Methods and apparatus for treating anaphylaxis using electrical modulation

• US 7,869,880 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2010
• Issued: 01/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electrocore, Llc
• Inventors: Errico, Joseph P., Mendez, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland; Robert N
• Application Number:
  US12/752,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20100228316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 285 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/42, 607/96
• US Class Current: 607/42
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36034 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36153 Voltage A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36175 Pulse width or duty cycle

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, bronchial constriction, and/or asthma include providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve of a patient suffering from anaphylaxis to block and/or modulate nerve signals that would regulate the function of, for example, myocardial tissue, vasodilation/constriction and/or pulmonary tissue.

Claims

1. A method of treating bronchoconstriction in a patient comprising modulating activity in at least one selected nerve in a region of a parasympathetic nervous system of the patient, comprising parasympathetic nerves to stimulate a nervous response to relax bronchial smooth muscle to reduce a magnitude of constriction of the bronchial smooth muscle of the patient.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the region of the parasympathetic nervous system comprises a region of the vagus nerve proximal to at least one of the cardiac branch and the bronchial branch of the vagus nerve.

3. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the modulating step is carried out by applying at least one electrical impulse to the at least one selected nerve.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the electrical impulse does not substantially increase a heart rate of the patient.

5. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein the region of the vagus nerve includes one or more of:

the superior and/or inferior cardiac branches of the vagus nerve;

the anterior and/or posterior bronchial branches of the vagus nerve;

the right branch of the vagus nerve,

the left branch of the vagus nerve;

at or near the anterior or posterior coronary plexus; and

at or near the anterior or posterior pulmonary plexus.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

implanting one or more electrodes to the one or more regions of the parasympathetic nervous system; and

applying one or more electrical stimulation signals to the electrodes to produce the at least one electrical impulse.

7. The method of claim 3 further comprising percutaneously introducing one or more electrodes to the one or more regions of the parasympathetic nervous system.

8. The method of claim 3 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of between about 1 Hz to 3000 Hz, and an amplitude of between about 1-12 volts.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the frequency is between about 10 Hz to 50 Hz.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the electrical impulse has an amplitude of between about 5 to 12 volts.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the electrical impulse has a pulsed on-time of between about 50 to 500 microseconds.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of about 100-400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 6 to 12 volts.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the bronchoconstriction is associated with anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, bronchial constriction, and/or asthma.

14. A method of treating bronchoconstriction in a patient comprising applying energy to one or more selected nerve(s) in a parasympathetic nervous system of the patient, the energy being sufficient to increase a blood pressure and relax bronchial smooth muscle and reduce a magnitude of constriction of the bronchial smooth muscle of the patient.

15. The method set forth in claim 14 wherein the one or more selected nerve(s) comprise a region of the vagus nerve proximal to at least one of the cardiac branch and the bronchial branch of the vagus nerve.

16. The method set forth in claim 14 wherein the applying energy step is carried out by applying at least one electrical impulse to the one or more selected nerve(s).

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the energy does not substantially increase a heart rate of the patient.

18. The method set forth in claim 15 wherein the region of the vagus nerve includes one or more of:

the superior and/or inferior cardiac branches of the vagus nerve;

the anterior and/or posterior bronchial branches of the vagus nerve;

the right branch of the vagus nerve,

the left branch of the vagus nerve;

at or near the anterior or posterior coronary plexus; and

at or near the anterior or posterior pulmonary plexus.

19. The method of claim 16 further comprising implanting one or more electrodes adjacent to or near the one or more selected nerve(s) and applying one or more electrical stimulation signals to the electrodes to produce the at least one electrical impulse.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising percutaneously introducing one or more electrodes adjacent to or near the one or more selected nerve(s).

21. The method of claim 16 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of between about 1 Hz to 3000 Hz, and an amplitude of between about 1-12 volts.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the frequency is between about 10 Hz to 50 Hz.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein the electrical impulse has an amplitude of between about 5 to 12 volts.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein the electrical impulse has a pulsed on-time of between about 50 to 500 microseconds.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of about 100-400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 6 to 12 volts.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the bronchoconstriction is associated with anaphylaxis, anaphylactic shock, bronchial constriction, and/or asthma.