Stimulating cranial nerve to treat pulmonary disorder

• US 20070027496A1
• Filed: 07/28/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Guzman, Albert, Maschino, Steven, Buras, William, Parnis, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 8,660,647 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment

Abstract

A method for stimulating a portion of a vagus nerve of a patient to treat a pulmonary disorder is provided. At least one electrode is coupled to at least one portion of a left vagus nerve and/or a right vagus nerve of the patient. An electrical signal is applied to the portion of the vagus nerve using the electrode to treat the pulmonary disorder. The electrical signal may perform a blocking of an intrinsic neural activity on said at least one portion of the left vagus nerve and said right vagus nerve.

Claims

2-1. The method of claim 1, wherein said pulmonary disorder comprises at least one of an asthma condition, constrictive pulmonary disorder, and a cardio pulmonary obstructive disorder.

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

coupling at least one electrode to at least a portion of a left vagus nerve and a right vagus nerve;

providing an electrical signal generator;

coupling said signal generator to said at least one electrode;

generating an electrical signal with the electrical signal generator; and

applying the electrical signal to the electrode to treat said pulmonary disorder, wherein applying said electrical signal comprises blocking an intrinsic neural activity on said at least one portion of said left vagus nerve and said right vagus nerve, said blocking may be performed using at least one of a hyperpolarization and a collision stimulation.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

detecting a symptom of the pulmonary disorder, wherein the step of applying the electrical signal to the electrode is initiated in response to detecting said symptom.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein coupling at least one electrode to at least one vagus nerve comprises coupling at least one electrode to said at least one portion of said vagus nerve comprises coupling said electrode to at least one of a left vagus nerve main trunk, a right vagus nerve main trunk, and a branch of the vagus nerve of the patient selected from the group consisting of a bronchial branch of said vagus nerve and a pulmonary plexus.

15. A method of treating a patient having a pulmonary disorder, comprising:

coupling at least one electrode to at least a portion of a vagus nerve of the patient selected from a group consisting of a left vagus nerve main trunk, a right vagus nerve main trunk, and a branch of the vagus nerve of the patient selected from the group consisting of a bronchial branch of said vagus nerve and a pulmonary plexus; and

applying an electrical signal to said at least one branch of said vagus nerve using said electrode to treat said pulmonary disorder, wherein applying said electrical signal comprises blocking an intrinsic neural activity on said at least one portion of said left vagus nerve and said right vagus nerve.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a programmable electrical signal generator;

coupling said signal generator to said at least one electrode;

generating an electrical signal with said electrical signal generator; and

wherein applying an electrical signal to said at least one branch of a vagus nerve comprises applying the electrical signal to said at least one electrode.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

programming the electrical signal generator to define said electrical signal by a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of a current magnitude, a pulse width, a pulse frequency, an on-time and an off-time.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein applying an electrical signal to said at least one branch of a vagus nerve comprises applying said signal during a first treatment period, said method further comprising applying a second electrical signal to the at least one branch of a vagus nerve during a second treatment period.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said first treatment period comprises a period ranging from one hour to six months, and wherein said second treatment period comprises a period ranging from one month to 10 years.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the at least one electrode is selected from the group consisting of a spiral electrode and a paddle electrode.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein applying an electrical signal to said at least one branch of said vagus nerve using said electrode comprises performing an electrical stimulation, the method further comprising performing said electrical stimulation in combination with at least one of a magnetic stimulation, a chemical stimulation, and a biological stimulation.