Gastrointestinal motility control
AssigneeUTI Limited Partnership
InventorMartin P. Mintchev
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and a multichannel implantable device are described for partial or complete restoration of impaired gastrointestinal motility, or for disturbing and/or partially or completely blocking normal gastrointestinal motility using one or multiple microsystem-controlled channels of circumferentially arranged sets of two or more electrodes which provide externally-invoked synchronized electrical signals to the smooth muscles via the neural pathways.
Claims16
A method for controlling motility of gastrointestinal tract in a subject comprising:
- implanting at least one set of electrodes on a portion of the gastrointestinal tract in a subject;
- and
- applying electrical energy to the gastrointestinal tract or a portion thereof through the set of electrodes to invoke a desired motility response of the gastrointestinal tract of the subject, the set of electrodes being energized to produce contractile desynchronization of muscles of the gastrointestinal tract.
An apparatus for controlling gastrointestinal motility comprising:
- (i) an implant comprising:
- a microelectronic controller,
- at least one set of gastrointestinal tract electrodes, and
- a receiver configured to receive programming sequences embedding actuation signal characteristics,
- wherein said microelectronic controller is configured to transmit energizing energy to said set of gastrointestinal tract electrodes upon receiving a programming sequence embedding actuation signal characteristics by said receiver;
- and
- (ii) an external controller comprising a transmitter configured for delivering programming sequences embedding actuation signal characteristics to said receiver.
An apparatus for controlling gastrointestinal motility comprising:
- (i) an implant comprising:
- a microelectronic controller,
- a remotely rechargeable battery comprising a receiver induction coil, which is configured to receive energizing energy to recharge said rechargeable battery;
- at least one set of gastrointestinal tract electrodes, and
- a receiver for receiving programming sequences embedding actuation signal characteristics, wherein said microelectronic controller is configured to transmit energizing energy to said set of gastrointestinal tract electrodes upon receiving a programming sequence embedding actuation signal characteristics by said receiver;
- and
- (ii) an external controller comprising:
- a transmitter configured for delivering a programming sequence embedding actuation signal characteristics to said receiver;
- and
- a transmitter coil configured for transmitting energizing energy to said receiver induction coil to recharge said rechargeable battery.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.