DEVICES AND METHODS FOR INHIBITING GRANULOCYTE ACTIVATION BY NEURAL STIMULATION
First Claim
1. A method of treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder, the method comprising:
- identifying a subject suffering from, or at risk for, a disease or disorder mediated by granulocyte activation; and
stimulating the subject'"'"'s inflammatory reflex in an amount sufficient to achieve an inhibition in expression of a marker of granulocyte activation without desensitizing the response of the granulocytes to vagal stimulation.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Described herein are methods, devices and systems for inhibition of granulocyte activation by appropriate stimulation of the vagus nerve. Methods of treating granulocyte-mediated disorders (including inflammatory disorders) by stimulating the vagus nerve to inhibit granulocyte activation (particularly neutrophil activation) are also described. Appropriate stimulation may be very low levels of stimulation, including stimulation that does not result in desensitization. The level of granulocyte activation may be detected and used to at least partially control stimulation.
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Citations
32 Claims
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1. A method of treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder, the method comprising:
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identifying a subject suffering from, or at risk for, a disease or disorder mediated by granulocyte activation; and stimulating the subject'"'"'s inflammatory reflex in an amount sufficient to achieve an inhibition in expression of a marker of granulocyte activation without desensitizing the response of the granulocytes to vagal stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder in a subject, the method comprising:
stimulating the subject'"'"'s vagus nerve in an amount sufficient to inhibit the expression of CD11b on the surface of the subject'"'"'s granulocyte cells without desensitizing the response of the granulocytes to vagal stimulation. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method of treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder in a subject, the method comprising:
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detecting a granulocyte activation level; and applying stimulation to the subject'"'"'s inflammatory reflex to inhibit granulocyte activation in response to the detected granulocyte activation level. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder in a subject, the system comprising:
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a sensor to detect granulocyte activation level; and a stimulator for stimulating a portion of the inflammatory reflex in response to the detected granulocyte activation level. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
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32. A system for treating and/or preventing a granulocyte-mediated disease or disorder in a subject, the system comprising:
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a sensor to detect CD11b expression on neutrophils; and a stimulator for mechanically stimulating a vagus nerve in response to the level of CD11b expression, whereby the neutrophil activation is inhibited.
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Specification