Use of electrical stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter to modulate lower esophageal sphincter pressure
First Claim
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1. A method of modulating pressure of a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- providing an electrical signal; and
delivering the electrical signal to a portion of a region encompassing said LES, wherein said region comprises the LES, 3 cm above the LES and 3 cm below the LES, to stimulate the LES and to increase the LES pressure, wherein said electrical signal is adapted to cause said LES pressure increase to be maintained for a period of at least twenty minutes after stimulation ceases.
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Abstract
The present invention describes methods and devices using low frequency electrical stimulation or neural high frequency stimulation to modulate lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure. The electrical stimulation may be delivered to the LES via one or more electrodes that is placed in contact with the LES tissue. The methods and devices are useful to treat a number of conditions or disease conditions, including for example, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
110 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of modulating pressure of a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- providing an electrical signal; and
delivering the electrical signal to a portion of a region encompassing said LES, wherein said region comprises the LES, 3 cm above the LES and 3 cm below the LES, to stimulate the LES and to increase the LES pressure, wherein said electrical signal is adapted to cause said LES pressure increase to be maintained for a period of at least twenty minutes after stimulation ceases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
- providing an electrical signal; and
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10. A method of treating a condition or disease condition related to or caused by abnormal pressure of a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- providing an electrical signal; and
delivering the electrical signal to a portion of a region encompassing the LES, wherein said region comprises the LES, 3 cm above the LES and 3 cm below the LES, to stimulate the LES and to increase the LES pressure, wherein said electrical signal is adapted to cause said LES pressure increase to be maintained for a period of at least twenty minutes after stimulation ceases. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
- providing an electrical signal; and
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20. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for applying an electrical signal to stimulate the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) to modulate pressure of the LES in a subject in need thereof or to treat a condition or disease condition related to or caused by abnormal LES pressure in a subject in need thereof, comprising:
- instructions to generate and deliver an electrical signal comprising low frequency pulses to increase the LES pressure, wherein said electrical signal is adapted to cause said LES pressure increase to be maintained for a period of at least twenty minutes after stimulation ceases; and
electrodes adapted to be implanted in a portion of a region encompassing the LES, wherein said region comprises the LES, 3 cm above the LES and 3 cm below the LES. - View Dependent Claims (21)
- instructions to generate and deliver an electrical signal comprising low frequency pulses to increase the LES pressure, wherein said electrical signal is adapted to cause said LES pressure increase to be maintained for a period of at least twenty minutes after stimulation ceases; and
Specification