Method and system for vagal blocking and/or vagal stimulation to provide therapy for obesity and other gastrointestinal disorders
First Claim
1. A method of providing electrical pulses for nerve blocking, with or without selective electrical stimulation of vagus nerve(s) or its branches or part thereof, comprising the steps of:
- providing an external stimulator to generate and transmit electrical pulses, comprising a controller, circuitry to generate blocking and stimulating electrical pulses, and an external coil;
providing an implanted stimulus-receiver means to inductively receive said electrical pulses, comprising circuitry and secondary coil; and
providing a lead with at least two electrodes adapted to be in contact with said nerve(s) or its branches or part thereof in a patient, and in electrical contact with said stimulus-receiver means.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Method and system to provide therapy for obesity and gastrointestinal disorders such as FGIDs, gastroparesis, gastro-esophageal reflex disease (GERD), pancreatitis and ileus comprises vagal blocking and/or vagal stimulation. Vagal blocking may be in the afferent or efferent direction, and may be with or without stimulation pulses. Blocking may be provided by one of a number of different electrical blocking techniques. Electrical signals may be provided with an external stimulator in conjunction with an implanted stimulus-receiver, or an implanted stimulus-receiver comprising a high value capacitor for temporary power source. In one embodiment, the external stimulator may comprise an optional telemetry unit. The addition of the telemetry unit to the external stimulator provides the ability to remotely interrogate and change stimulation programs over a wide area network, as well as other networking capabilities,
327 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A method of providing electrical pulses for nerve blocking, with or without selective electrical stimulation of vagus nerve(s) or its branches or part thereof, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an external stimulator to generate and transmit electrical pulses, comprising a controller, circuitry to generate blocking and stimulating electrical pulses, and an external coil;
providing an implanted stimulus-receiver means to inductively receive said electrical pulses, comprising circuitry and secondary coil; and
providing a lead with at least two electrodes adapted to be in contact with said nerve(s) or its branches or part thereof in a patient, and in electrical contact with said stimulus-receiver means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. A method of providing electrical pulses for vagal blocking with or without selective vagal stimulation for treating or alleviating the symptoms for at least one of obesity, eating disorders, inducing weight loss, FGIDs, gastroparesis, gastro-esophageal reflex disease (GERD), pancreatitis, and ileus, comprising the steps of:
-
providing an external stimulator to generate and transmit electrical pulses, comprising a controller, circuitry to generate blocking and stimulating electrical pulses, and an external coil;
providing an implanted stimulus-receiver means to inductively receive said electrical pulses, comprising circuitry and secondary coil; and
providing a lead with at least two electrodes adapted to be in contact with said nerve(s) or branches or part thereof of the patient, and in electrical contact with said stimulus-receiver means. - View Dependent Claims (14)
-
-
15. A system for providing electrical pulses for nerve blocking with or without selective electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve(s) and/or its branches or part thereof for treating, controlling or alleviating the symptoms for at least one of obesity, motility disorders, eating disorders, inducing weight loss, FGIDs, gastroparesis, gastro-esophageal reflex disease (GERD), pancreatitis, and ileus, comprising:
-
an external stimulator to generate and transmit blocking and/or stimulating electrical pulses;
an implanted stimulus-receiver means to inductively receive said electric pulses; and
a lead with at least two electrodes adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve(s)or its branch(es) or part thereof in a patient and in electrical contact with said stimulus-receiver means. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
Specification