Methods of indirectly stimulating the vagus nerve with an electrical field
First Claim
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1. A method for stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
- inserting an electrode into the trachea of said patient; and
actuating said electrode to create an electrical field effective to stimulate said vagus nerve;
wherein said step of inserting an electrode into the trachea of said patient comprises the step of inserting a first electrode into the trachea of said patient;
wherein said method comprises the further step of inserting a second electrode into the trachea of said patient in spaced apart relation to said first electrode; and
wherein said step of actuating said electrode to create an electrical field comprises the step of actuating at least one of said first and second electrodes to create an electrical field.
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Abstract
A method for indirectly stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient includes the steps of positioning one or more electrodes in the vicinity of the vagus nerve and then actuating the electrode(s) to create an electrical field for stimulating the vagus nerve. Disclosed embodiments include positioning one or more electrodes in the esophagus, trachea, or jugular vein, on the neck of the patient, and combinations thereof.
277 Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method for stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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inserting an electrode into the trachea of said patient; and
actuating said electrode to create an electrical field effective to stimulate said vagus nerve;
wherein said step of inserting an electrode into the trachea of said patient comprises the step of inserting a first electrode into the trachea of said patient;
wherein said method comprises the further step of inserting a second electrode into the trachea of said patient in spaced apart relation to said first electrode; and
wherein said step of actuating said electrode to create an electrical field comprises the step of actuating at least one of said first and second electrodes to create an electrical field. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a first electrode into the esophagus of said patient;
inserting a second electrode into the trachea of said patient; and
actuating at least one of said electrodes to create an electrical field which stimulates said vagus nerve;
wherein said step of inserting a second electrode into the trachea of said patient comprises the step of inserting a second electrode into the trachea of said patient to a location approximately one centimeter from said first electrode in said esophagus of said patient. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A method for stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a first electrode into the trachea of said patient;
inserting a second electrode into a jugular vein of said patient; and
actuating at least one of said electrodes to create an electrical field which stimulates said vagus nerve. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A method for stimulating a vagus nerve of a patient, comprising the steps of:
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inserting a first electrode into the trachea of said patient;
placing a second electrode on the neck of said patient; and
actuating at least one of said electrodes to create an electrical field which stimulates said vagus nerve. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification