Neurostimulation to treat effects of sleep apnea
First Claim
1. A method for treating effects of sleep apnea comprising stimulating a spinal cord of a patient at a predetermined location to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system of the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Neurostimulation is delivered to one or more predetermined locations on or within a patient in order to treat effects of sleep apnea by modulating autonomic nervous activity. Delivery of neurostimulation at predetermined locations can decrease sympathetic nervous activity and/or increase parasympathetic nervous activity, countering the increased intrinsic sympathetic activity associated with apnea-arousal cycles. In some embodiments, neurostimulation is delivered to the spinal cord of the patient via an implanted electrode. In other embodiments, neurostimulation is delivered transcutaneously to the spinal cord or other locations via electrodes located on the surface of the patient. In some embodiments, delivery of neurostimulation is initiated or modified in response to detection of apneas.
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Citations
57 Claims
- 1. A method for treating effects of sleep apnea comprising stimulating a spinal cord of a patient at a predetermined location to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system of the patient.
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15. A system for treating effects of sleep apnea comprising:
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an electrode located at a predetermined site proximate a spinal cord of a patient; and a processor coupled to the electrode to control delivery of an electrical stimulation therapy to the spinal cord via the electrode to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system to treat effects of sleep apnea of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method for treating effects of sleep apnea comprising:
stimulating a portion of neural tissue of a patient transcutaneously via an electrode in contact with the patient'"'"'s skin at a predetermined location to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42)
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43. A system for treating effects of sleep apnea comprising:
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an electrode located at a predetermined site on and in contact with a surface of the skin of a patient; and a processor coupled to the electrode to control transcutaneous delivery of electrical stimulation therapy from the electrode to a portion of neural tissue of the patient to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system of the patient. - View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A system comprising:
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means for producing stimulation, means for delivering the stimulation to a spinal cord of a patient at a predetermined location to modulate activity of an autonomic nervous system of the patient, and means for identifying an apnea condition, wherein the means for producing stimulation produces the stimulation in response to identification of an apnea condition. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57)
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Specification