Treatment of motility disorders by nerve stimulation

Apparatus for treating patients with motility disorders by application of a modulating signal to the patient's vagus nerve to stimulate or inhibit neural impulses and produce excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter release by the nerve according to the specific nature of the motility disorder, comprising:

• neurostimulator means for generating an electrical output signal in response to activation thereof, said neurostimulator means including
• sensing means for detecting the occurrence of a selected event indicative of the need for imminent treatment of the motility disorder, and including activating means responsive to the detection for activating said neurostimulator means, and
• lead/electrode means responsive to generation of the electrical output signal by said neurostimulator means for application thereof as said modulating signal to the patient's vagus nerve.

A method of treating a patient suffering from a motility disorder in which a medical therapeutic device is implanted in the patient's body, comprising the device-implemented steps of:

• detecting a response of the patient's gastrointestinal (GI) tract to consumption of food by the patient which is abnormal relative to predetermined normal human digestive processes and is indicative of a need for treatment to alleviate a motility disorder of interest, and
• after detecting the abnormal response, applying to the patient's vagus nerve an electrical stimulus configured to modulate the electrical activity of the nerve such that the motility disorder of interest is alleviated.