155 results about "Vagus nerve stimulation" patented technology

Apparatus and methods for reducing nerve stimulation in electrosurgical instruments utilizing electrically isolated pairs of electrodes are disclosed. At least two pairs of electrodes may be configured to create at least two opposing currents which effectively cancel one another such that a net current flow is inhibited from developing within surrounding tissue structures to mitigate or eliminate undesired electrical stimulation of the tissue.

Methods of stimulating a vagus nerve include providing at least one implantable stimulator with at least two electrodes, configuring the electrodes to apply stimulation that unidirectionally propagates action potentials along a vagus nerve, and applying the stimulation to the vagus nerve to effectively select afferent fibers, thereby treating at least one of epilepsy and depression while limiting side effects of bidirectional stimulation. At least one of the electrodes comprises a leadsless electrode.

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.

Devices and methods are disclosed that treat a medical condition, such as migraine headache, by electrically stimulating a nerve noninvasively, which may be a vagus nerve situated within a patient's neck. Preferred embodiments allow a patient to self-treat his or her condition. Disclosed methods assure that the device is being positioned correctly on the neck and that the amplitude and other parameters of the stimulation actually stimulate the vagus nerve with a therapeutic waveform. Those methods comprise measuring properties of the patient's larynx, pupil diameters, blood flow within an eye, electrodermal activity and / or heart rate variability.

A method and device for treating epilepsy are disclosed which provide for electrical, chemical or magnetic stimulation of certain areas of the brain to modulate neuronal activity of areas associated with symptoms of epilepsy. Deep brain stimulation is combined with vagus nerve stimulation to enhance symptomatic relief of the disorder. Some embodiments also employ a sensing capability to optimize the therapeutic treatment regimen.

Methods of using unidirectionally propagating action potentials (UPAPs) for vagus nerve stimulation and for certain disorders are provided. Stimulators capable of creating such UPAPs include, but are not limited to, miniature implantable stimulators (i.e., microstimulators), possibly with programmably configurable electrodes.

This invention provides a method for treating a condition of a subject, comprising identifying the subject as suffering from heart failure; treating the heart failure by applying a stimulating current to parasympathetic nervous tissue of the subject, and configuring the stimulating current to change a level of protein expression of at least one NO synthase of the subject selected from the group consisting of: NOS-1, NOS-2, and NOS-3; and thereafter, measuring the level of the protein expression of at least one NO synthase, and evaluating an effectiveness of the current application by assessing at least one change in the level of the protein expression of at least one NO synthase.

Described herein are systems, method and devices for modulating the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway. The systems described herein may include one or more implantable leads configured to be used to stimulate the inflammatory reflex. These leads typically include a flexible body region, a plurality of electrodes (or contacts) and may be used with a stylet or other inserter. The leads may also include one or more anchors. Exemplary leads may be intra-carotid sheath field-effect leads (“sheath FE” leads), carotid sheath cuff leads (“sheath cuff” leads), intracardiac leads, vagus nerve cuff leads (“vagus cuff” leads), and intravenous leads (“intravascular” leads). Leads (e.g., intravascular leads) may be chronic or acute.

A non-invasive electrical stimulation device shapes an elongated electric field of effect that can be oriented parallel to a long nerve, such as a vagus nerve in a patient's neck, producing a desired physiological response in the patient. The stimulator comprises a source of electrical power, at least one electrode and a continuous electrically conducting medium in which the electrode(s) are in contact. The stimulation device is configured to produce a peak pulse voltage that is sufficient to produce a physiologically effective electric field in the vicinity of a target nerve, but not to substantially stimulate other nerves and muscles that lie between the vicinity of the target nerve and patient's skin. Current is passed through the electrodes in bursts of preferably five sinusoidal pulses, wherein each pulse within a burst has a duration of preferably 200 microseconds, and bursts repeat at preferably at 15-50 bursts per second.

Apparatus is provided including an electrode device and a control unit. The electrode device is configured to be coupled to a site of a subject selected from the group consisting of: a vagus nerve, an epicardial fat pad, a pulmonary vein, a carotid artery, a carotid sinus, a coronary sinus, a vena cava vein, a right ventricle, a right atrium, and a jugular vein. The control unit is configured to drive the electrode device to apply to the site a current in at least first and second bursts, the first burst including a plurality of pulses, and the second burst including at least one pulse, and set (a) a pulse repetition interval (PRI) of the first burst to be on average at least 20 ms, (b) an interburst interval between initiation of the first burst and initiation of the second burst to be less than 10 seconds, (c) an interburst gap between a conclusion of the first burst and the initiation of the second burst to have a duration greater than the average PRI, and (d) a burst duration of the first burst to be less than a percentage of the interburst interval between, the percentage being less than 67%. Other embodiments are also described.

A method of inhibiting the release of a proinflammatory cytokine in a cell is disclosed. The method comprises treating the cell with a cholinergic agonist. The method is useful in patients at risk for, or suffering from, a condition mediated by an inflammatory cytokine cascade, for example endotoxic shock. The cholinergic agonist treatment can be effected by stimulation of an efferent vagus nerve fiber, or the entire vagus nerve.

Devices, systems and methods for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders that include an implantable microstimulator and an external charger / controller wherein the controller is configured to operate using closed-loop feedback.