Methods for treating tinnitus by drug microinfusion from a neural prosthesis inserted in the brain
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of treating a tinnitus patient, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining an image of a target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain;
inserting a catheter of a neural prosthetic apparatus into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain using the image as a guide, said neural prosthetic apparatus comprising a drug reservoir for containing a drug, said drug reservoir coupled to said catheter, said catheter having a plurality of drug delivery ports for outputting said drug, said drug suppressing abnormal neural activity;
providing a supply of said drug for outputting into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain;
outputting said drug into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain;
monitoring the patient'"'"'s response to said drug outputted into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain; and
manually adjusting the amount of said drug outputted into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain according to the patient'"'"'s response to said drug outputted.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for implanting a neural prosthetic drug delivery apparatus into a target zone of a patient'"'"'s brain for reducing or eliminating the effects of tinnitus. The apparatus includes a catheter which is inserted into the patient'"'"'s auditory cortex or thalamus. The catheter microinfuses drugs which suppress or eliminate abnormal neural activity into geometrically separate locations of the patient'"'"'s cortex or thalamus, thereby reducing or eliminating the effects of tinnitus.
126 Citations
12 Claims
-
1. A method of treating a tinnitus patient, comprising the steps of:
-
obtaining an image of a target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain; inserting a catheter of a neural prosthetic apparatus into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain using the image as a guide, said neural prosthetic apparatus comprising a drug reservoir for containing a drug, said drug reservoir coupled to said catheter, said catheter having a plurality of drug delivery ports for outputting said drug, said drug suppressing abnormal neural activity; providing a supply of said drug for outputting into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain; outputting said drug into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain; monitoring the patient'"'"'s response to said drug outputted into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain; and manually adjusting the amount of said drug outputted into said target zone of the patient'"'"'s brain according to the patient'"'"'s response to said drug outputted. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
Specification