Microburst Electrical Stimulation Of Cranial Nerves For The Treatment Of Medical Conditions

• US 20140163643A1
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West (CommonSpirit Health (Illinois))
• Original Assignee: Catholic Healthcare West (CommonSpirit Health (Illinois))
• Inventors: Craig, Arthur D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,108,041 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/349 Detecting specific parameters of the electrocardiograph cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/352 Detecting R peaks, e.g. for synchronising diagnostic apparatus; Estimating R-R interval
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/353 Detecting P-waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/355 Detecting T-waves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36064 Epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3611 Respiration control stimulating respiratory organs A61N1/3601
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36178 Burst or pulse train parameters

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device by applying an electrical signal characterized by having a number of pulses per microburst, an interpulse interval, a microburst duration, and an interburst period to a portion of a cranial nerve of said patient, wherein at least one of the number of pulses per microburst, the interpulse interval, the microburst duration, or the interburst period is selected to enhance cranial nerve evoked potentials.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A method performed by an implantable medical device to treat a medical condition in a patient having a brain, a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve, the method comprising:

applying a first electrical signal to a portion of at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve of the patient, the first electrical signal comprising a series of microbursts, a number of pulses per microburst, an interpulse interval, an interburst period between successive microbursts in the series of microbursts, and a microburst duration,

wherein the interburst period is at least 100 msec, the number of pulses per microburst is from 2 pulses to about 15 pulses, and the microburst duration is less than about 1 sec, and

wherein at least one of the number of pulses per microburst, the interpulse interval, the microburst duration, and the interburst period is selectable to enhance nerve evoked potentials in the brain of the patient.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the number of pulses per microburst is from 2 to about 15 or the microburst duration is from about 10 msec to about 80 msec.

26. The method of claim 24, performed by an implantable medical device comprising an electrode coupled to the at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve of the patient, and a programmable electrical signal generator coupled to the electrode, wherein applying the first electrical signal to the portion of the at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve comprises generating the first electrical signal with the electrical signal generator and applying the first electrical signal to the electrode.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

discontinuing applying the first electrical signal; and

applying a second electrical signal to a portion of at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve,

wherein the second electrical signal comprises more than 50 pulses per burst or a burst duration of at least about 7 sec.

28. The method of claim 24 wherein applying the first electrical signal to the portion of the at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve comprises applying the first electrical signal to a vagus nerve of the patient.

31. The method of claim 24, wherein the number of pulses per microburst is 2 pulses to 3 pulses.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the microburst duration is from about 10 msec to about 80 msec.

33. A method of treating a medical condition of a patient having a brain, a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve, the method comprising:

coupling at least one electrode to at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve of the patient;

providing a programmable electrical signal generator coupled to the at least one electrode;

generating a first electrical signal with the programmable electrical signal generator, the electrical signal comprising a series of microbursts, a number of pulses per microburst, an interpulse interval, an interburst period between successive microbursts in the series of microbursts, and a microburst duration, wherein the interburst period is at least 100 msec, the number of pulses per microburst is from 2 pulses to about 25 pulses, the interpulse interval is about 10 msec or less, and the microburst duration is less than about 100 msec, and wherein at least one of the number of pulses per microburst, the interpulse interval, the microburst duration, and the interburst period is selectable to enhance nerve evoked potentials in the brain of the patient; and

applying the first electrical signal to the electrode to treat the medical condition.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein applying the first electrical signal to the at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve is performed during a first period, wherein the method further comprises applying a second electrical signal to the at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve during a second period, the second electrical signal being different from the first electrical signal, wherein the second electrical signal has more than about 50 pulses per burst or a burst duration of at least about 7 sec.

35. A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

applying an electrical signal to a portion of at least one of a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, and a glossopharyngeal nerve of the patient, the electrical signal being configured to enhance cranial nerve evoked potentials in a brain of the patient and comprising;

a plurality of microbursts,

an interburst period between consecutive microbursts of at least 100 msec,

2 to about 25 pulses per microburst,

an interpulse interval from about 1 msec to about 10 msec, and

a microburst duration not greater than 1 sec.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein applying the electrical signal to the portion of at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve comprises applying the electrical signal to a portion of the vagus nerve of the patient.

37. A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

applying a first electrical signal to a vagus nerve of the patient during a first period, wherein the first electrical signal has more than about 50 pulses per burst or a burst duration of at least about 7 sec, and

applying a second electrical signal to the vagus nerve of the patient during a second period, wherein the second electrical signal is configured to enhance cranial nerve evoked potentials in a brain of the patient and has a plurality of microbursts, an interburst period between adjacent microbursts of at least 100 msec, 2 to about 25 pulses per microburst, an interpulse interval from about 1 msec to about 50 msec, and a microburst duration from about 2 msec to about 1 sec.

38. A method of using an implantable medical device to treat a medical condition in a patient having a vagus nerve, a trigeminal nerve, a glossopharyngeal nerve, and a brain, the method comprising:

applying a microburst electrical signal to a portion of at least one of the vagus nerve, the trigeminal nerve, and the glossopharyngeal nerve of the patient, wherein the microburst electrical signal comprises a plurality of microbursts, an interburst period between consecutive microbursts of at least 100 msec, from 2 to about 25 pulses per microburst, an interpulse interval of about 50 msec or less, and a microburst duration of less than about 1 sec,

the microburst electrical signal being configured to enhance nerve evoked potentials in the brain of the patient.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein at least one of the number of pulses per microburst, the interpulse interval, the microburst duration, and the interburst period is selectable to enhance desired nerve evoked potentials in the brain of the patient.