Electrical stimulation treatment of hypotension

• US 20070191905A1
• Filed: 11/02/2006
• Published: 08/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Original Assignee: electroCore, Inc.
• Inventors: Errico, Joseph P., Mendez, Steven, Pastena, James R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,725,188 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/32 alternating or intermittent currents applying electric fields by inductive or capacitive coupling A61N1/40; microwave apparatus A61N5/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362

Abstract

Methods and devices for treating hypotension, such as in cases of shock, including septic shock and anaphylactic shock, wherein the treatment includes providing an electrical impulse to a selected region of the vagus nerve of a patient suffering from hypotension to block and/or modulate nerve signals that regulate blood pressure.

Claims

1. A method of treating hypotension comprising applying at least one electrical impulse to at least one selected region of the vagus nerve of a mammal in need of relief from hypotension, such that increased blood pressure is achieved.

2. The method set forth in claim 1 wherein the at least one selected region comprises a region of the vagus nerve proximal to the cardiac branch of the vagus nerve.

3. The method set forth in claim 2 wherein increased blood pressure is achieved by at least one of:

improving myocardium performance;

increasing heart function; and

controlling vasoconstriction.

4. The method set forth in claim 3 wherein increasing heart function includes increasing blood pressure and maintaining a stable heart rate.

5. A device for the treatment of hypotension comprising:

an electrical impulse generator;

a power source coupled to the electrical impulse generator;

a control unit in communication with the electrical impulse generator and coupled to the power source;

electrodes coupled to the electrical impulse generator; and

electrode leads coupled to the electrodes for attachment to one or more selected regions of a vagus nerve of a mammal;

wherein the control unit modulates the electrical impulse generator for generation of a signal suitable for amelioration of the hypotension when the signal is applied via the electrode leads to the vagus nerve.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the electrode leads have wide contact areas.

7. A method of treating hypotension associated with shock comprising applying at least one electrical impulse to one or more selected regions of the vagus nerve of a mammal in need of relief from hypotension.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

implanting one or more electrodes to the selected regions of the vagus nerve; and

applying one or more electrical stimulation signals to the electrodes to produce the at least one electrical impulse,

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals are of a frequency between about 1 Hz to 3000 Hz, and an amplitude of between about 1-6 volts.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals are of a frequency between about 750 Hz to 1250 Hz.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals are of a frequency between about 10 Hz to 35 Hz.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals are of an amplitude of between about 0.75 to 1.5 volts.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals are one or more of a full or partial sinusoid, square wave, rectangular wave, triangle wave.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals have a pulsed on-time of between about 50 to 500 microseconds.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals have a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of about 200-400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the one or more electrical stimulation signals have a frequency of about 25 Hz, a pulsed on-time of between about 100 to 400 microseconds, and an amplitude of about 1 volt.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the pulsed on-time is one of:

about 400 microseconds, about 200 microseconds, and about 100 microseconds.

18. The method of claim 9, further comprising maintaining a polarity of the pulse either positive or negative.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising alternating the polarity of the pulse to be positive for some periods of the wave and negative for some other periods of the wave.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising alternating the polarity of the pulse about every second.