Electrical stimulation device and method for the treatment of dysphagia
First Claim
1. A method for treating dysphagia in a patient by electrical stimulation, said method comprising:
- providing a first channel comprising two electrodes, wherein a first electrode of said first channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a first target region of said patient and a second electrode of said first channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of said patient;
providing a second channel comprising two electrodes, wherein a first electrode of said second channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a second target region of said patient and a second electrode of said second channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of said posterior neck region or said posterior thoracic region of said patient;
applying a series of electrical pulses to said patient through said first and second channels in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia.
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Abstract
An electrical stimulation device and method for the treatment of dysphagia is disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the electrical stimulation device includes one or more channels of electrodes each of which includes a first electrode positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a target region of a patient and a second electrode positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of the patient. A series of electrical pulses are then applied to the patient through the one or more channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. The series of electrical pulses may comprise: a plurality of cycles of a biphasic sequential pulse train pattern; a plurality of cycles of a biphasic overlapping pulse train pattern; a plurality of cycles of a triphasic sequential pulse train pattern; a plurality of cycles of a triphasic overlapping pulse train pattern; a functional pulse train pattern; a low-frequency pulse train pattern; or a frequency-sequenced pulse burst train pattern. Various exemplary embodiments of the invention are disclosed.
181 Citations
79 Claims
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1. A method for treating dysphagia in a patient by electrical stimulation, said method comprising:
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providing a first channel comprising two electrodes, wherein a first electrode of said first channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a first target region of said patient and a second electrode of said first channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of said patient;
providing a second channel comprising two electrodes, wherein a first electrode of said second channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a second target region of said patient and a second electrode of said second channel is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of said posterior neck region or said posterior thoracic region of said patient;
applying a series of electrical pulses to said patient through said first and second channels in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method for treating dysphagia in a patient by electrical stimulation, said method comprising:
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providing at least one channel comprising two electrodes, wherein a first electrode is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a target region of said patient and a second electrode is positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of said patient; and
applying a series of electrical pulses to said patient through said channel in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least first and second channels of electrodes; and
an electronic control unit connected to said first and second channels of electrodes and programmed to apply a plurality of cycles of a biphasic sequential pulse train pattern to said first and second channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58)
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59. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least first and second channels of electrodes; and
an electronic control unit connected to said first and second channels of electrodes and programmed to apply a plurality of cycles of a biphasic overlapping pulse train pattern to said first and second channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least first and second channels of electrodes; and
an electronic control unit connected to said first and second channels of electrodes and programmed to apply a plurality of cycles of a triphasic sequential pulse train pattern to said first and second channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64)
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65. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least first and second channels of electrodes; and
an electronic control unit connected to said first and second channels of electrodes and programmed to apply a plurality of cycles of a triphasic overlapping pulse train pattern to said first and second channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67)
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68. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least first and second channels of electrodes; and
an electronic control unit connected to said first and second channels of electrodes and programmed to apply a functional pulse train pattern to said first and second channels of electrodes in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia, wherein said functional pulse train pattern mimics electrical sequencing of particular muscles involved in swallowing during normal functioning activity. - View Dependent Claims (69)
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70. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least one channel comprising a positive electrode adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a target region of said patient and a negative electrode adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of said patient; and
an electronic control unit connected to said channel and programmed to apply a low-frequency pulse train pattern to said channel in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (71)
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72. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least one channel comprising a positive electrode adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a target region of said patient and a negative electrode adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region or a posterior thoracic region of said patient; and
an electronic control unit connected to said channel and programmed to apply a frequency-sequenced pulse burst train pattern to said channel in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75)
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76. An electrical stimulation device for treating dysphagia in a patient, said electrical stimulation device comprising:
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at least one channel comprising a positive electrode and a negative electrode, wherein one of said electrodes of said channel is adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a target region of said patient and the other of said electrodes of said channel is adapted to be positioned in electrical contact with tissue of a posterior neck region of said patient; and
an electronic control unit connected to said channel and programmed to apply a series of electrical pulses to said channel in accordance with a procedure for treating dysphagia. - View Dependent Claims (77, 78, 79)
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Specification