Method of using spinal cord stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders or conditions

• US 20060074456A1
• Filed: 09/26/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hoare, Rohan, Pyles, Stephen
• Granted Patent: US 8,214,047 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36085 Eating disorders or obesity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36167 Timing, e.g. stimulation onset
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer

Abstract

The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead that is in communication with predetermined thoracic vertebral segments to cause spinal nervous tissue stimulation, thus treating a wide variety of gastrointestinal disorders.

Claims

1. A method of treating gastoparesis, comprising:

implanting at least an electrical lead within a patient such that at least one electrode of the electrical lead is disposed adjacent to nerve tissue associated with a thoracic vertebral segment;

selecting a plurality of operating parameters for an electrical spinal cord stimulation system that are effective for treating gastoparesis;

programming the electrical spinal cord stimulation system according to the plurality of operating parameters; and

activating the electrical spinal cord stimulation system to deliver electrical pulses to the electrode adjacent to nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment thereby treating the patient'"'"'s gastoparesis.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one electrode is disposed within the T5/T6 epidural space of the patient.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the electrical spinal cord stimulation delivers electrical pulses on a substantially continuous basis.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gastoparesis is associated with diabetes.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein stimulation of nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment causes an increase in gastric motility.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of operating parameters include a pulse amplitude parameter, a pulse width parameter, and a pulse frequency parameter.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pulse frequency parameter is within the range of 10-350 Hz.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the lead comprises a plurality of electrodes and the plurality of operating parameters include an electrode configuration.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the selecting comprises:

temporarily delivering electrical pulses according to the plurality of operating parameters to the electrode adjacent to nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment; and

monitoring gastric activity that occurs while the temporarily delivering is performed.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the monitoring comprises:

determining gastric motility by measuring pressure generated by contraction of muscles of the stomach and/or small intestine.

11. A method of treating an eating disorder, comprising:

implanting at least an electrical lead within a patient such that at least one electrode of the electrical lead is disposed adjacent to nerve tissue associated with a thoracic vertebral segment;

selecting a plurality of operating parameters for an electrical spinal cord stimulation system that are effective for treating the eating disorder;

programming the electrical spinal cord stimulation system according to the plurality of operating parameters; and

activating the electrical spinal cord stimulation system to deliver electrical pulses to the electrode adjacent to nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment thereby treating the patient'"'"'s eating disorder.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the eating disorder is selected from the list consisting of:

obesity, anorexia nervosa, and bulimia nervosa.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the electrical spinal cord stimulation delivers electrical pulses on a temporary basis in response to receiving an initiation signal from an external control device operated by the patient.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the patient uses the external control device to deliver electrical pulses beginning immediately before the patient begins eating.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein stimulation of nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment causes an increase in gastric motility.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the plurality of operating parameters include a pulse amplitude parameter, a pulse width parameter, and a pulse frequency parameter.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the pulse frequency parameter is within the range of 10-350 Hz.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the lead comprises a plurality of electrodes and the plurality of operating parameters include an electrode configuration.

19. The method of claim 11 wherein the selecting comprises:

temporarily delivering electrical pulses according to the plurality of operating parameters to the electrode adjacent to nerve tissue associated with the thoracic vertebral segment; and

monitoring gastric activity that occurs while the temporarily delivering is performed.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the monitoring comprises:

determining gastric motility by measuring pressure generated by contraction of muscles of the stomach and/or small intestine.