Nerve stimulation and blocking for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders

• US 20080021512A1
• Filed: 08/13/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EnteroMedics, Inc. (ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilson, Richard, Tweden, Katherine, Knudson, Mark, Conrad, Timothy
• Granted Patent: US 7,729,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/321 Electromedical belts
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3606 adapted for a particular treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain

Abstract

At least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders is treated by stimulating an enteric nervous system of a patient to enhance a functional tone of the enteric nervous system. A treatment includes electrically stimulating a vagus nerve of the patient at a stimulation site proximal to at least one site of vagal innervation of a gastrointestinal organ. The electrical stimulation includes applying a stimulation signal at the stimulation site. An optional proximal electrical blocking signal is applied to the vagus nerve at a proximal blocking site proximal to the stimulation site. The proximal blocking signal is selected to at least partially block nerve impulses at the proximal blocking site.

Claims

1. A method for treating at least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders of a patient, said method comprising:

treating said gastrointestinal disorder by applying an electrically induced neural conduction block to a vagal branch or trunk innervating an alimentary tract organ and with said neural conduction block selected to at least partially block both afferent and efferent nerve impulses at a site of application of said block; and

wherein said block is applied without a concurrent electrical stimulation treatment.

2. A method according to each of claims 1 or 2 wherein:

said electrical block is created by placing an electrode on a vagus nerve of said patient and applying an electrical signal to said electrode to block neural propagation on said vagus nerve.

3. A method for treating at least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders of a patient, said method comprising:

electrically stimulating a vagus nerve of said patient at a stimulation site proximal to at least one site of vagal innervation of a gastrointestinal organ of said patient, said electrical stimulation including applying a stimulation signal at said site;

applying a proximal electrical blocking signal to said vagus nerve at a proximal blocking site proximal to said stimulation site with said proximal blocking signal selected to at least partially block nerve impulses proximal to said proximal blocking site.

4. A method according to claim 3 further comprising:

applying a distal electrical blocking signal to said vagus nerve at a distal blocking site distal to said stimulation site with said distal blocking signal selected to at least partially block efferent transmission of said stimulation signal distal to said distal blocking site.

5. A method according to claim 3 wherein said proximal blocking signal is variable by a controller to regulate transmission of afferent proximal to said proximal blocking site.

6. A method according to claim 6 wherein said distal blocking signal is variable by a controller to regulate transmission of efferent proximal to said distal blocking site.