Identification of electrodes for nerve stimulation in the treatment of eating disorders
First Claim
1. A method of selecting one or more electrodes from a plurality of electrodes for providing an electrical stimulation signal to a vagus nerve, comprising:
- (a) providing an implantable gastric band having a plurality of stimulation electrodes and a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of said stimulation and sensing electrodes having an address from which its position on said band is known;
(b) surgically coupling said implantable gastric band to at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, said step comprising electrically coupling at least one of said plurality of stimulation electrodes and at least one of said plurality of sensing electrodes to a vagus nerve on said at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract;
(c) generating an electrical stimulation test signal capable of inducing an action potential on a vagus nerve if applied thereto;
(d) applying said electrical stimulation test signal to at least one of said plurality of stimulating electrodes;
(e) sensing for an induced action potential on a vagus nerve using at least one of said plurality of sensing electrodes; and
(f) if an induced action potential is sensed, (1) using said addresses to identify at least a first sensing electrode sensing said induced action potential (2) using said addresses to identify the address of at least a first stimulation electrode comprising the electrode among said plurality of stimulation electrodes nearest said first sensing electrode.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically, mechanically and/or pharmaceutically/chemically stimulating a of the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so as to induce afferent action potentials on the vagus nerve. The device may be noninvasively adjusted after implantation to provide increased or decreased restriction on the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract. Each stimulus may be administered as a series of programmed pulses of defined amplitude, duration and period, to evoke a responsive signal to the brain by the target nerve, effective for producing a temporary feeling of satiety in the person. An implantable stimulus generator may be operatively coupled to a nerve electrode, pressure device or chemical outlet to apply a defined signal to a selected nerve branch. The implantable stimulus generator is programmable to allow clinician programming of defined signal parameters effective to treat the eating disorder of the patient. Methods are also provided to identify electrodes nearest to a branch of the vagus nerve to apply an electrical stimulation signal with improved efficiency.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method of selecting one or more electrodes from a plurality of electrodes for providing an electrical stimulation signal to a vagus nerve, comprising:
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(a) providing an implantable gastric band having a plurality of stimulation electrodes and a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of said stimulation and sensing electrodes having an address from which its position on said band is known;
(b) surgically coupling said implantable gastric band to at least a portion of the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract, said step comprising electrically coupling at least one of said plurality of stimulation electrodes and at least one of said plurality of sensing electrodes to a vagus nerve on said at least a portion of the gastrointestinal tract;
(c) generating an electrical stimulation test signal capable of inducing an action potential on a vagus nerve if applied thereto;
(d) applying said electrical stimulation test signal to at least one of said plurality of stimulating electrodes;
(e) sensing for an induced action potential on a vagus nerve using at least one of said plurality of sensing electrodes; and
(f) if an induced action potential is sensed, (1) using said addresses to identify at least a first sensing electrode sensing said induced action potential (2) using said addresses to identify the address of at least a first stimulation electrode comprising the electrode among said plurality of stimulation electrodes nearest said first sensing electrode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A gastric band system for providing an electrical stimulation signal to a vagus nerve of a patient having an eating disorder, comprising:
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(a) an implantable gastric band having a plurality of stimulation electrodes and a plurality of sensing electrodes, each of said stimulation and sensing electrodes having an address from which its position on said band is known;
(b) an implantable pulse generator capable of generating an electrical test signal and an electrical therapeutic signal and applying said signals to a desired combination of said plurality of stimulation electrodes;
(c) a testing and stimulation controller for determining which electrodes among said plurality of stimulation electrodes to use to deliver said therapeutic signal, said controller comprising a testing algorithm causing said pulse generator to;
(1) generate said test signal and apply said test signal to at least one of said plurality of stimulating electrodes;
(2) sense for an induced action potential on a vagus nerve using at least one of said plurality of sensing electrodes; and
(3) if an induced action potential is sensed, identify the electrodes among said plurality of sensing electrodes that sensed the action potential and identify at least a first stimulation electrode among said plurality of stimulation electrodes nearest said identified sensing electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification