Enteric rhythm management

Abstract

At least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders is treated by stimulating an enteric nervous system of a patient to enhance a functional tone of the enteric nervous system. A treatment includes electrically stimulating a vagus nerve of the patient at a stimulation site proximal to at least one site of vagal innervation of a gastrointestinal organ. The electrical stimulation includes applying a stimulation signal at the stimulation site. An optional proximal electrical blocking signal is applied to the vagus nerve at a proximal blocking site proximal to the stimulation site. The proximal blocking signal is selected to at least partially block nerve impulses at the proximal blocking site.

Description

I. CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[0001] The present application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10 / 358,093 filed Feb. 3, 2003 and entitled "Method and Apparatus for Treatment of Gastroesophageal Disease (GERD)". The present application discloses and claims subject matter disclosed in the following commonly assigned and copending U.S. patent applications filed on the same date as the present application and in the name of the same inventors: U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, not yet assigned, entitled "Nerve Stimulation And Conduction Block Therapy", having Attorney Docket No. 14283.1USI3 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, not yet assigned, entitled "Nerve Conduction Block Treatment", having Attorney Docket No. 14283.1USI1.II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] This invention pertains to treatments of disorders associated, at least in part, with neural activity. These may include, withou...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0036] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a method and apparatus are disclosed for treating at least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by an altered autonomic balance or altered motility. The method includes electrically stimulating an enteric nervous system of the patient to enhance a functional tone of the enteric nervous system.

[0040] In patient with GERD, ERM utilizing a physiologic enteric pacing device will, as described earlier, allow pacing of the delivery of pancreatic exocrine secretion and bile, thereby initiating pyloric relaxation, gastric emptying and consequent reduction in gastric distention, leading to a decrease in the underlying mechanism of GERD, that is, TLESRs.

[0044] The invention further includes a treatment apparatus having a stimulation electrode adapted for placement on a nerve of a patient at a stimulation site and a stimulation signal generator for generating a stimulation signal at the stimulation electrode and selected to electrically stimulate a nerve to induce bi-directional propagation of nervous impulses in a stimulated nerve. The apparatus includes a blocking member for placement on the nerve at a blocking site and creating localized conditions at the blocking site that at least partially diminish transmission of nerve impulses past the blocking site.

Problems solved by technology

There is no cure for IBS.

Zelnorm's approved use is limited to females with constipation-related IBS.

The current treatments for gastroparesis are far from satisfactory.

Certain drugs have had some effectiveness at controlling GERD but fail to treat underlying causes of the disease.

Notwithstanding multiple attempts at various types of treatment, GERD continues to be a serious disease proving to be difficult to treat by any of the foregoing prior art techniques.

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