Non-invasive Vagus Nerve Stimulation via Electromagnetic Fields
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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 significant risks, particularly for acute symptoms and emergency situations.
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 without affecting heart rate or blood pressure, and reduces mucous production in airways.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If invasive surgical implantation of electrodes is used for vagus nerve stimulation, then treatment reliability is improved, but patient safety and ease of operation deteriorate due to surgical risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/surgical implantation method with electromagnetic field-based non-invasive stimulation. The electromagnetic stimulator generates magnetic fields that penetrate the skull to stimulate the vagus nerve without requiring surgical insertion of electrodes, thereby eliminating surgical risks while maintaining treatment effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces electromagnetic fields as an intermediary medium to transmit stimulation energy to the vagus nerve. Instead of direct physical contact through implanted electrodes, the electromagnetic field serves as a mediator that delivers therapeutic stimulation non-invasively through the scalp and skull
2Reliability
If conventional pharmacological interventions are used for bronchial constriction, then treatment effectiveness is improved, but side effects and risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces pharmacological chemical interventions with physical electromagnetic field stimulation. The electromagnetic stimulator delivers controlled magnetic fields to modulate vagus nerve activity, achieving bronchodilation through neural regulation rather than chemical pharmacology, thereby avoiding drug side effects
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental treatment parameter from chemical concentration (pharmacology) to physical field intensity (electromagnetism). By controlling the strength, frequency, and duration of electromagnetic pulses, the treatment achieves therapeutic effects with adjustable precision without the metabolic side effects of pharmaceutical agents
3Object-affected harmful factors
If non-invasive electromagnetic stimulation is used, then patient safety is improved, but treatment reliability may deteriorate due to less direct nerve contact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic pulsed electromagnetic stimulation with specific frequency patterns (e.g., 1-20 Hz bursts) to enhance neural modulation effectiveness. The rhythmic delivery of electromagnetic pulses synchronizes with neural oscillations, improving vagus nerve stimulation reliability while maintaining non-invasive safety
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the stimulator monitors treatment response and adjusts electromagnetic field parameters accordingly. This closed-loop control ensures optimal stimulation intensity is delivered to achieve reliable therapeutic effects while minimizing unnecessary energy exposure, thereby maintaining both safety and effectiveness
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 symptoms and the need for conventional medications, while minimizing side effects and risks associated with invasive procedures.
Implementation Method 1
generating one or more electrical impulses with the device and transmitting the electrical impulses to a vagus nerve in the patient. The electrical impulses are sufficient to generate an electric field at the vagus nerve above a threshold for generating action potentials
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.