Ultrasonic Splenic Nerve Implant With Closed-Loop Stimulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current implantable devices for modulating inflammation and hypertension often suffer from issues such as undesirable side effects, battery replacement needs, and electrical lead damage, and they lack efficient energy use and precise neural stimulation.
Innovation Solution
An implantable medical device that uses ultrasonic waves to power itself and electrically stimulates the splenic nerve with electrodes, allowing for modulating immune responses and blood pressure without batteries or external leads, using a closed-loop system for precise stimulation and monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If electrical pulses are transmitted to the vagus nerve to modulate inflammation, then splenic activity is modulated, but undesirable side effects occur in other organs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the neural stimulation approach by targeting the splenic nerve specifically rather than the vagus nerve. This segmentation allows selective modulation of splenic activity and inflammation control without affecting other organs influenced by vagus nerve stimulation, thereby resolving the contradiction between effective inflammation modulation and avoidance of harmful side effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by delivering electrical stimulation directly to the splenic nerve at its specific anatomical location. This localized approach ensures that the therapeutic effect is confined to the spleen and associated immune functions, preventing the widespread effects on heart, lungs, and other organs that occur with vagus nerve stimulation
2Duration of action of moving object
If implantable devices use batteries and external leads for neural stimulation, then continuous stimulation is possible, but device complexity and risk of lead damage increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the battery and external lead components from the implantable device. By eliminating these complex elements, the device achieves continuous stimulation capability through alternative means (small capacitors storing brief charges) while dramatically reducing device complexity and the risk of lead damage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements self-service by designing a fully implantable device that requires no external power sources or lead connections. The device stimulates the splenic nerve autonomously using integrated capacitors and a simple control circuit, eliminating the need for battery replacement or lead maintenance, thereby achieving continuous operation with minimal complexity
3Reliability
If high energy is used for neural stimulation, then effective immune modulation is achieved, but tissue damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by delivering brief, low-energy electrical pulses to the splenic nerve rather than continuous high-energy stimulation. The device uses small capacitors to store and deliver controlled charges in short bursts, achieving effective immune modulation through cumulative partial actions while minimizing tissue damage from excessive energy 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
This approach effectively reduces inflammation and hypertension with reduced side effects, efficient energy use, and minimizes tissue damage, enabling long-term, precise modulation of immune and cardiovascular systems.
Implementation Method 1
an ultrasonic transducer configured to receive ultrasonic waves and convert energy from the ultrasonic waves into an electrical energy that powers the implantable medical device
Implementation Method 2
two or more electrodes configured to deliver the electrical energy to a splenic nerve of the subject to stimulate the splenic nerve
Data Source
AI summary
Described herein are methods for monitoring or modulating an immune system in a subject; treating, reducing or monitoring inflammation; monitoring blood pressure; treating hypertension; or administering or adjusting a therapy for inflammation or hypertension in a patient by electrically stimulating the splenic nerve or detecting splenic nerve activity using an implanted medical device. Also described herein are implantable medical devices for performing such methods. The implanted medical device includes an ultrasonic transducer configured to receive ultrasonic waves and convert energy from the ultrasonic waves into an electrical energy that powers the device, two or more electrodes in electrical communication with the ultrasonic transducer that are configured to electrically stimulate a splenic nerve or detect a splenic nerve activity, and optionally a splenic nerve attachment member.