Method of stimulating fastigium nucleus to treat neurological disorders

• US 20060015152A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 01/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Scimed, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Wallace, Michael P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,286,879 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36103 Neuro-rehabilitation; Repair or reorganisation of neural tissue, e.g. after stroke

Abstract

A method of treating a neurological disorder (such as acute stroke) in a patient is provided. The method comprises introducing an electrical stimulation lead within the patient'"'"'s head, advancing the stimulation lead within an intracranial vascular body, such as a blood vessel or ventricle, placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient'"'"'s brain, and stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the neurological disorder.

Claims

1. A method of treating a neurological disorder in a patient, comprising:

intravascularly introducing an electrical stimulation lead within the patient'"'"'s head; and

placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient'"'"'s brain.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the neurological disorder is a disorder that can be alleviated by increasing blood flow within the patient'"'"'s brain.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the neurological disorder is an acute stroke.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the neurological disorder is selected from a group consisting of acute stroke, chronic transient ischemic attack, cerebral vasospasm, and Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the circulatory system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the ventricular system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the fastigium nucleus.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the fastigium nucleus.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the neurological disorder.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the stimulation of the fastigium nucleus increases the flow of blood within the patient'"'"'s brain.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

introducing another electrical stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the other stimulation lead adjacent cortical tissue of the patient'"'"'s brain; and

stimulating the cortical tissue with the other stimulation lead to rehabilitate the patient.

12. A method of treating a disorder in a patient, comprising:

introducing an electrical stimulation lead within the head of the patient via a blood vessel; and

placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient'"'"'s brain.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the disorder is a neurological disorder.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the neurological disorder is a disorder that can be alleviated by increasing blood flow within the patient'"'"'s brain.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the disorder is an acute stroke.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the disorder is selected from a group consisting of acute stroke, chronic transient ischemic attack, cerebral vasospasm, and Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the fastigium nucleus.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the fastigium nucleus.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the disorder.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the stimulation of the fastigium nucleus increases the flow of blood within the patient'"'"'s brain.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

introducing another electrical stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the other stimulation lead adjacent cortical tissue of the patient'"'"'s brain; and

stimulating the cortical tissue with the other stimulation lead to rehabilitate the patient.

22. A method of treating a neurological disorder in a patient, comprising:

introducing an electrical stimulation lead within the patient'"'"'s head;

advancing the stimulation lead within an intracranial vascular body of the patient; and

placing the stimulation lead adjacent the fastigium nucleus of the patient'"'"'s brain.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the neurological disorder is a disorder that can be alleviated by increasing blood flow within the patient'"'"'s brain.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the neurological disorder is an acute stroke.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the neurological disorder is selected from a group consisting of acute stroke, chronic transient ischemic attack, cerebral vasospasm, and Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease.

26. The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the circulatory system.

27. The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the ventricular system.

28. The method of claim 22, further comprising forming an opening through the patient'"'"'s cranium, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head through the opening.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the vascular body is a blood vessel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the blood vessel is an artery.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the artery is the posterior inferior cerebellar artery.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the blood vessel is a vein.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the vein is the preculminate vein.

34. The method of claim 22, wherein the vascular body is the 4^th ventricle.

35. The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the fastigium nucleus.

36. The method of claim 22, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the fastigium nucleus.

37. The method of claim 22, further comprising stimulating the fastigium nucleus with the stimulation lead to treat the neurological disorder.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the stimulation of the fastigium nucleus increases the flow of blood within the patient'"'"'s brain

39. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

introducing another electrical stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the other stimulation lead adjacent cortical tissue of the patient'"'"'s brain; and

stimulating the cortical tissue with the other stimulation lead to rehabilitate the patient.

40. A method of treating a neurological disorder in a patient, wherein the neurological disorder is a disorder that can be alleviated by increasing blood flow within the patient'"'"'s brain, the method comprising:

introducing an electrical stimulation lead within the patient'"'"'s head;

advancing the stimulation lead within an intracranial vascular body of the patient; and

placing the stimulation lead adjacent a selected structure of the patient'"'"'s brain, the stimulation of which increases the blood flow to the patient'"'"'s brain.

41. The method of claim 40, wherein the neurological disorder is an acute stroke.

42. The method of claim 40, wherein the neurological disorder is selected from a group consisting of acute stroke, chronic transient ischemic attack, cerebral vasospasm, and Alzheimer'"'"'s Disease.

43. The method of claim 40, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the circulatory system.

44. The method of claim 40, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the ventricular system.

45. The method of claim 40, further comprising forming an opening through the patient'"'"'s cranium, wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head through the opening.

46. The method of claim 40, wherein the vascular body is a blood vessel.

47. The method of claim 40, wherein the vascular body is the 4^th ventricle.

48. The method of claim 40, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the selected brain structure.

49. The method of claim 40, wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the selected brain structure.

50. The method of claim 40, further comprising stimulating the selected brain structure with the stimulation lead to increase the flow of blood to the brain, thereby treating the disorder.

51. The method of claim 40, further comprising:

introducing another electrical stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the other stimulation lead adjacent cortical tissue of the patient'"'"'s brain; and

stimulating the cortical tissue with the other stimulation lead to rehabilitate the patient.