include a series of pulses at a depletion pulse frequency.
55 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A system for delivering depletion block stimulation to a neural target that innervates airways using an implantable electrode near the neural target where the depletion block stimulation at a measurable activation threshold (AT) begins to increase nerve activity with increasing current amplitude and the depletion block stimulation at a measurable saturation threshold is where all or nearly all nerve fibers propagate action potentials such that nerve activity does not significantly increase in response to further increases in current amplitude, the system comprising:
the electrode which is configured to be implanted near the neural target that innervates airways; and a pulse generation system configured to be operably connected to the electrode and programmed to deliver through the electrode a full depletion block stimulation where a current amplitude is at or above the saturation threshold followed by a partial depletion block where a stimulation intensity is reduced to a level below the saturation threshold and above the activation threshold to alleviate symptoms of pulmonary disease, the programmed pulse generation system and the electrode configured to cooperate to capture only some of the axons in the neural target when the partial depletion block is delivered to cause those captured axons to propagate action potentials and to capture all or almost all of the axons in the neural target when the full depletion block stimulation is delivered to cause those captured axons to propagate action potentials wherein both the full depletion block stimulation and the partial depletion block stimulation include a series of pulses within a depletion frequency range between about 100 Hz to about 1 kHz such that the series of pulses generate action potentials in the captured axons but block communication across synaptic clefts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
Specification