Electrical stimulation treatment of hypotension

• US 7,904,159 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2010
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electrocore, Llc
• Inventors: Errico, Joseph P., Mendez, Steven, Pastena, James R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Manuel; George
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wieland; Robert N
• Application Number:
  US12/756,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191300A1
• Time in Patent Office: 334 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/23, 607/42, 607/96
• US Class Current: 607/23
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating hypotension, such as in cases of shock, including septic shock and anaphylactic shock, wherein the treatment includes providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve of a patient suffering from hypotension to block and/or modulate nerve signals that regulate blood pressure.

Claims

1. A method of treating a patient suffering from a disorder comprising modulating activity in at least one parasympathetic nerve in a selected region of a parasympathetic nervous system comprising parasympathetic nerves to stimulate a nervous response to increase blood pressure in the patient.

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

3. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the modulating step comprises applying an electrical impulse to the at least one nerve in the selected region of the parasympathetic nervous system.

4. The method set forth in claim 3 wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase blood pressure and maintain a stable heart rate.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

implanting one or more electrodes to the selected 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.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising introducing one or more electrodes percutaneous to the selected 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 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 1 Hz to 3000 Hz, and an amplitude of between about 1-12 volts.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 750 Hz to 1250 Hz.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 10 Hz to 35 Hz.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical impulse has an amplitude of between about 0.75 to 1.5 volts.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical impulse has a pulsed on-time of between about 50 to 500 microseconds.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of about 200-400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of between about 100 to 400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the disorder comprises hypotension.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the disorder comprises shock.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the disorder comprises septic shock.

17. A method of treating a patient having a disorder comprising applying energy to at least one nerve in a parasympathetic nervous system of the patient, the energy being sufficient to increase blood pressure while substantially maintaining a heart rate of the patient.

18. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein the at least one nerve comprises a region of a vagus nerve proximal to the cardiac branch of the vagus nerve.

19. The method set forth in claim 17 wherein the applying energy step comprises applying an electrical impulse to the at least one nerve in the selected region of the parasympathetic nervous system.

20. The method set forth in claim 19 wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase blood pressure and maintain a stable heart rate.

21. The method of claim 19 further comprising implanting one or more electrodes to the selected 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.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising introducing one or more electrodes percutaneous to the selected 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.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 1 Hz to 3000 Hz, and an amplitude of between about 1-12 volts.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 750 Hz to 1250 Hz.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency between about 10 Hz to 35 Hz.

26. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has an amplitude of between about 0.75 to 1.5 volts.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has a pulsed on-time of between about 50 to 500 microseconds.

28. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of about 200-400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

29. The method of claim 23 wherein the electrical impulse has a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of between about 100 to 400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

30. The method of claim 17 wherein the disorder comprises hypotension.

31. The method of claim 17 wherein the disorder comprises shock.

32. The method of claim 17 wherein the disorder comprises septic shock.