Electrical stimulation of blood vessels
First Claim
Patent Images
1. Apparatus comprising:
- a bifurcation stent comprising one or more electrodes, the stent configured to be placed in a primary passage and a secondary passage of a blood vessel; and
a control unit, configured to drive the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel, and to configure the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall,wherein the blood vessel includes an artery and wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply counterpulsation to the artery, by;
driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject,configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, andwithholding the electrodes from the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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Abstract
Apparatus (20) is provided, including a bifurcation stent (50) comprising one or more electrodes (32), the stent (50) configured to be placed in a primary passage (52) and a secondary passage (54) of a blood vessel (30), and a control unit (34), configured to drive the electrodes (32) to apply a signal to a wall (36) of the blood vessel (30), and to configure the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall (36). Other embodiments are also described.
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Citations
69 Claims
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1. Apparatus comprising:
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a bifurcation stent comprising one or more electrodes, the stent configured to be placed in a primary passage and a secondary passage of a blood vessel; and a control unit, configured to drive the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel, and to configure the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery and wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject, configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, and withholding the electrodes from the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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2. Apparatus for applying counterpulsation to an artery of a subject, the apparatus comprising:
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one or more electrodes, adapted to be placed in a vicinity of the artery; and a control unit, configured to apply the counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject, configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, and withholding the electrodes from applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61)
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33. A method comprising:
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placing a bifurcation stent including one or more electrodes in a primary passage and a secondary passage of a blood vessel; driving the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel; and configuring the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery, the method comprising applying counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject; configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating; and withholding applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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34. A method for applying counterpulsation to an artery of a subject, the method comprising:
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applying a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject; configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating; and withholding applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 62)
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63. Apparatus comprising:
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one or more electrodes configured to be placed on a wall of a blood vessel; and a control unit, configured to reduce platelet aggregation in a vicinity of the blood vessel wall by driving the electrodes to apply a signal to the blood vessel wall and by configuring the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery and wherein the control unit is further configured to apply counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject, configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, and withholding the electrodes from applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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64. Apparatus comprising:
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one or more electrodes configured to be placed in a vicinity of a blood vessel bifurcation; and a control unit, configured to drive the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel in the vicinity, and to configure the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery and wherein the control unit is configured to drive the electrodes to apply counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject, configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, and withholding the electrodes from the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy. - View Dependent Claims (65)
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66. A method comprising:
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placing one or more electrodes inside a blood vessel; driving the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel; and reducing platelet aggregation inside the blood vessel by configuring the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery, the method further comprising applying counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject; configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating; and withholding applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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67. A method comprising:
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placing one or more electrodes in a primary passage and a secondary passage of a blood vessel; driving the electrodes to apply a signal to a wall of the blood vessel; and reducing platelet aggregation inside the blood vessel by configuring the signal to increase nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery, the method further comprising applying counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject; configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating; and withholding applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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68. Apparatus, comprising:
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one or more electrodes, adapted to be placed in a vicinity of a blood vessel; and a control unit, configured to; drive the electrodes to apply an electrical signal to a wall of the blood vessel, the electrical signal having an amplitude of 1-10 mA, and configure the signal to dilate the blood vessel by inducing an increase in nitric oxide secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery and wherein the control unit is configured to apply counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving the electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject, configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating, and withholding the electrodes from applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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69. A method, comprising:
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applying an electrical signal to a wall of a blood vessel, the signal having an amplitude of 1-10 mA; and configuring the signal to dilate the blood vessel by inducing an increase in nitric oxide secretion by the wall, wherein the blood vessel includes an artery, the method comprising applying counterpulsation to the artery, by; driving electrodes to apply a systolic electrical signal to a wall of the artery during at least a commencement of systole of a cardiac cycle of the subject; configuring the systolic signal to induce an increase in nitric oxide (NO) secretion by the wall, such that during at least the commencement of systole, the artery stores energy by the wall of the artery dilating; and withholding applying the systolic signal to the wall during at least a portion of diastole of the subject'"'"'s cardiac cycle, such that during the at least a portion of diastole the wall of the artery releases the stored energy.
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Specification