Spinal cord stimulation for conditioning respiratory muscles
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorDaniel C. Lu
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Abstract
Systems and methods for conditioning respiratory muscles in a patient are described. In some variations, a method for conditioning respiratory muscles in a patient may include administering a stimulation signal to a thoracic spinal cord region of a patient, where the stimulation signal is effective to augment and/or sustain activation of one or more respiratory muscles in the patient, thereby maintaining strength of the one or more respiratory muscles. In some variations, the method includes administering the stimulation signa in response to detecting an inspiratory phase of the patient, such as via one or more sensors.
Claims65
A method for conditioning respiratory muscles in a patient, the method comprising:
- detecting an inspiratory phase of the patient from one or more sensors;
- administering a stimulation signal to one or more of a cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal cord of the patient during the detected inspiratory phase,
- wherein the stimulation signal is effective to augment and/or sustain the activation of one or more respiratory muscles in the patient during the inspiratory phase, thereby maintaining strength of the one or more respiratory muscles.
A system for conditioning muscles in a patient, the system comprising:
- a controller configured to detect an inspiratory phase of the patient based on a sensor signal from one or more sensors;
- and
- a stimulator configured to administer a stimulation signal to one or more of a cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal cord of the patient during the detected inspiratory phase,
- wherein the stimulation signal is effective to activate one or more respiratory muscles in the patient during the inspiratory phase, thereby maintaining strength of the one or more respiratory muscles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.