Treatment of epilepsy by brain stimulation
First Claim
1. A method of treating a patient with epilepsy, comprising:
- implanting at least one system control unit entirely within the brain of the patient, wherein the at least one unit controls the delivery of at least one stimulus to at least one area of the brain affecting epilepsy;
applying the at least one stimulus to the at least one area of the brain in order to at least in part alleviate the epilepsy of the patient being treated; and
applying the at least one stimulus to decrease activity of at least one of the main trigeminal sensory nucleus, the spinal trigeminal nucleus, and the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus;
wherein the at least one system control unit is a microstimulator implanted entirely within the brain.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Introducing one or more stimulating drugs to the brain and/or applying electrical stimulation to the brain is used to treat epilepsy. At least one implantable system control unit (SCU) produces electrical pulses delivered via electrodes implanted in the brain and/or drug infusion pulses delivered via a catheter implanted in the brain. The stimulation is delivered to targeted brain structures to adjust the activity of those structures. The small size of the SCUs of the invention allow SCU implantation directly and entirely within the skull and/or brain. Simplicity of the preferred systems and methods and compactness of the preferred system are enabled by the modest control parameter set of these SCU, which do not require or include a sensing feature.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of treating a patient with epilepsy, comprising:
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implanting at least one system control unit entirely within the brain of the patient, wherein the at least one unit controls the delivery of at least one stimulus to at least one area of the brain affecting epilepsy; applying the at least one stimulus to the at least one area of the brain in order to at least in part alleviate the epilepsy of the patient being treated; and applying the at least one stimulus to decrease activity of at least one of the main trigeminal sensory nucleus, the spinal trigeminal nucleus, and the mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus; wherein the at least one system control unit is a microstimulator implanted entirely within the brain. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of treating a patient with epilepsy, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit that generates stimulating pulses in accordance with prescribed parameters, which stimulating pulses are at least one of infusion pulses and electrical stimulation pulses; providing, connected to the at least one system control unit, at least one catheter with at least one discharge portion or at least one lead with at least one electrode; implanting at least one of the at least one discharge portion and the at least one electrode adjacent to at least one brain structure affecting epilepsy; implanting the at least one system control unit in the patient, wherein the at least one unit controls the delivery of the stimulating pulses applied to the at least one brain structure to be stimulated; tunneling at least one of the at least one catheter and the at least one lead between the at least one brain structure and the system control unit location; applying the stimulating pulses to decrease activity of the at least one brain structure in order to at least in part alleviate the epilepsy of the patient being treated; and wherein the at least one brain structure is at least the nucleus of tractus solitarius (NTS). - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of treating a patient with epilepsy, comprising the steps of:
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providing at least one system control unit that generates stimulating pulses in accordance with prescribed parameters, which stimulating pulses are at least one of infusion pulses and electrical stimulation pulses; providing, connected to the at least one system control unit, at least one catheter with at least one discharge portion or at least one lead with at least one electrode; implanting at least one of the at least one discharge portion and the at least one electrode adjacent to at least one brain structure affecting epilepsy; implanting the at least one system control unit in the patient, wherein the at least one unit controls the delivery of the stimulating pulses applied to the at least one brain structure to be stimulated; tunneling at least one of the at least one catheter and the at least one lead between the at least one brain structure and the system control unit location; applying the stimulating pulses to decrease activity of the at least one brain structure in order to at least in part alleviate the epilepsy of the patient being treated; and wherein the at least one brain structure is at least the nucleus of tractus solitarius (NTS). - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification