Multimode device and method for controlling breathing

• US 20060247729A1
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RMX, LLC (ASHINC Corp.)
• Original Assignee: RMX, LLC (ASHINC Corp.)
• Inventors: Province, Rose, Lee, Chang, Ligon, David, Tehrani, Amir J., Goodman, Amy Michelle
• Granted Patent: US 8,160,711 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/395 Details of stimulation, e.g. nerve stimulation to elicit EMG response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs

Abstract

A device and method is provided for therapeutic stimulating, augmenting, manipulating and/or controlling breathing, in combination with stimulation of auxiliary respiratory nerves or muscles including the upper airway tract, chest wall muscles or abdominal muscles. Stimulation may be provided, for example, to augment breathing or to prevent closing of the upper airway during therapeutic stimulation. Stimulation may be also provided to the Hypoglossal nerve during exhalation.

Claims

1. A device for manipulating breathing of a subject comprising:

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response during a respiratory cycle of the subject; and

an upper airway stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the upper airway of the subject during said respiratory cycle to elicit a response of the upper airway musculature;

wherein the diaphragm stimulation element and upper airway stimulation element are coordinated with respect to each other to supply diaphragm stimulation and upper airway stimulation during said respiratory cycle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the upper airway stimulation element is configured to stimulate the upper airway during a first respiratory cycle prior to inspiration of a next respiratory cycle.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the upper airway stimulation element is configured to stimulate the upper airway during an exhalation cycle of a first respiratory cycle prior to inspiration of the next respiratory cycle.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to augment an intrinsic breath of said next respiratory cycle.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide a lung volume bias stimulation.

6. The device of claim 3 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to elicit a breath.

7. The device of claim 6 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is further configured to provide a lung volume bias.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to elicit a series of breaths and wherein the upper airway stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation before each breath of the series of breaths to thereby reduce upper airway collapse continuous hypoglossal stimulation, do you waqnt to add

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to augment an intrinsic breath of said next respiratory cycle.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide a lung volume bias stimulation.

11. The device of claim 1 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to elicit a breath.

12. The device of claim 11 wherein the diaphragm stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation to elicit a series of breaths and wherein the upper airway stimulation element is configured to provide stimulation before each breath of the series of breaths to thereby reduce upper airway collapse.

13. A device for manipulating breathing of a subject comprising:

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a lung volume bias stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response; and

an upper airway stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the upper airway of the subject to elicit a response of the upper airway musculature;

wherein the diaphragm stimulation element and upper airway stimulation element are coordinated with respect to each other to supply diaphragm stimulation and upper airway stimulation during said respiratory cycle.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the upper airway stimulation element is configured to supply an electrical stimulation signal during an exhalation portion of a first respiratory cycle prior to an inspiration portion of an inspiration portion of a next respiratory cycle.

15. A device for manipulating breathing of a subject comprising:

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response during a respiratory cycle of the subject; and

an auxiliary stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the auxiliary musculature associated with a subject'"'"'s respiratory system during said respiratory cycle to elicit an auxiliary response of the auxiliary musculature;

wherein the diaphragm stimulation element and auxiliary stimulation element are coordinated with respect to each other to supply diaphragm stimulation and auxiliary stimulation during said respiratory cycle.

16. The device of claim 15 wherein the auxiliary musculature comprises fan abdominal muscle.

17. The device of claim 15 wherein the auxiliary musculature comprises chest wall muscles.

18. The device of claim 15 wherein the auxiliary musculature comprises upper airway musculature.

19. A method for manipulating breathing comprising the steps of:

providing;

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response; and

an upper airway stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the upper airway of the subject to elicit a response of the upper airway musculature; and

coordinating stimulation provided by the diaphragm stimulation element and upper airway stimulation element to avoid upper airway collapse during diaphragm stimulation.

20. A method for manipulating breathing comprising the steps of:

providing;

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response; and

an upper airway stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the upper airway of the subject to elicit a response of the upper airway musculature;

stimulating the upper airway musculature during an exhalation cycle of a first respiratory cycle prior to an inspiration portion of a next respiratory cycle.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of eliciting a diaphragm response by stimulating tissue associated with the respiratory system.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of eliciting a diaphragm response comprises augmenting an intrinsic breath.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the step of augmenting an intrinsic breath comprises augmenting the breath during said next respiration cycle.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of eliciting a diaphragm response comprises stimulating to elicit a breath.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of stimulating to elicit a breath comprises stimulating to elicit a breath of said next respiratory cycle.

26. The method of claim 20 wherein the step of eliciting a diaphragm response comprises providing a lung volume bias stimulation without eliciting a respiratory cycle.

27. A method for manipulating breathing of a subject comprising the steps of:

providing;

a diaphragm stimulation element comprising a first electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the first electrode to the tissue associated with the respiratory system to elicit a diaphragm response during a respiratory cycle of the subject; and

an auxiliary stimulation element comprising a second electrode and configured to supply a stimulation signal through the second electrode to tissue associated with the auxiliary musculature associated with a subject'"'"'s respiratory system during said respiratory cycle to elicit an auxiliary response of the auxiliary musculature; and

coordinating the diaphragm stimulation element and auxiliary stimulation element with respect to each other.

28. The method for manipulating breathing of claim 27 wherein the step of coordinating diaphragm stimulation element and the auxiliary stimulation element comprises coordinating the diaphragm stimulation with one or more of upper airway stimulation, chest wall stimulation and abdominal stimulation.