Pancreatitis treatment
First Claim
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1. A method for treating pancreatitis comprising:
- positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve at a site below a vagal innervation of a heart of a patient having pancreatitis, with the nerve innervating at least one of a plurality of alimentary tract organs; and
treating the patient'"'"'s pancreatitis by applying an electrical signal to the electrode intermittently multiple times in a day and over multiple days, wherein the electrical signal is selected to a) at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve;
b) allow at least partial restoration of nerve activity following discontinuation of application of the signal to the nerve;
c) reduce pancreatic and biliary output via inhibition of pancreo-biliary output; and
d)have a frequency of at least 500 Hz.
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Abstract
At least one of a plurality of disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by vagal activity innervating at least one of a plurality of organs of the patient is treated by a method that includes positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve. In another embodiment, the electrical signal is applied to the vagus nerve transmucosally. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity by an amount selected to treat the disorder. In some embodiments, the disorder is pancreatitis. The signal may be a blocking or a stimulation signal. In some embodiments, the signal is selected to, at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A method for treating pancreatitis comprising:
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positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve at a site below a vagal innervation of a heart of a patient having pancreatitis, with the nerve innervating at least one of a plurality of alimentary tract organs; and treating the patient'"'"'s pancreatitis by applying an electrical signal to the electrode intermittently multiple times in a day and over multiple days, wherein the electrical signal is selected to a) at least in part, downregulate neural activity on the vagus nerve;
b) allow at least partial restoration of nerve activity following discontinuation of application of the signal to the nerve;
c) reduce pancreatic and biliary output via inhibition of pancreo-biliary output; and
d)have a frequency of at least 500 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for treating pancreatitis in a patient comprising:
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positioning an electrode in contact with mucosal tissue in an esophagus or at an esophagus stomach junction in the patient; and treating the patient'"'"'s pancreatitis by applying an electrical signal to the electrode intermittently multiple times in a day and over multiple days, wherein the electrical signal is selected to a) at least in part, downregulate neural activity on a vagus nerve;
b) allow at least partial restoration of nerve activity following discontinuation of application of the signal to the nerve;
c) reduce pancreatic and biliary output via inhibition of pancreo-biliary output; and
d) have a frequency of at least 500 Hz. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification