METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF TREATING PANCREATITIS PAIN

• US 20090192558A1
• Filed: 01/22/2009
• Published: 07/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hastings, Roger, Carbunaru, Rafael, Jaax, Kristen N., Whitehurst, Todd K., DiGiore, Andrew, Schleicher, Brett, Baldwin, Greg
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,322 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula

Abstract

Methods and systems of treating a patient with pancreatitis pain include providing a stimulator, configuring one or more stimulation parameters to treat pancreatitis pain, programming the stimulator with the one or more stimulation parameters, generating a stimulus configured to treat pancreatitis pain with the stimulator in accordance with the one or more stimulation parameters, and applying the stimulus with the stimulator to one or more stimulation sites in accordance with the one or more stimulation parameters.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient with pancreatitis pain, comprising:

generating a stimulus with a stimulator implanted within the patient, and

applying the stimulus to a stimulation site comprising at least one or more of a pancreatic exocrine tissue, a pancreatic endocrine tissue, a nerve innervating the pancreatic exocrine tissue, a nerve innervating the pancreatic endocrine tissue, a pancreatic duct, a celiac trunk, a nerve surrounding or near the celiac trunk, a nerve surrounding or near a superior mesenteric vein or artery, a dorsal root ganglion, a dorsal column, a dorsal root, a sympathetic trunk, a sympathetic ganglia, a spinal cord level, and a somatic nerve, such that the pancreatitis pain is treated.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is configured to suppress production of one or more pancreatic enzymes.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus is configured to reduce neural pain-inducing signals at the stimulation site.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulator is coupled to one or more electrodes, and wherein the stimulus comprises a stimulation current delivered via the electrodes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stimulus comprises an infusion of one or more drugs at the stimulation site.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating an effectiveness of the stimulus and adjusting the stimulation parameters in accordance with the evaluation.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least partially implanting the stimulator within the patient.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring one or more stimulation parameters designed to treat the pancreatitus pain; and

programming the stimulator with the one or more stimulation parameters.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing at least one indicator related to the pancreatitis pain and using the at least one sensed indicator to adjust one or more of the stimulation parameters.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the indicator comprises at least one or more of a neurotransmitter level, a patient input, a change in hormone concentration, a detected stomach activity, a circumference change in a duodenum, a pyloric sphincter contraction, a detection of food passing through the gastrointestinal tract, a change in pH, an audible sound, a contraction of exocrine tissue, a pressure change in a bile duct, a pressure change in a pancreatic duct, a pressure change in an ampulla, and a pressure change in the duodenum.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising sensing the at least one indicator with at least one or more of a patient feedback sensor, a hormonal sensor, a chemical sensor, a piezoelectric sensor, a strain gauge, an optical sensor, a pH sensor, an auditory sensor, and a pressure sensor.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the stimulator within the patient.