153 results about "Vagus nerve stimulation" patented technology

A method of using a small implantable stimulator(s) with at least two electrodes small enough to have the electrodes located adjacent to the vagus nerve. The small stimulator provides a means of stimulating the vagus nerve when desired, and may be implanted via a minimal surgical procedure.

A method and an apparatus for treating a patient suffering from, or at risk for, a condition mediated by the inflammatory cytokine cascade, by electrically stimulating vagus nerve activity in an amount sufficient to inhibit the inflammatory cytokine cascade.

A method of inhibiting the release of a proinflammatory cytokine in a cell is disclosed. The method comprises treating the cell with a cholinergic agonist. The method is useful in patients at risk for, or suffering from, a condition mediated by an inflammatory cytokine cascade, for example endotoxic shock. The cholinergic agonist treatment can be effected by stimulation of an efferent vagus nerve fiber, or the entire vagus nerve.

The present invention uses electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve to treat epilepsy with minimized or no effect on the heart. Treatment is carried out by an implantable signal generator, one or more implantable electrodes for electrically stimulating a predetermined stimulation site of the vagus nerve, and a sensor for sensing characteristics of the heart such as heart rate. The heart rate information from the sensor can be used to determine whether the vagus nerve stimulation is adversely affecting the heart. Once threshold parameters are met, the vagus nerve stimulation may be stopped or adjusted. In an alternative embodiment, the invention may include a modified pacemaker to maintain the heart in desired conditions during the vagus nerve stimulation. In yet another embodiment, the invention may be simply a modified pacemaker having circuitry that determines whether a vagus nerve is being stimulated. In the event that the vagus nerve is being stimulated, the modified pacemaker may control the heart to maintain it within desired conditions during the vagus nerve stimulation.

A system and method for treating nausea and vomiting are provided, including one or more electrodes (10, 12) applied on or under the skin, the electrodes being connected to an external current source (34). The electrodes can be implanted under the skin and connect to internal stimulator electronics (22), which can form a magnetic inductive link to the external current source (34). Alternatively, the electrodes can be placed on the skin and directly linked by wires to the external current source. As a further alternative, the vagus nerve can be directly stimulated in the neck, or the esophagus, stomach, duodenum, or intestines can be directly stimulated by magnetic stimulation. The electrodes can stimulate the vagus nerve in the neck to reduce nausea and vomiting, or can be arranged near the chest or abdomen, so as to stimulate the esophagus, stomach, duodenum or intestines. Because the current source is provided outside the body, it is not necessary to implant batteries or another power supply in the body.

A method of inhibiting the release of a proinflammatory cytokine in a cell is disclosed. The method comprises treating the cell with a cholinergic agonist. The method is useful in patients at risk for, or suffering from, a condition mediated by an inflammatory cytokine cascade, for example endotoxic shock. The cholinergic agonist treatment can be effected by stimulation of an efferent vagus nerve fiber, or the entire vagus nerve.

A non-invasive electrical stimulation device shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient's neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in which the electrode(s) are in contact. The stimulation device is configured to produce a peak pulse voltage that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie between the vicinity of the target nerve and patient's skin. Current is passed through the electrodes in bursts of preferably five sinusoidal pulses, wherein each pulse within a burst has a duration of preferably 200 microseconds, and bursts repeat at preferably at 15-50 bursts per second.

Systems and methods for treating neuro-psychiatric disorders, such as depression or schizophrenia, and/or other illnesses are disclosed. A patient is diagnosed with a particular neuro-psychiatric disorder or other illness. An electric nerve stimulation (ENS) technique, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), is administered to the patient in conjunction with a magnetic nerve stimulation (MNS) technique. The magnetic nerve stimulation (MNS) technique includes applying a magnetic field to a pre-selected synaptic region of a brain of the patient based on the diagnosis. A physiological response of the brain, such as electroencephalogram (EEG) activity, is monitored. One or more parameters of the magnetic field may be selectively adapted in response to the monitored physiological response. The administration of the ENS technique and the MNS technique may be performed simultaneously, in serial order, or in alternating order depending on the diagnosis.

A non-invasive electrical stimulator shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient's neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in contact with the electrodes. The conducting medium is also in contact with an interface element that may conform to the contour of a target body surface of the patient when the interface element is applied to that surface. When the interface element is made of insulating (dielectric) material, and disclosed stimulation waveforms are used, the power source need not supply high voltage, in order to capacitively stimulate the target nerve. The stimulator is configured to produce a peak pulse that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie in the vicinity of the target nerve and patient's skin.

