Method and apparatus for neural stimulation via the lymphatic system
First Claim
1. A method for delivering neural stimulation to a body having a nervous system and lymphatic vessels including a thoracic duct and vessels branching from the thoracic duct, the method comprising:
- delivering neural stimulation pulses from an implantable medical device to a target region of the nervous system through at least a first stimulation electrode coupled to the implantable medical device and placed in a location in the thoracic duct or one of the vessels branching from the thoracic duct to treat one or more clinical conditions each associated with a physiological function regulated by the target region, wherein the location is adjacent to the target region, and the first stimulation electrode is advance to the location using the thoracic duct as a conduit to reduce invasiveness of a procedure for implantation of the first stimulation electrode;
wherein the one or more clinical conditions is a respiratory disorder, abnormal blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, ischemic insult, heart failure, epilepsy, depression, renal disorders, pain, migraine, obesity, movement disorders, and incontinence.
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Abstract
An implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable medical device having a neural stimulation circuit and at least one implantable lead configured to allow one or more stimulation electrodes to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient'"'"'s thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from the implantable medical device to one or more target regions adjacent to the thoracic duct or the vessels branching from the thoracic duct through the one or more stimulation electrodes.
380 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for delivering neural stimulation to a body having a nervous system and lymphatic vessels including a thoracic duct and vessels branching from the thoracic duct, the method comprising:
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delivering neural stimulation pulses from an implantable medical device to a target region of the nervous system through at least a first stimulation electrode coupled to the implantable medical device and placed in a location in the thoracic duct or one of the vessels branching from the thoracic duct to treat one or more clinical conditions each associated with a physiological function regulated by the target region, wherein the location is adjacent to the target region, and the first stimulation electrode is advance to the location using the thoracic duct as a conduit to reduce invasiveness of a procedure for implantation of the first stimulation electrode; wherein the one or more clinical conditions is a respiratory disorder, abnormal blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, ischemic insult, heart failure, epilepsy, depression, renal disorders, pain, migraine, obesity, movement disorders, and incontinence. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for delivering neural stimulation to a target region in a patient'"'"'s body having a lymphatic system and a nervous system, the lymphatic system including a thoracic duct and vessels branching from the thoracic duct the lymphatic vessel and the target region not constantly in direct contact in their natural state, the method comprising:
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providing an electrode assembly including an electrode base configured to be implanted into a lymphatic vessel and a first stimulation electrode on the electrode base, the electrode base configured to cause a portion of the lymphatic vessel to substantially alter its natural path to contact the target region, to maintain the contact between the portion of the lymphatic vessel and the target region, and to allow the first stimulation electrode to be in contact with an inner wall of the lymphatic vessel after an implantation of the electrode assembly; and delivering neural stimulation pulses to the target region through the first stimulation electrode after the electrode assembly is implanted in a location in the lymphatic vessel using the thoracic duct as a conduit for advancing the electrode assembly to the location to reduce invasiveness of a procedure for implantation of the electrode assembly wherein the location is adjacent to the target region, the target region is part of the nervous system, the lymphatic vessel is the thoracic duct or one of the vessels branching from the thoracic duct, and the neural stimulation pulses are delivered to treat one or more clinical conditions each associated with a physiological function regulated by the target region; wherein the one or more clinical conditions is a respiratory disorder, abnormal blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, ischemic insult, heart failure, epilepsy, depression, renal disorders, pain, migraine, obesity, movement disorders, and incontinence. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26)
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Specification