Non-invasive treatment of bronchial constriction

• US 8,840,537 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2011
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electrocore, Llc
• Original Assignee: Electrocore, Llc
• Inventors: Simon, Bruce J., Errico, Joseph P., Raffle, John T., Mendez, Steven
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): ANTHONY, JESSICA LYNN
• Application Number:
  US13/018,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20110125213A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 607/42, 600/9, 600 13- 15
• US Class Current: 600/13
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/123 Linear drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1609 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/165 Wearable interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/00 Percussion or vibration massage, e.g. using supersonic vibration; Suction-vibration massage; Massage with moving diaphragms apparatus for passive exercising A61H1/00; generating or transmitting mechanical vibrations in general B06B
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/004 With mechanical drive, e.g. spring mechanism or vibrating unit being hit for starting vibration and then applied to the body of a patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/0236 using sonic waves, e.g. using loudspeakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/00 Artificial respiration or heart stimulation, e.g. heart massage artificial respiration by treatment with gas or air, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration A61M16/00; applying electric currents by contact electrodes for stimulation, e.g. heart pace-makers A61N1/36 ; teaching or training models, demonstration models for medical purposes G09B23/288
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 39/002 Using electric currents electrotherapy A61N1/32
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36014 External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes external pacemakers A61N1/3625
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/40 Applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling microwave apparatus A61N5/00; Applying radio-frequency signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/002 in combination with another treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/006 for magnetic stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2/02 using magnetic fields produced by coils, including single turn loops or electromagnets A61N2/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0605 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 : comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2007/0026 : Stimulation of nerve tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0603 : for treatment of body cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0622 : Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0625 : Warming the body, e.g. hyperthermia treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 7/00 : Ultrasound therapy lithotripsy A61B17/22, A61B17/225; massage using supersonic vibration A61H23/00 ; using ultrasound for introducing media into the body A61M37/0092

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for treating bronchial constriction related to asthma, anaphylaxis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease include non-invasive nerve stimulators. The treatment comprises transmitting impulses of energy non-invasively to selected nerve fibers that are responsible for smooth muscle dilation. The transmitted energy impulses, comprising magnetic and/or electrical, mechanical and/or acoustic, and optical and/or thermal energy, stimulate the selected nerve fibers.

Claims

1. A method of treating bronchial constriction in a patient comprising:

positioning one or more magnetic coils within a container of a conducting fluid such that the one or more magnetic coils are surrounded by the conducting fluid;

positioning a surface of the container against an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient; and

applying a magnetic field to the one or more magnetic coils to induce one or more electrical impulses at or near a vagus nerve of the patient, wherein the one or more electrical impulses are sufficient to stimulate activity of afferent nerve fibers within the vagus nerve such that a magnitude of constriction of bronchial smooth muscle is decreased.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the one or more electrical impulses are induced by a time-varying magnetic field, and wherein the magnetic field is transmitted non-invasively.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the bronchial constriction is associated with asthma.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the bronchial constriction is associated with anaphylaxis.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the bronchial constriction is associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the one or more electrical impulses is carried out without substantially stimulating a set of nerve fibers within the vagus nerve that are responsible for increasing the magnitude of constriction of smooth muscle.

7. The method of claims 6 wherein the set of nerve fibers comprises parasympathetic cholinergic nerve fibers.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the set of nerve fibers compriseefferent fibers of the vagus nerve.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more electrical impulses have a frequency between 15 Hz to 50 Hz.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more electrical impulses have a pulsed on-time of between 50 to 500 microseconds.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting fluid is a conducting gel.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting fluid contains ferromagnetic particles.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting fluid is a magnetorheological fluid.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the conducting fluid is a combination of a magnetorheological fluid and a ferrofluid.