Electrical treatment of bronchial constriction
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of treating a medical disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
- advancing an introducer through an incision in an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient to a target site at or near a vagus nerve of a patient;
introducing one or more electrodes through the introducer to the target site;
positioning the one or more electrodes adjacent the vagus nerve exterior to a carotid sheath of the vagus nerve;
generating an electrical impulse from a location exterior to the patient; and
transmitting the electrical impulse through the incision in the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient to the one or more electrodes such that the electrical impulse is applied to the vagus nerve, wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve to treat the medical disorder, wherein the medical disorder is bronchoconstriction and the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase a forced expiratory volume in 1 second of the patient by a clinically significant amount in a period of time less than 6 hours.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Devices, systems and methods for treating bronchial constriction related to asthma, anaphylaxis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease wherein the treatment includes stimulating selected nerve fibers responsible for smooth muscle dilation at a selected region within a patient'"'"'s neck, thereby reducing the magnitude of constriction of bronchial smooth muscle.
-
Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A method of treating a medical disorder in a patient, the method comprising:
-
advancing an introducer through an incision in an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient to a target site at or near a vagus nerve of a patient; introducing one or more electrodes through the introducer to the target site; positioning the one or more electrodes adjacent the vagus nerve exterior to a carotid sheath of the vagus nerve; generating an electrical impulse from a location exterior to the patient; and transmitting the electrical impulse through the incision in the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient to the one or more electrodes such that the electrical impulse is applied to the vagus nerve, wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve to treat the medical disorder, wherein the medical disorder is bronchoconstriction and the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase a forced expiratory volume in 1 second of the patient by a clinically significant amount in a period of time less than 6 hours. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
-
11. A device for treating a medical disorder in a patient, the device comprising:
-
a source of electrical energy; an introducer configured for introduction through an incision in an outer skin surface of a neck of the patient; one or more electrodes coupled to the source of electrical energy and configured for advancement through the introducer to a target site at or near a vagus nerve of the patient exterior to a carotid sheath of the vagus nerve; and a control unit coupled to the source of electrical energy, wherein the control unit is configured to control the source of electrical energy to generate an electrical impulse and to transmit the electrical impulse through the incision in the outer skin surface of the neck of the patient and the one or more electrodes to the vagus nerve, the electrical impulse being sufficient to modulate the vagus nerve to treat the medical disorder, wherein the medical disorder is bronchoconstriction and the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase a forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) of the patient by a clinically significant amount in a period of time less than 6 hours. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
-
Specification