Neural tourniquet

• US 8,729,129 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2005
• Issued: 05/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Feinstein Institutes For Medical Research
• Original Assignee: The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research (Northwell Health, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tracey, Kevin J., Amella, Carol Ann, Czura, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Krass, Frederick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Roney, Celeste A
• Application Number:
  US11/088,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20050282906A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,344 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 514/614
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/165 having aromatic rings, e.g. colchicine, atenolol, progabide
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/4439 containing a five-membered ring with nitrogen as a ring hetero atom, e.g. omeprazole nicotine A61K31/465
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 31/4747 spiro-condensed
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 25/00 Drugs for disorders of the nervous system
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 41/00 Drugs used in surgical methods, e.g. surgery adjuvants for preventing adhesion or for vitreum substitution
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 43/00 Drugs for specific purposes, not provided for in groups A61P1/00-A61P41/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 7/04 Antihaemorrhagics; Procoagulants; Haemostatic agents; Antifibrinolytic agents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of reducing bleed time in a subject by activation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in said subject. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway can be activated by direct or indirect stimulation of the vagus nerve. The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway can also be activated by administering an effective amount of cholinergic agonist or acetylcholinesterase inhibitor to the subject.

Claims

1. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject suffering bleeding, the method comprising activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway by stimulating the vagus nerve with a signal current of less than 10 mA;

and reducing bleed time of the bleeding by at least 20%.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject is a human.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is activated by stimulating the vagus nerve in the brain.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the vagus nerve is indirectly stimulated.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the vagus nerve is indirectly stimulated with a transdermal or trans-esophageal device.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the vagus nerve is directly stimulated.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the vagus nerve is stimulated electrically.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the efferent vagus nerve is stimulated.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the efferent vagus nerve is stimulated electrically.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the vagus nerve is directly stimulated with an implanted device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject suffers from a condition of hemophilia.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject is suffering from a clotting disorder other than hemophilia.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject is suffering bleeding caused by a wound.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the subject is undergoing surgery.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the activating includes stimulating for about 20 minutes or less.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the activating includes stimulating for about 1 to about 120 seconds.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the bleed time is reduced by at least 70% over non-treated controls.

15. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject expected to suffer bleeding during a surgical procedure, the method comprising activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway by stimulating the vagus nerve with a signal current of less than 10 mA, wherein the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is stimulated prior to the surgical procedure;

performing the surgical procedure; and

reducing bleeding that resulted from the surgical procedure by at least 20%.

16. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject suffering bleeding, the method comprising activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway by stimulating the vagus nerve with a constant voltage of between about 0.01V to 10V;

and reducing bleed time of the bleeding by at least 20%.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is activated by stimulating the vagus nerve with a constant voltage of between about 0.01V to 1V.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is activated by stimulating the vagus nerve with a constant voltage of between about 0.01V to 0.1V.

19. The method of claim 16wherein the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway is activated by stimulating the vagus nerve with a constant voltage of between about 0.01V to 0.05V.

20. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject suffering bleeding, the method comprising activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway by stimulating the vagus nerve without decreasing the heart rate of the subject;

and reducing bleed time of the bleeding by at least 20%.

21. A method of reducing bleed time in a subject in need of such treatment, the method comprising activating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway by stimulating the vagus nerve;

and reducing bleed time of the bleeding by at least 20%, wherein the subject is suffering bleeding caused by a wound.