Epidural Spinal Cord Stimulation for Bronchial Muscle Relaxation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) provide inconsistent relief and are associated with significant side effects, failing to address the sudden worsening of symptoms and quality of life impact.
Innovation Solution
Spinal cord stimulation using implanted leads with contacts positioned in the epidural space to generate electrical signals that stimulate sympathetic pathways, relaxing bronchial smooth muscles and mitigating lung disease symptoms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If oral medications, inhalers, and injections are used to treat asthma, then bronchospasm relief is provided, but side effects increase and relief consistency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces spinal cord stimulation as an intermediary treatment modality that bypasses the gastrointestinal and respiratory systems. By delivering electrical stimulation to the spinal cord at thoracic levels, the treatment indirectly modulates bronchial smooth muscle tone through neural pathways, avoiding direct contact with the lungs and eliminating the side effects associated with pharmacological agents while providing more consistent relief.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the chemical/pharmacological system with an electrical/neural system. Instead of using medications that chemically interact with bronchial tissue, the invention uses electrical stimulation to modulate the neural control of bronchial smooth muscle, substituting a mechanical/electrical approach for a chemical one to achieve better safety and consistency profiles.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If immunosuppressants are used to treat asthma, then inflammation is reduced, but side effects increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses spinal cord stimulation as an intermediary mechanism to reduce bronchial inflammation indirectly through neural modulation. By stimulating the spinal cord at appropriate levels, the treatment activates descending inhibitory pathways that reduce inflammatory mediator release in the lungs, achieving anti-inflammatory effects without using immunosuppressant drugs that cause systemic side effects.
3Ease of operation
If current asthma treatments are used, then some symptom relief is provided, but quality of life improvement is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces intermittent pharmacological symptom management with a neuromodulation-based system that provides continuous or on-demand control over bronchial tone. By implanting leads and using a pulse generator, the system can deliver electrical stimulation to prevent or reverse bronchospasm more reliably, leading to better quality of life outcomes compared to traditional medications.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Provides consistent relief from asthma and COPD symptoms by relaxing bronchial smooth muscles, reducing the frequency and severity of attacks, and minimizing side effects.
Implementation Method 1
the pulse generator being programmed to generate electrical signals for transmission through the at least one lead and for release by the at least one contact in a predetermined location of an epidural space
Data Source
AI summary
A kit for treating lung disease includes at least one lead having at least one contact, and a pulse generator configured to connect to the least one lead. The pulse generator is programmed to generate electrical signals for transmission through the at least one lead and for release by the at least one contact in a predetermined location of an epidural space to mitigate lung disease symptoms.