Techniques of treating epilepsy by brain stimulation and drug infusion
First Claim
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1. A method of using at least one drug to treat epilepsy by means of an implantable pump and a catheter having a proximal end coupled to said pump and a discharge portion for infusing therapeutic dosages of said at least one drug, said method comprising the steps of:
- surgically implanting said catheter in the brain so that said discharge portion lies adjacent a predetermined infusion site in the brain, wherein said predetermined infusion site is selected from the group consisting of the seizure focus, anterior thalamus, ventrolateral thalamus (Thal), internal segment of globus pallidus (GPi), substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), subthalamic nucleus (STN), external segment of globus pallidus (GPe), and neostriatum; and
operating said pump to discharge a predetermined dosage of said at least one drug through said discharge portion of said catheter into said infusion site, whereby a neurological disorder is treated.
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Abstract
Techniques using one or more drugs and electrical stimulation for treating a neurological disorder, including epilepsy, by means of an implantable signal generator and electrode and an implantable pump and catheter. A sensor is used to detect a seizure or symptoms resulting from the onset of a seizure. A microprocessor algorithm analyzes the output from the sensor in order to regulate the stimulation and drug dosage delivered to the neural tissue.
407 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of using at least one drug to treat epilepsy by means of an implantable pump and a catheter having a proximal end coupled to said pump and a discharge portion for infusing therapeutic dosages of said at least one drug, said method comprising the steps of:
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surgically implanting said catheter in the brain so that said discharge portion lies adjacent a predetermined infusion site in the brain, wherein said predetermined infusion site is selected from the group consisting of the seizure focus, anterior thalamus, ventrolateral thalamus (Thal), internal segment of globus pallidus (GPi), substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), subthalamic nucleus (STN), external segment of globus pallidus (GPe), and neostriatum; and operating said pump to discharge a predetermined dosage of said at least one drug through said discharge portion of said catheter into said infusion site, whereby a neurological disorder is treated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of treating a neurological disorder producing a condition resulting from the onset of a seizure, comprising:
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implanting a signal generator in a body; implanting at least one electrode in at least one predetermined site in a brain of said body; coupling said at least one electrode to said signal generator; generating a sensor signal responsive to said condition resulting from an onset of a seizure; generating stimulation pulses with said signal generator; and regulating at least one characteristic of said stimulation pulses in response to said sensor signal, whereby said neurological disorder is treated. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for using one or more drugs to treat a neurological disorder producing a condition resulting from the onset of a seizure comprising in combination:
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an implantable pump; a catheter having a proximal end coupled to said pump and a discharge portion adapted to infuse a predetermined dosage of said one or more drugs into a predetermined infusion site in a brain; a sensor for generating a sensor signal responsive to said condition resulting from the onset of a seizure; and control means responsive to said sensor signal for determining the onset of a seizure and for regulating said dosage, whereby said neurological disorder is treated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system for using at least one drug to treat a neurological disorder producing a condition resulting from the onset of a seizure comprising in combination:
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an implantable pump; a signal generator for generating stimulation pulses; a combined catheter-electrode having a proximal end coupled to said pump and said signal generator and a distal end adapted to infuse a predetermined dosage of at least one drug into a predetermined infusion site in a brain, said distal end also having at least one electrode responsive to said stimulation pulses for electrically stimulating said predetermined infusion site; a sensor for generating a sensor signal responsive to said condition resulting from the onset of a seizure and having means for detecting neuronal activity; and control means responsive to said sensor signal for regulating said dosage and stimulation pulses, whereby said neurological disorder is treated.
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21. A method of using at least one drug to treat epilepsy by means of an implantable pump and a catheter having a proximal end coupled to said pump and a discharge portion for infusing therapeutic dosages of said at least one drug, said method comprising the steps of:
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surgically implanting said catheter so that said discharge portion lies adjacent a predetermined infusion site above the cortex of the brain; and operating said pump to discharge a predetermined dosage of said at least one drug through said discharge portion of said catheter into said infusion site, whereby a neurological disorder is treated. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification