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Detection and treatment of abnormal esophageal sphincter functionality

  • US 9,526,449 B2
  • Filed: 05/03/2011
  • Issued: 12/27/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2010
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An esophageal device for diagnosing Upper Esophageal Sphincter (UES) pathology, the esophageal device comprising:

  • (a) a intra-luminal pressure sensor configured to measure UES pressure when the intra-luminal pressure sensor is located within an Upper Esophageal Sphincter of a patient;

    (b) a fluid infusion device including;

    tubing configured for insertion into an esophagus of a patient;

    a pump configured to inject fluid into the tubing, wherein, when the tubing is inserted into the esophagus, injection of the fluid invokes a pharyngeal reflux in the patient; and

    a controller configured to control a pump pressure of the pump;

    (c) an output device;

    (d) an article of manufacture communicatively coupled with the output device, the article of manufacture including a processor and a non-transitory computer readable medium having computer readable program code disposed therein, the computer readable program code comprising a series of computer readable program steps to effect;

    receiving indicia about the UES pressure measured by the intra-luminal pressure sensor when the pharyngeal reflux occurs in the patient;

    comparing the received said UES pressure of the patient with a predetermined said UES pressure, wherein the predetermined said UES pressure is determined from at least one said UES pressure of a corresponding control subject when the corresponding control subject experiences pharyngeal reflux; and

    transmitting a result of the comparison to the output device accessible by a health care provider diagnosing the patient; and

    (e) a non-invasive device that compresses a cricoid of the patient thereby changing the UES pressure detected by the intra-luminal pressure sensor, wherein the non-invasive device comprises;

    a cushion, a band coupled to the cushion, and a coupling clasp attached to the band, wherein when the band is placed in tension in a preset configuration about a neck of the patient using the clasp, the cushion is compressed towards the cricoid and the UES pressure within the Upper Esophageal Sphincter is set at a predetermined intra-luminal pressure suitable for treating a patient having an abnormality in UES anatomy, physiology, or functionality,wherein when the band is placed in the preset configuration using the clasp a relative position of a first end of the band to a second end of the band provides an identifier that the non-invasive device will induce the predetermined intra-luminal pressure.

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