Brain fluid ion concentration modification for treating neurological disorders
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsJohan F.M. Gijsbers, Frans L.H. Gielen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Epilepsy and other neurological disorders that are affected by the electrical potential difference between intracellular fluid and extra-cellular fluid and therefore the cell membrane potentials, and therefore the thresholds for the communication between brain cells can be controlled by re-circulating extra-cellular brain fluid after the fluid has been treated to alter its ion concentrations. A computer-controlled pump can precisely control the extraction and delivery of brain fluid after the ion concentration of the fluid is appropriately adjusted, e.g. guided by the Goldmann equation. Well-known techniques for modifying ion concentrations can be used to raise or lower ion concentrations as needed.
Claims17
A method for treating epilepsy and other neurological disorders of the brain comprising the steps of:
- a) extracting fluid from a brain cavity of a patient;
- b) modifying ion concentrations of said fluid to render modulated ion-content fluid;
- c) returning the modulated ion-content fluid locally into the patient's brain.
A method for treating epilepsy and other neurological disorders of the brain comprising the steps of:
- a) diagnosing an epileptic condition in a patient;
- b) substantially continuously extracting fluid from the brain of the patient;
- c) modifying ion concentrations of said fluid to render modulated ion-content fluid using a predetermined process;
- d) substantially continuously pumping the modulated ion-content fluid back into a localized region of the patient's brain;
- e) monitoring the ion concentration of brain fluid proximate to the region where said modulated ion-content fluid is returned to the patient's brain.
A system for controlling epileptic seizures comprising:
- a) diagnosing an epileptic condition;
- b) a brain fluid pumping mechanism, having an input, coupled to a patient's brain for extracting brain fluid, and having an output;
- c) a fluid ion adjustment mechanism coupled to said output of said brain fluid pumping mechanism, said fluid ion adjustment mechanism having an output from which ion-adjusted fluid is produced;
- d) a catheter, having an input coupled to the output of said ion adjustment mechanism and having an output inserted into a predetermined region of a patient's brain;
- whereby brain fluid is extracted from a patients brain, ion-concentration of said fluid are adjusted and said brain fluid is re-injected into said brain.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.