Methods And Apparatus For Treating Ileus Condition Using Electrical Signals

• US 20090157138A1
• Filed: 10/07/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Inventors: ERRICO, Joseph P., MENDEZ, Steven, STAATS, Peter S.
• Application Number:
  US12/246,605
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157138A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/40
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control

Abstract

A method of treating a temporary arrest of intestinal peristalsis includes inducing at least one of an electric current, an electric field and an electromagnetic field in a sympathetic nerve chain of a mammal to block and/or modulate inhibitory nerve signals thereof such that intestinal peristalsis function is at least partially improved.

Claims

1. A method of treating a temporary arrest of intestinal peristalsis, comprising inducing at least one of an electric current, an electric field and an electromagnetic field in a sympathetic nerve chain of a mammal to block and/or modulate inhibitory nerve signals thereof such that intestinal peristalsis function is at least partially improved.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric current, electric field and/or electromagnetic field is applied to at least one of the celiac ganglia, cervical ganglia, and thoracic ganglia of the sympathetic nerve chain.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric current, electric field and/or electromagnetic field is applied to at least a portion of the splanchnic nerves of the sympathetic nerve chain.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the electric current, electric field and/or electromagnetic field is applied to a spine of the mammal at one or more of the levels from T5 to L2.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising inducing the current and/or field(s) by applying at least one electrical impulse to one or more emitters.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more emitters are disposed at least one of subcutaneously and percutaneously to direct the field(s) to the sympathetic nerve chain.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more emitters include at least one of contact electrodes, capacitive coupling electrodes, and inductive coils.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising applying drive signals to the one or more emitters to produce the at least one impulse and induce the current and/or field(s).

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the drive signals include at least one of sine waves, square waves, triangle waves, exponential waves, and complex impulses.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the drive signals are square waves.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the drive signals include a frequency of about 10 to 200 Hz.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency is between about 10 Hz to 20 Hz.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency is about 15 Hz.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency is about 40-65 Hz.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the frequency is about 50 Hz.

17. The method of claim 9, wherein the drive signals include a duty cycle of between about 0.2 to 1.2%.

18. The method of claim 9, wherein the drive signals include a peak amplitude of about 10 to about 20 volts.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the peak amplitude is between about 10 to about 15 volts.

20. The method of claim 9, wherein the drive signals include a pulse width of about 20 us or greater.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the pulse width is between about 100 to about 300 us.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the pulse width is about 200 us.

23. The method of claim 1, further comprising inducing the electric or electromagnetic field for a predetermined duration.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined duration is between about 5 minutes and about 1 hour.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined duration is between about 5 minutes and about 24 hours.