Heart treatment equipment and a heart treatment method directed to prevention of a fatal arrhythmia by detecting a physical exercise or a mental stress by using a sensor and thereafter controlling the vagus nerve stimulation, wherein sensor means for detecting various living body information for generating a signal which designates degree of a sympathetic tone is provided and heart rate threshold for carrying out the vagus nerve stimulation is adjusted according to the living body information detected by the sensor means. Further, a nerve stimulation parameter for adjusting the strength of the vagus nerve stimulation is adjusted in response to the degree of the patient sympathetic tone.

Method and apparatus for treating a patient with depression comprising continuously providing a therapy to treat the patient's depression. The therapy, in one embodiment, comprises stimulating a patient's vagus nerve for about 30 seconds at a current of about 0.75 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 5 minutes. Further still, the therapy comprises a pulse width of about 500 μs and a frequency of about 20 Hz. In another embodiment, the therapy comprises stimulating a patient's vagus nerve for about 25.07 seconds at a current of about 0.85 mA followed by a cessation of vagus nerve stimulation of about 4.07 minutes. This latter therapy also comprises a pulse width of about 415.20 μs and a frequency of about 20.07 Hz.

A method of treating patients for compulsive overeating includes stimulating left and right branches of the patient's vagus nerve simultaneously with electrical pulses in a predetermined sequence of a first period in which pulses are applied continuously, alternating with a second period in which no pulses are applied. The electrical pulses are preferably applied to the vagus nerve at a supradiaphragmatic location.

Disclosed herein are methods, systems, and apparatus for treating a medical condition of a patient, involving detecting a physiological cycle or cycles of the patient and applying an electrical signal to a portion of the patient's vagus nerve through an electrode at a selected point in the physiological cycle(s). The physiological cycle can be the cardiac and/or respiratory cycle. The selected point can be a point in the cardiac cycle correlated with increased afferent conduction on the vagus nerve, such as a point from about 10 msec to about 800 msec after an R-wave of the patient's ECG, optionally during inspiration by the patient. The selected point can be a point in the cardiac cycle when said applying increases heart rate variability, such as a point from about 10 msec to about 800 msec after an R-wave of the patient's ECG, optionally during expiration by the patient.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for screening vagus nerve stimulation to determine the potential efficacy of permanent stimulation systems. In one aspect, the system includes temporary electrode assemblies adapted for temporary placement on or in the body adjacent the vagus nerve. In another aspect, a method is provided to place a stimulating electrode adjacent the posterior of the carotid sheath.

Systems and techniques are provided for controlling vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) delivered by an implantable medical device for mitigating heart failure in a patient. In one mode, VNS therapy is set to levels just below a heart rate reduction threshold so as to deliver VNS near the highest stimulation levels that can be achieved without reducing patient heart rate. In this manner, a maximum level of heart failure mitigation can be achieved via VNS therapy without incurring the potentially adverse consequences of inducing bradycardia within the patient. In another mode, VNS therapy is instead controlled to deliver VNS above the threshold so as to mitigate heart failure while also selectively reducing heart rate, as may be appropriate in patients susceptible to cardiac ischemia. A controlled heart rate reduction curve may additionally or alternatively be determined for use in achieving target amounts of heart rate reduction.

A method and apparatus for monitoring the application of a vagus nerve stimulation signal includes a detection circuit having an amplifier, a filter, and a signal prolongation circuit. The signal prolongation circuit rectifies a detected vagus nerve signal and provides the signal to a Schmitt trigger extending the length of the signal. Because of the prolongation of the signal, the signal can be sampled at a relatively low rate, and real time data illustrating the response of various physiological signals to the application of the vagus nerve signal can be monitored, thereby providing clinical data for monitoring and adjusting the applied stimulation.

The present invention relates to vagus nerve stimulation techniques and more particularly to techniques for providing a more effective monitoring of vagus nerve stimulation and for the adjustment of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). Specifically, the present invention relates to methods for adjusting and controlling the vagal nerve stimulation (VNS) signal induced by a stimulus generator. The method of the invention takes advantage of monitoring respiratory parameters which correspond to the VNS intensity, whereby the stimulation intensity is set in response to the respiratory parameter.

A non-invasive electrical stimulation device shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient's neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in which the electrode(s) are in contact. The stimulation device is configured to produce a peak pulse voltage that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie between the vicinity of the target nerve and patient's skin. Current is passed through the electrodes in bursts of preferably five sinusoidal pulses, wherein each pulse within a burst has a duration of preferably 200 microseconds, and bursts repeat at preferably at 15-50 bursts per second.