Monitoring, preventing, and treating rejection of transplanted organs
First Claim
1. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
- providing at least one microstimulator having at least two electrodes, the at least one microstimulator capable of implantation via a cannula;
implanting the at least one microstimulator in or near an allograft;
providing operating power to the at least one microstimulator;
providing stimulation parameters to the at least one microstimulator; and
delivering electrical stimulation via the at least two electrodes to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least two electrodes in accordance with the stimulation parameters.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An implantable system control unit (SCU) includes means for measuring tissue impedance or other condition to determine allograft health, in order to predict or detect allograft rejection. The SCU also includes at least two electrodes coupled to means for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient within whom the device is implanted, and may also include a reservoir for holding one or more drugs and a driver means for delivering the drug(s) to the patient. In certain embodiments, the system is capable of open- and closed-loop operation. In closed-loop operation, at least one SCU includes a sensor, and the sensed condition is used to adjust stimulation parameters. Alternatively, this sensory “SCU” sounds an alarm, communicates an alarm to an external device, and/or is responsive to queries regarding sensed information, such as tissue impedance.
165 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one microstimulator having at least two electrodes, the at least one microstimulator capable of implantation via a cannula; implanting the at least one microstimulator in or near an allograft; providing operating power to the at least one microstimulator; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one microstimulator; and delivering electrical stimulation via the at least two electrodes to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least two electrodes in accordance with the stimulation parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) having a pump coupled to an infusion outlet; implanting the at least one SCU in or near an allograft; containing as a substance in the at least one pump at least one of a drug used to promote angiogenesis, a gene that encodes a protein that leads to angiogenesis, and a gene product that leads to angiogenesis; providing operating power to the at least one SCU; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one SCU; and delivering the substance via the at least one outlet to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one SCU in accordance with the stimulation parameters; wherein the at least one SCU has a size and shape suitable for placement entirely within the neoplasm and implantation via a cannula. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) having a pump coupled to an infusion outlet; implanting the at least one SCU in or near an allograft; containing as a substance in the at least one pump at least one of a drug used to promote angiogenesis, a gene that encodes a protein that leads to angiogenesis, and a gene product that leads to angiogenesis; providing operating power to the at least one SCU; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one SCU; and delivering the substance via the at least one outlet to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one SCU in accordance with the stimulation parameters; wherein the substance further comprises at least one of a corticosteroid, cyclosporine, FK506, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, daclizumab, basiliximab, nicotine receptor agonist, a gene that leads to suppression of allograft rejection, and a gene product that leads to suppression of allograft rejection.
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13. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) having a pump coupled to an infusion outlet; implanting the at least one SCU in or near an allograft; containing as a substance in the at least one pump at least one of a drug used to promote angiogenesis, a gene that encodes a protein that leads to angiogenesis, and a gene product that leads to angiogenesis; providing operating power to the at least one SCU; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one SCU;
delivering the substance via the at least one outlet to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one SCU in accordance with the stimulation parameters;providing at least one sensor; using the at least one sensor to sense a physical condition; and adjusting the stimulation parameters based at least in part upon the sensed condition. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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15. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) having a pump coupled to an infusion outlet; implanting the at least one SCU in or near an allograft, containing as a substance in the at least one pump at least one of a drug used to promote angiogenesis, a gene that encodes a protein that leads to angiogenesis, and a gene product that leads to angiogenesis, providing operating power to the at least one SCU, providing stimulation parameters to the at least one SCU, delivering the substance via the at least one outlet to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one SCU in accordance with the stimulation parameters; and providing and implanting more than one SCU.
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16. A method for treating a patient with an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one means for stimulating tissue; implanting the at least one stimulating means in or near an allograft; providing operating power to the at least one stimulating means; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one stimulating means; and delivering stimulation to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one stimulating means according to the stimulation parameters, wherein the stimulation comprises both electrical stimulation and stimulation via at least one drug; and wherein the at least one stimulating means has a size and shape suitable for placement entirely within the allograft and for implantation via a cannula. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for treating a patient with an allograft comprising:
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providing at least one means for stimulating tissue; implanting the at least one stimulating means in or near an allograft; providing operating power to the at least one stimulating means; providing stimulation parameters to the at least one stimulating means; and delivering stimulation to allograft tissue adjacent to the at least one stimulating means according to the stimulation parameters; wherein the stimulation comprises both electrical stimulation and stimulation via at least one drug, wherein the at least one drug delivered to the allograft is at least one of a corticosteroid, cyclosporine. FK506, azathioprine, mycophenolate mofetil, daclizumab, basiliximab, nicotine receptor agonist, a gene that leads to suppression of allograft rejection, and a gene product that leads to suppression of allograft rejection; and wherein the at least one drug further includes at least one of a medication used to promote angiogenesis or a gene that encodes a protein or other gene product that leads to angiogenesis. - View Dependent Claims (24)
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25. A method for monitoring the health of an allograft prior to transplant, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) having at least two electrodes; placing the at least one SCU in or on an allograft prior to transplant; providing operating power to the at least one SCU; providing monitoring parameters to the at least one SCU; and measuring electrical impedance of allograft tissue adjacent to the at least two electrodes in accordance with the monitoring parameters; wherein the at least one SCU is placed entirely within the allograft.
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26. A method for monitoring the health of an allograft, comprising:
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providing at least one system control unit (SCU) with sensing capabilities; implanting the at least one sensor SCU in or on an immune system organ; measuring the health of the allograft by sensing changes in the immune system organ; and communicating the sensed changes in the immune system organ. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29)
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Specification