METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NEURAL STIMULATION VIA THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM

• US 20100042170A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 02/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Allan C. Shuros, Anthony V. Caparso, Randy Westlund
• Original Assignee: Allan C. Shuros, Anthony V. Caparso, Randy Westlund
• Inventors: Westlund, Randy, Shuros, Allan C., Caparso, Anthony V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,369,943 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362

Abstract

An implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable medical device having a neural stimulation circuit and at least one implantable lead configured to allow one or more stimulation electrodes to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient'"'"'s thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from the implantable medical device to one or more target regions adjacent to the thoracic duct or the vessels branching from the thoracic duct through the one or more stimulation electrodes.

Claims

1. A method for delivering neural stimulation to a body having lymphatic vessels including a thoracic duct, the method comprising:

delivering neural stimulation pulses from an implantable medical device to at least a first stimulation electrode placed in one of the lymphatic vessels.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising altering a natural path of the one of the lymphatic vessels to cause a portion of the one of the lymphatic vessels to contact a target region to which the neural stimulation are delivered using an electrode base configured to be implanted in the one of the lymphatic vessels, and wherein the first stimulation electrode is incorporated into or integrated with the electrode base.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses through a stimulation electrode placed in the thoracic duct.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses through a stimulation electrode placed in one of the vessels branching from the thoracic duct.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses through the first stimulation electrode and a second stimulation electrode placed in the one of the lymphatic vessels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses through the first stimulation electrode and a second stimulation electrode placed in a location in the body external the lymphatic vessels.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

sensing one or more physiological signals; and

controlling the delivery of the neural stimulation pulses using the one or more physiological signals.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sensing the one or more physiological signals comprises sensing a neural signal using the first stimulation electrode, and controlling the delivery of the neural stimulation pulses comprises controlling the delivery of the neural stimulation pulses using the neural signal.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

controlling the delivery of the neural stimulation pulses using a plurality of stimulation parameters;

receiving one or more values of the plurality of stimulation parameters; and

storing the received one or more values of the plurality of the stimulation parameters.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising programming one or more values of the stimulation parameters according to a target to which the neural stimulation pulses are delivered, the target including one or more component of a nervous system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses to a parasympathetic nerve.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses to a vagus nerve.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses to a sympathetic nerve.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses to a spinal cord.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein delivering the neural stimulation pulses comprises delivering the neural stimulation pulses to baroreceptors.

16. A method for delivering neural stimulation to a target region in a patient'"'"'s body having a lymphatic vessel and a nervous system, the target region being part of the nervous system, the lymphatic vessel and the target region not constantly in direct contact in their natural state, the method comprising:

providing an electrode assembly including an electrode base configured to be implanted into the lymphatic vessel and a first stimulation electrode on the electrode base, the electrode base configured to cause a portion of the lymphatic vessel to substantially alter its natural path to contact the target region, to maintain the contact between the portion of the lymphatic vessel and the target region, and to allow the first stimulation electrode to be in contact with an inner wall of the lymphatic vessel after an implantation of the electrode assembly; and

delivering neural stimulation pulses to the target region through the first stimulation electrode after the electrode base is implanted into the lymphatic vessel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the electrode assembly comprises providing an electrode assembly including an elongate electrode base including one or more biases each configured to cause the portion of the lymphatic vessel to substantially alter its natural path to contact the target region, the elongate electrode base having a stiffness allowing for maintaining the contact between the portion of the lymphatic vessel and the target region after the implantation of the electrode assembly.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein providing the electrode assembly comprises providing an electrode assembly including an expandable electrode base configured to cause the portion of the lymphatic vessel to substantially alter its natural path to contact the target region after the expandable electrode base is expanded.

19. The method of claim 16, comprising delivering the neural stimulation pulses from an implantable medical device connected to the first stimulation electrode through an implantable lead.

20. The method of claim 19, comprising deliver neural stimulation pulses to the target region through the first stimulation electrode and a second stimulation electrode placed in a location external to the lymphatic vessel.