Apparatus and method for neuromodulation therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders using an implantable lead-receiver and an external stimulator
First Claim
1. An apparatus for adjunct (add-on) therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders by neuromodulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising;
- a) an implantable lead-receiver comprising, circuitry, a secondary coil, and at least one electrode adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve;
b) an ambulatory external stimulator for delivering therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders;
said external stimulator comprising a power source, circuitry to emit electrical signals, a computer readable medium encoded with at least two pre-determined programs of said electrical signals, and a primary coil;
c) a regulation means to adjust said electrical signals delivered from said stimulator to said lead-receiver;
d) said primary coil and said secondary coil being capable of forming an electrical connection by inductive coupling, whereby said apparatus delivers therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method of neuromodulation adjunct (add-on) therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders, comprises an implantable lead-receiver and an external stimulator. Neuromodulation is performed using pulsed electrical stimulation. The external stimulator contains a power source, controlling circuitry, a primary coil, and predetermined programs which control the different levels of therapy. The primary coil of the external stimulator inductively transfers electrical signals to the lead-receiver, which is also in electrical contact with the left vagus nerve. The external stimulator emits electrical pulses to stimulate the vagus nerve according to a predetermined program. In a second mode of operation, an operator may manually override the predetermined sequence of stimulation. The predetermined programs have different levels of control, which is password protected. The external stimulator may also be equipped with a telecommunications module to control the predetermined programs remotely.
402 Citations
63 Claims
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1. An apparatus for adjunct (add-on) therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders by neuromodulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising;
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a) an implantable lead-receiver comprising, circuitry, a secondary coil, and at least one electrode adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve;
b) an ambulatory external stimulator for delivering therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders;
said external stimulator comprising a power source, circuitry to emit electrical signals, a computer readable medium encoded with at least two pre-determined programs of said electrical signals, and a primary coil;
c) a regulation means to adjust said electrical signals delivered from said stimulator to said lead-receiver;
d) said primary coil and said secondary coil being capable of forming an electrical connection by inductive coupling, whereby said apparatus delivers therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for adjunct (add-on) therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders by neuromodulating a vagus nerve of a patient, that can be remotely controlled using the internet, comprising,
a) an implantable lead-receiver comprising circuitry, a secondary coil, and at least one electrode adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve; -
b) an ambulatory external stimulator for delivering therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders wherein said external stimulator comprising a power source, circuitry to emit electrical signals, a computer readable medium encoded with at least two pre-determined programs of said electrical signals, and a primary coil;
c) a regulation means to regulate said electric signals delivered from said external stimulator to said implantable lead-receiver;
d) said primary coil and said secondary coil being capable of forming an electrical connection by inductive coupling;
e) a telemetry means for remotely controlling said predetermined programs over the internet, whereby said system delivers neuromodulation therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders which can be remotely controlled over the internet. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for neuromodulating a vagus nerve for treatment of obesity and compulsive eating disorders, comprising;
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a) selecting a predetermined program to control the output of an external stimulator;
b) activating said external stimulator to emit electrical signals in accordance with said predetermined program; and
c) inductively coupling said external stimulator with an implantable lead-receiver to stimulate a vagus nerve, d) regulating said electric signals delivered from said external stimulator to said implantable lead-receiver by regulation means, whereby neuromodulation therapy is provided to said vagus nerve for treatment of obesity and compulsive eating disorders. - View Dependent Claims (39)
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40. A method of treating obesity and compulsive eating disorders by providing pulsed electrical stimulation to a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an implantable lead-receiver comprising, circuitry, a secondary coil, and at least one electrode adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve;
b) providing an external stimulator for providing therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders;
said stimulator comprising circuitry to emit electrical signals, at least two predetermined programs to control said electrical signals, a primary coil and a power supply;
c) activating one of said at least two programs of said external stimulator;
d) inductively transferring said electrical signals from said primary coil to said secondary coil;
whereby said electrical signals stimulate the vagus nerve according to at least one of said at least two predetermined programs to provide therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
a) said electrical signals comprise at least one variable component selected from the group consisting of the current amplitude, pulse width, frequency, and on-off timing sequence; - and
b) said at least two predetermined programs controls said variable component of said electrical signals.
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49. The method of claim 40, further comprising a means to manually disengage said at least two predetermined programs.
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50. The method of claim 40, wherein, said stimulator further compromises means to lock out at least one of said at least two predetermined programs to the patent.
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51. A method of providing adjunct (add-on) therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders by electrical stimulation of a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing an implantable lead-receiver comprising, circuitry, a secondary coil, and at least one electrode adapted to be in contact with said vagus nerve;
b) providing an external stimulator comprising, circuitry to emit electrical signals, at least two predetermined programs of electrical signals to provide therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders, an external coil and a power supply;
c) activating one of said at least two predetermined programs of said external stimulator;
d) inductively transferring said electrical signals from said primary coil to said secondary coil;
e) providing regulating means to adjust electric signals transferred from said primary coil to said secondary coil of said implantable lead-receiver;
whereby, said electrical signals stimulate said vagus nerve according to at least one of said at least two predetermined programs for providing therapy for obesity and compulsive eating disorders. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63)
a) said electrical signals comprise at least one variable component selected from the group consisting of the current amplitude, pulse width, frequency, and on-off timing sequence; - and
b) said at least two predetermined programs controls said variable component of said electrical signals.
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63. The method of claim 51, wherein, said stimulator further compromises means to lock out at least one of said at least two predetermined programs to the patient.
Specification