Implantable Cranial Nerve Stimulation With Low-Power Respiration Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing treatments for disorders such as obstructive sleep apnea, heart failure, and other neural disorders lack minimally invasive neuromodulation systems that can accurately detect respiratory cycles with minimal power consumption and provide effective neuromodulation therapy.
Innovation Solution
An implantable neuromodulation system is positioned in the anterior cervical region, utilizing sensors like accelerometers to detect respiratory cycles and deliver coordinated stimulation therapy to cranial nerves, such as the hypoglossal, vagus, and trigeminal nerves, through electrodes and leads anchored to cervical tissues.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external or implanted muscle stimulation devices are used to treat sleep apnea, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but device complexity and invasiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into a single implantable device: the pulse generator, sensor array, and neuromodulation leads are integrated into one system that can both detect respiratory cycles and deliver targeted neural stimulation to treat sleep apnea, reducing the need for multiple separate devices
Solution Approach 2:
The implantable device performs self-monitoring through integrated sensors that detect respiratory cycles and automatically trigger appropriate neuromodulation therapy without requiring external monitoring equipment or manual intervention
2Measurement precision
If sensors are used to detect respiratory cycles, then therapy coordination is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor array operates in a periodic manner, activating sensors only during specific phases of the respiratory cycle when detection is most useful, rather than continuous operation, thereby reducing overall power consumption while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses a subset of the available sensor array at any given time, activating only the number and type of sensors needed for current respiratory detection requirements, rather than all sensors operating simultaneously, optimizing the balance between measurement precision and power consumption
3Reliability
If neuromodulation therapy is delivered during respiratory cycles, then treatment efficacy is improved, but timing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses real-time feedback from the sensor array to monitor respiratory cycle phase and dynamically adjusts the timing of neuromodulation stimulus delivery, ensuring stimulation occurs at the optimal moment in the respiratory cycle for maximum therapeutic effect
Solution Approach 2:
The neuromodulation timing is made dynamic rather than fixed, with the system continuously adapting stimulus delivery timing based on the detected respiratory cycle phase, allowing precise coordination between breathing patterns and therapy delivery
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
The system provides accurate, power-efficient neuromodulation therapy by detecting respiratory phases and stimulating or blocking neural pathways to treat conditions like OSA, heart failure, and other disorders with enhanced efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
utilizing sensors like accelerometers to detect respiratory cycles
Implementation Method 2
deliver coordinated stimulation therapy to cranial nerves, such as the hypoglossal, vagus, and trigeminal nerves, through electrodes and leads
Data Source
AI summary
Neurostimulation therapy can be efficiently controlled based on information from an acceleration signal, such as can be obtained from an accelerometer. In an example, the accelerometer can be implanted in a cervical region or submandibular region of a patient. Circuitry can be configured to identify a first series of respiration phase transition events in the acceleration signal and, in response, provide the neurostimulation therapy synchronously with an inspiration phase of a patient's respiratory cycle. In an example, in absence of identifying the first series of respiration phase transition events in the acceleration signal, the neurostimulation therapy can be provided asynchronously with the patient's respiratory cycle.