Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Bronchodilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current medical treatments for bronchial constriction conditions such as asthma, anaphylaxis, COPD, and bronchospasm often involve invasive methods or pharmacological interventions that are insufficient or carry risks, particularly for acute and immediate symptom relief.
Innovation Solution
Non-invasive electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve using magnetic and/or electrical energy to modulate neural pathways, releasing inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA, serotonin, and norepinephrine, which helps in bronchodilation and reducing mucous production without affecting heart rate or blood pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive methods or pharmacological interventions are used to treat bronchial constriction, then immediate symptom relief can be achieved, but the treatment carries risks and insufficient efficacy for acute cases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the vagus nerve as an intermediary to deliver therapeutic effects to the bronchial smooth muscle. By stimulating the vagus nerve, the treatment indirectly modulates bronchial constriction through neural pathways, avoiding direct invasive intervention on the lungs while achieving reliable therapeutic effects for acute bronchial constriction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional pharmacological chemical interventions with electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. This substitution uses electrical energy to modulate neural activity, providing a non-pharmacological approach that avoids drug-related side effects while maintaining efficacy for acute symptom relief
2Ease of operation
If traditional pharmacological treatments are used for bronchial constriction, then symptom relief is provided, but side effects such as heart rate and blood pressure changes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by targeting specific neural pathways through vagus nerve stimulation. The electrical stimulation is localized to the vagus nerve, which selectively modulates bronchial smooth muscle without affecting other physiological systems, thereby providing symptom relief without systemic side effects on heart rate and blood pressure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the normal physiological function of the vagus nerve, which can cause bronchoconstriction through acetylcholine release, into a therapeutic benefit. By applying controlled electrical stimulation, the treatment harnesses the vagus nerve's neural pathways to achieve bronchodilation through complex neural modulation, transforming a potential harmful mechanism into a beneficial therapeutic effect
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 method provides immediate and sustained bronchodilation, reducing the severity of acute bronchial constriction symptoms and mucous production, offering an alternative to traditional treatments with fewer side effects.
Implementation Method 1
generating one or more electrical impulses with said device and transmitting the electrical impulses to a vagus nerve in the patient. The electrical impulses have a frequency of between 1000 Hz and 10,000 Hz
Implementation Method 2
The energy impulses (and/or fields) that are used to treat those conditions comprise electrical and/or electromagnetic energy, delivered non-invasively to the patient
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems and methods are disclosed for treating a variety of diseases and disorders that are primarily or at least partially driven by an imbalance in neurotransmitters in the brain, such as asthma, COPD, depression, anxiety, epilepsy, fibromyalgia, and the like. The invention involves the use of an energy source comprising magnetic and/or electrical energy that is transmitted non-invasively to, or in close proximity to, a selected nerve to temporarily stimulate, block and/or modulate the signals in the selected nerve such that neural pathways are activated to release inhibitory neurotransmitters in the patient's brain.