Gastrointestinal methods and apparatus for use in treating disorders and controlling blood sugar

• US 20070027493A1
• Filed: 01/20/2006
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tylerton International Inc.
• Original Assignee: MetaCure Limited (MetaCure (USA), Inc.)
• Inventors: Harel, Tamar, Ben-Haim, Shlomo, Bitton, Ofir, Policker, Shai
• Granted Patent: US 8,792,985 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

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for treating a subject. An electrical signal is applied to at least one stomach site of the subject. The electrical signal is configured to reduce a rise in a blood glucose level of the subject, in order to treat the subject.

Claims

1-65. -65. (canceled)

66. Apparatus for treating a subject, comprising:

a set of at least one electrode, adapted to be applied to a respective at least one stomach site of the subject; and

a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an electrical signal configured to reduce a rise in a blood glucose level of the subject.

67. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal.

73. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the electrode set comprises a first electrode, adapted to be implanted at a gastric corpus site, and a second electrode, adapted to be implanted at a gastric antrum site.

74. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the electrode set comprises a first electrode, adapted to be implanted at a first gastric corpus site, and a second electrode, adapted to be implanted at a second gastric corpus site.

75. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the electrode set comprises a first electrode, adapted to be implanted at a first gastric antrum site, and a second electrode, adapted to be implanted at a second gastric antrum site.

77. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the electrical signal to reduce a rise in a blood insulin level of the subject.

78. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply five or more pulses to the site during each of a plurality of slow wave cycles of the subject.

79. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply 1 to 5 pulses to the site during each of a plurality of slow wave cycles of the subject.

80. The apparatus according to claim 79, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply one pulse to the site during each of the plurality of slow wave cycles.

81. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a frequency of the electrical signal to be between 1 and 30 Hz.

82. The apparatus according to claim 81, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 10 and 30 Hz.

83. The apparatus according to claim 81, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 1 and 10 Hz.

84. The apparatus according to claim 83, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 2.5 and 7.5 Hz.

85. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a frequency of the electrical signal to be between 30 and 200 Hz.

86. The apparatus according to claim 85, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 100 and 200 Hz.

87. The apparatus according to claim 85, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 30 and 100 Hz.

88. The apparatus according to claim 87, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the frequency to be between 60 and 100 Hz.

89. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the electrical signal in pulses and to configure a pulse amplitude of the pulses to be between 2 and 15 mA.

90. The apparatus according to claim 89, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the pulse amplitude to be between 2.5 and 7.5 mA.

91. The apparatus according to claim 66, 68, 69, or 76, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the electrical signal in pulses in a pulse train, and to configure a length of the pulse train to be between 1 and 6 seconds.

92. The apparatus according to claim 91, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the length of the pulse train t be between 3 and 6 seconds.

93. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the electrical signal as a train of biphasic pulses.

94. The apparatus according to claim 93, wherein the control unit is adapted to set a duration of each phase of the biphasic pulses to be between 1 and 10 ms.

95. The apparatus according to claim 94, wherein the control unit is adapted to set the duration of each phase of the biphasic pulses to be between 4 and 6 ms.

96. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein the control unit is adapted to detect a physiological attribute of the subject and drive the electrode set to apply the electrical signal responsive thereto.

97. The apparatus according to claim 96, wherein to detect the physiological attribute of the subject, the control unit is adapted to detect that the subject is eating.

98. The apparatus according to claim 96, wherein to detect the physiological attribute, the control unit is adapted to detect a gastrointestinal tract attribute.

99. The apparatus according to claim 98, wherein to detect the gastrointestinal tract attribute, the control unit is adapted to detect a slow wave.

100. The apparatus according to claim 66, wherein to drive the electrode set to apply the electrical signal, the control unit is adapted to:

drive the electrode set to apply an initiating pulse; and

drive the electrode set to apply a burst of pulses at least 100 ms following a termination of the initiating pulse.

101. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the initiating pulse not responsively to any physiological attribute of the subject sensed within one minute prior to the applying of the initiating pulse.

102. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the initiating pulse not responsively to any sensing of a slow wave within one minute prior to the applying of the initiating pulse.

103. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a frequency of the burst of pulses to be between 1 and 10 Hz.

104. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a frequency of the burst of pulses to be between 10 and 100 Hz.

105. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to detect a physiological attribute of the subject and drive the electrode set to apply the initiating pulse response thereto.

106. The apparatus according to claim 105, wherein to detect the physiological attribute, the control unit is adapted to detect a gastrointestinal tract attribute of the subject.

107. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein to detect the gastrointestinal tract attribute, the control unit is adapted to detect an indication of a slow wave.

108. The apparatus according to claim 106, wherein to detect the gastrointestinal tract attribute, the control unit is adapted to detect an indication of eating by the subject.

109. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to initiate applying the burst of pulses less than 4 seconds following the termination of the initiating pulse.

110. The apparatus according to claim 109, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to initiate applying the burst of pulses between 100 and 500 ms following the termination of the initiating pulse.

111. The apparatus according to claim 100, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a duration of the initiating pulse to be between 50 and 500 ms.

112. The apparatus according to claim 111, wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the duration to be between 50 and 150 ms.

68-72. -72. (canceled)

76. (canceled)