EFFERENT AND AFFERENT SPLANCHNIC NERVE STIMULATION
First Claim
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1. A method, for inducing weight loss, the method comprising:
- modulating at least one of a left splanchnic nerve and a right splanchnic nerve of a mammal with an electrical stimulation pattern;
wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve is selected from the group consisting of a greater splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, a lesser splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, and a least splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof,wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve comprises at least one afferent fiber and at least one efferent fiber;
wherein the stimulation pattern comprises a current amplitude, a frequency, a pulse width, an on time, and an off time; and
wherein the stimulation pattern is configured to result in fat loss in the mammal.
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Abstract
Methods and devices providing for bilateral stimulation of left and right splanchnic nerves. Some embodiments of the method increase satiety, reduce appetite, affect gastric motility, and/or reduce food intake, resulting in weight loss. Some methods provided take advantage of anatomy, physiology, and natural body time periods to change stimulation locations and patterns to prevent the body from ignoring the administered stimulation signals in order to continue to induce weight loss over long time periods.
231 Citations
69 Claims
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1. A method, for inducing weight loss, the method comprising:
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modulating at least one of a left splanchnic nerve and a right splanchnic nerve of a mammal with an electrical stimulation pattern; wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve is selected from the group consisting of a greater splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, a lesser splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, and a least splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve comprises at least one afferent fiber and at least one efferent fiber; wherein the stimulation pattern comprises a current amplitude, a frequency, a pulse width, an on time, and an off time; and wherein the stimulation pattern is configured to result in fat loss in the mammal. - 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, 35)
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36. An implantable medical device that outputs a configured signal effective to modulate a nerve in a mammal, wherein the electrical signal comprises:
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modulating at least one of a left splanchnic nerve and a right splanchnic nerve of a mammal with an electrical stimulation pattern; wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve is selected from the group consisting of a greater splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, a lesser splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, and a least splanchnic nerve or a branch thereof, wherein each of the left splanchnic nerve and the right splanchnic nerve comprises at least one afferent fiber and at least one efferent fiber; wherein the stimulation pattern comprises a current amplitude, a frequency, a pulse width, an on time, and an off time; and wherein the stimulation pattern is configured to result in fat loss in the mammal. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69)
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- 55. The device of claim 55, wherein the modulating comprises a period of reduced or absent stimulation that separates a period of simultaneously electrically activating the at least one afferent fiber of the right splanchnic nerve and the at least one efferent fiber of the right splanchnic nerve, from a period of simultaneously electrically activating the at least one afferent fiber of the left splanchnic nerve and the at least one efferent fiber of the left splanchnic nerve.
Specification