Treatment of movement disorders by near-diaphragmatic nerve stimulation
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Abstract
A method for treating patients with movement disorders includes unilaterally or bilaterally stimulating one or both of the left and right branches of a patient'"'"'s vagus nerve directly or indirectly with an electrical pulse signal generated by an implantable neurostimulator with at least one operatively coupled nerve electrode to apply the pulse signal to the selected nerve branch at a location in the vicinity of the patient'"'"'s diaphragm, either slightly above or slightly below the diaphragm. A device for performing the method includes a government approved implantable neurostimulator which is programmable to enable physician programming of electrical and timing parameters of the pulse signal, to generate the desired therapy regimen for alleviating the disorder by application of the therapeutic electrical stimulation signal to a selected nerve. Automatic detection or patient sensing of a symptom of the disorder may be utilized for activating the device.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
- 22. Apparatus for treating patients suffering from movement disorder, comprising a pulse generator sanctioned by government authority for implantation in a patient together with electrode means to treat said disorder by stimulation of a selected cranial nerve of the patient with a predetermined sequence of electrical impulses from said pulse generator applied to the selected cranial nerve at a location in a range from about two to about three inches above or below the patient'"'"'s diaphragm, for alleviating symptoms of the movement disorder in the patient.
- 29. Apparatus for treating patients suffering from movement disorder, comprising a pulse generator approved by a government agency of competent authority to be implanted with at least one interconnected nerve electrode in a patient to treat said movement disorder by applying a programmed sequence of electrical impulses generated by said pulse generator to a branch of the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve via said electrode implanted on said nerve at a location in a range from about two to about three inches above or below the patient'"'"'s diaphragm, for relieving symptoms of the movement disorder in the patient.
Specification