Treatment of motility disorders by nerve stimulation
First Claim
1. A method of treating patients suffering from motility disorders, comprising the steps of:
- sensing a prescribed event indicative of an imminent need for treatment of a specific motility disorder of interest, andresponding to the sensed occurrence of the prescribed event by applying a stimulating electrical signal having predetermined electrical parameters to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve to modulate the electrical activity of the vagus nerve in a manner to produce a reaction in the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract by which to alleviate the motility disorder of interest.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Apparatus for treating patients with motility disorders applies a modulating signal to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve to stimulate or inhibit neural impulses and produce excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter release by the vagus nerve according to the specific nature of the motility disorder. The apparatus includes a neurostimulator which can be activated to generate an electrical output signal. The neurostimulator is responsive to the sensing of a selected event having occurred which is indicative of the need for treatment of the motility disorder, and includes an activation element which responds to sensing of that event to activate the neurostimulator, and a lead with an electrode array to apply the electrical output signal as the modulating signal to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve. Certain parameters of the output signal are programmable, and the neurostimulator can be calibrated according to the specific patient and the specific motility disorder being treated. One form of sensor detects the impedance of a selected part of the gastrointestinal system to detect the presence of excessive contractions in that part as an indication of hypermotility whether or not food has been consumed by the patient within a preset interval of time, and inadequate contractions in that part as an indication of hypomotility if food was consumed by the patient within a preset interval of time.
1175 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of treating patients suffering from motility disorders, comprising the steps of:
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sensing a prescribed event indicative of an imminent need for treatment of a specific motility disorder of interest, and responding to the sensed occurrence of the prescribed event by applying a stimulating electrical signal having predetermined electrical parameters to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve to modulate the electrical activity of the vagus nerve in a manner to produce a reaction in the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal tract by which to alleviate the motility disorder of interest. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. Apparatus for treating patients with motility disorders by application of a modulating signal to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve to stimulate or inhibit neural impulses and produce excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter release by the nerve according to the specific nature of the motility disorder, comprising:
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neurostimulator means for generating an electrical output signal in response to activation thereof, said neurostimulator means including sensing means for detecting the occurrence of a selected event indicative of the need for imminent treatment of the motility disorder, and including activating means responsive to the detection for activating said neurostimulator means, and lead/electrode means responsive to generation of the electrical output signal by said neurostimulator means for application thereof as said modulating signal to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of treating a patient suffering from a motility disorder in which a medical therapeutic device is implanted in the patient'"'"'s body, comprising the device-implemented steps of:
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detecting a response of the patient'"'"'s gastrointestinal (GI) tract to consumption of food by the patient which is abnormal relative to predetermined normal human digestive processes and is indicative of a need for treatment to alleviate a motility disorder of interest, and after detecting the abnormal response, applying to the patient'"'"'s vagus nerve an electrical stimulus configured to modulate the electrical activity of the nerve such that the motility disorder of interest is alleviated. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification