432 results about "Epileptic seizure" patented technology

The present invention uses electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve to treat epilepsy with minimized or no effect on the heart. Treatment is carried out by an implantable signal generator, one or more implantable electrodes for electrically stimulating a predetermined stimulation site of the vagus nerve, and a sensor for sensing characteristics of the heart such as heart rate. The heart rate information from the sensor can be used to determine whether the vagus nerve stimulation is adversely affecting the heart. Once threshold parameters are met, the vagus nerve stimulation may be stopped or adjusted. In an alternative embodiment, the invention may include a modified pacemaker to maintain the heart in desired conditions during the vagus nerve stimulation. In yet another embodiment, the invention may be simply a modified pacemaker having circuitry that determines whether a vagus nerve is being stimulated. In the event that the vagus nerve is being stimulated, the modified pacemaker may control the heart to maintain it within desired conditions during the vagus nerve stimulation.

In an embodiment, an evoked response of an electrode may be determined. The evoked response may be compared to other evoked responses to determine the location of the electrode. The evoked response may be measured during electrode implantation so that desired changes can be made and if electrodes are being implanted in both the right and left hemisphere, it can be determined that both electrodes are positioned in the same target in both the right and left hemisphere. The evoked responses may be used to determine if the stimulation target has functional connectivity with the treatment areas. Stimulation parameters for the electrodes may be determined in a closed-loop configuration and used to stimulation the electrodes in an open-loop configuration designed to reduce the probability of neurological events such as seizures.

The present invention provides systems and methods for ambulatory, long term monitoring of a physiological signal from a patient. At least a portion of the systems of the present invention may be implanted within the patient in a minimally invasive manner. In preferred embodiments, brain activity signals are sampled from the patient with an externally powered leadless implanted device and are transmitted to a handheld patient communication device for processing to estimate the patient's propensity for a seizure.

Improved methods and devices are provided for detecting and / or predicting the onset of an undesirable physiological event or neural state, such as an epileptic seizure, to facilitate rapid intervention with a treatment therapy such as neurostimulation or drug therapy. The methods and devices involve monitoring the patient's body temperature, preferably by an implanted temperature sensor, to detect a change in a body temperature parameter over a first time period. The temperature parameter change may comprise an increase or decrease in the patient's body temperature over a first time period, time rate of change of body temperature over a first time period, a moving average temperature over a first time period, an increase or decrease in body temperature exceeding a target temperature over a first time period, an elevated or reduced body temperature over first time period, or a temperature stability parameter over a first time period. The sampling period at which body temperature measurements are made may be changed manually or depending upon a sensed body parameter, including temperature. When a parameter change is detected that exceeds a threshold, neurostimulation therapy is delivered to a neural structure of the patient.