Nerve stimulation and blocking for treatment of gastrointestinal disorders

A method according to each of claim 1 or 2 wherein:

• said electrical block is created by placing an electrode on a vagus nerve of said patient and applying an electrical signal to said electrode to block neural propagation on said vagus nerve.

A method for treating at least one of a plurality of gastrointestinal disorders of a patient, said method comprising:

• electrically stimulating a vagus nerve of said patient at a stimulation site proximal to at least one site of vagal innervation of a gastrointestinal organ of said patient, said electrical stimulation including applying a stimulation signal at said site;
• applying a proximal electrical blocking signal to said vagus nerve at a proximal blocking site proximal to said stimulation site with said proximal blocking signal selected to at least partially block nerve impulses proximal to said proximal blocking site.

A method according to claim 6 wherein said distal blocking signal is variable by a controller to regulate transmission of efferent proximal to said distal blocking site.