Direct and Indirect Control of Muscle for the Treatment of Pathologies

• US 20070106338A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Inventors: Errico, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/555,170
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106338A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• 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

Abstract

Methods for treating various health ailments that arise from dysfunction of smooth muscle associated with organ function caused by neurological malfunction wherein an appropriate signal fails to properly drive the smooth muscle wherein the treatment includes reproducing an appropriate signal and applying same either directly to the smooth muscle exhibiting the failure to respond properly, or by applying the signal to the nerves that innervate the muscles. The various treatments contemplated by this invention include, but are not limited to: acid reflux (lower esophageal sphincter), gallbladder pain, post-cholecystectomy pain, obesity, and high cholesterol (the sphincter of Oddi), pancreatic function and pancreatic pain associated with cancer (sphincter of Oddi), and asthma (the anterior and posterior pulmonary plexuses and the bronchial plexuses).

Claims

1. A method of treating asthmatic spasms, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one smooth muscle disposed in the vicinity of bronchial tissues of a patient, whereby relaxation of said at least one smooth muscle is affected to promote proper functioning of the bronchial tissues.

2. A method of treating asthmatic spasms of bronchial tissue, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one nerve fiber such that relaxation of at least one smooth muscle disposed in the vicinity of a patient'"'"'s bronchial tissues is affected to promote proper functioning of the bronchial tissue.

3. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the at least one nerve fiber comprises at least one nerve emanating from the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain.

4. The method set forth in claim 2, wherein the at least one nerve comprises at least one nerve fibers emanating from the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

5. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the at least one nerve comprises a nerve plexus of fibers emanating from both a sympathetic nerve chain and a tenth cranial nerve of the patient.

6. The method set forth in claim 5 wherein the nerve plexus comprises an anterior pulmonary plexus.

7. The method set forth in claim 5 wherein the nerve plexus comprises a posterior pulmonary plexus.

8. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s biliary duct pain, associated with hypertension of bile therein, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one smooth muscle of the patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi, whereby relaxation of said muscle is affected and reduced bile pressure in the patient'"'"'s biliary duct is affected.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of a common bile duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common bile duct into a digestive tract of the patient.

10. The method as set forth in claim 8, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of a pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the biliary duct.

11. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s biliary duct pain, associated with hypertension of bile therein, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one nerve fiber, such that relaxation of at least one smooth muscle of a patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi is affected and reduced bile pressure in the patient'"'"'s biliary duct is affected.

12. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one nerve fiber comprises at least one nerve emanating from the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain.

13. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one nerve comprises at least one nerve fibers emanating from the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

14. The method set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one nerve comprises a nerve plexus of fibers emanating from both a sympathetic nerve chain and a tenth cranial nerve of the patient.

15. The method as set forth in claim 14, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of a common bile duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common bile duct into the patient'"'"'s digestive tract.

17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of the patient'"'"'s pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the biliary duct.

19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

20. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s pancreatic pain, associated with hypertension of pancreatic fluids, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one smooth muscle of the patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi, whereby relaxation of said muscle is affected and reduced pancreatic fluid pressure is affected.

21. The method as set forth in claim 20, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of the patient'"'"'s duct through which pancreatic fluids flow prior to merging with the patient'"'"'s bile duct to form the patient'"'"'s common bile duct.

22. A method of treating a patient'"'"'s pancreatic pain caused by hypertension of pancreatic fluids, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one nerve fiber, such that relaxation of at least one smooth muscle of a patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi is affected, and reduced pressure of pancreatic fluids is affected.

23. The method set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one nerve fiber comprises at least one nerve emanating from the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain.

24. The method set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one nerve comprises at least one nerve fibers emanating from the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

25. The method set forth in claim 22 wherein the at least one nerve comprises a nerve plexus of fibers emanating from both the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain and the patent'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

26. The method as set forth in claim 25, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

27. The method as set forth in claim 22, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of a duct that moderates flow of pancreatic fluids from the patient'"'"'s pancreas into the patient'"'"'s common bile duct.

28. The method as set forth in claim 27, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

29. A method of reducing a patient'"'"'s blood cholesterol levels, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one smooth muscle of the patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi, whereby a tightening of said muscle is affected and reduced bile flow from the patient'"'"'s common biliary duct into the patient'"'"'s digestive tract is affected.

30. The method as set forth in claim 29, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of the common biliary duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common biliary duct into the patient'"'"'s digestive tract.

31. The method as set forth in claim 29, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within the group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of the patient'"'"'s pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the biliary duct.

32. A method of reducing a patient'"'"'s blood cholesterol levels, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one nerve fiber, such that tightening of at least one smooth muscle of a patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi is affected and an increase in cholesterol concentration within the patient'"'"'s liver is affected.

33. The method set forth in claim 32, wherein the at least one nerve fiber comprises at least one nerve emanating from the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain.

34. The method set forth in claim 32, wherein the at least one nerve comprises at least one nerve fiber emanating from the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

35. The method set forth in claim 32 wherein the at least one nerve comprises a nerve plexus of fibers emanating from both the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain and the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

36. The method as set forth in claim 35, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

37. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of the common biliary duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common biliary duct into the digestive tract.

38. The method as set forth in claim 37, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

39. The method as set forth in claim 32, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of the patient'"'"'s pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the biliary duct.

40. The method as set forth in claim 39, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

41. A method of reducing a patient'"'"'s feelings of hunger and thereby affect weight loss, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one smooth muscle of a patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi, whereby a tightening of said muscle is affected and reduced bile flow from the patient'"'"'s common biliary duct into the patient'"'"'s digestive tract is affected.

42. The method as set forth in claim 41, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of the common biliary duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common biliary duct into the digestive tract.

43. The method as set forth in claim 41, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of the patient'"'"'s pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the patient'"'"'s biliary duct.

44. A method of reducing a patient'"'"'s feelings of hunger and thereby affect weight loss, comprising applying an electrical stimulation signal to at least one nerve fiber, such that relaxation of at least one smooth muscle of the patient'"'"'s sphincter of Oddi is affected and reduced bile pressure in the patient'"'"'s biliary duct is affected.

45. The method set forth in claim 44, wherein the at least one nerve fiber comprises at least one nerve emanating from the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain.

46. The method set forth in claim 44, wherein the at least one nerve comprises at least one nerve fiber emanating from the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

47. The method set forth in claim 44 wherein the at least one nerve comprises a nerve plexus of fibers emanating from both the patient'"'"'s sympathetic nerve chain and the patient'"'"'s tenth cranial nerve.

48. The method as set forth in claim 47, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

49. The method as set forth in claim 44, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a distal end of the patient'"'"'s common biliary duct and that moderates flow of bile and pancreatic fluids from the common bile duct into the digestive tract.

50. The method as set forth in claim 49, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.

51. The method as set forth in claim 44, wherein the at least one smooth muscle is located within a group of muscles surrounding a portion of the biliary duct that is proximal to a merging of the patient'"'"'s pancreatic duct with a distal portion of the biliary duct.

52. The method as set forth in claim 51, wherein the at least one nerve plexus comprises the patient'"'"'s hepatic plexus.