# US 7,321,793 B2 · Vagal stimulation for atrial fibrillation therapy

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- Number: US 7,321,793 B2
- Document ID: US7321793B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 10/461,696
- Filed: 2003-06-13
- Published: 2004-12-16
- Granted: 2008-01-22
- Earliest claimed: 2003-06-13
- Assignees: Biocontrol Medical Ltd.
- Inventors: Omry Ben Ezra; Ehud Cohen; Tamir Ben David
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7321793B2

## CPC

- A61N 1/36114: {Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation (stimulating the heart A61N1/362)}
- A61N 1/3621: {for treating or preventing abnormally high heart rate}
- A61N 1/3962: {in combination with another heart therapy}
- A61N 1/39622: {Pacing therapy}
- A61N 1/39624: {Pain reduction therapy}
- A61N 1/395: {for treating atrial fibrillation}
- A61N: ELECTROTHERAPY; MAGNETOTHERAPY; RADIATION THERAPY; ULTRASOUND THERAPY (measurement of bioelectric currents A61B; surgical instruments, devices or methods for transferring non-mechanical forms of energy to or from the body A61B18/00; anaesthetic apparatus in general A61M; incandescent lamps H01K; infrared radiators for heating H05B)

## Abstract

Apparatus for treating a subject suffering from spontaneous atrial fibrillation includes an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a vagus nerve of the subject, and a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode device to apply an electrical current to the vagus nerve, and to configure the current to maintain the spontaneous AF for at least about 24 hours, so as to modify blood flow within the atria and reduce risk of thromboembolic events.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein applying the current comprises:
applying a stimulating current and an inhibiting current;
configuring the stimulating current to induce action potentials in a first set and a second set of nerve fibers of the vagus nerve; and
configuring the inhibiting current to inhibit the induced action potentials traveling in the second set of nerve fibers, the nerve fibers in the second set having generally larger diameters than the nerve fibers in the first set.

### Claim 2

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein applying the current comprises:
applying a stimulating current and an inhibiting current;
configuring the stimulating current to induce action potentials in the vagus nerve; and
configuring the inhibiting current to inhibit action potentials induced by the stimulating current and traveling in the vagus nerve in an afferent direction toward a brain of the subject.

### Claim 3

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein applying the current comprises applying the current in respective bursts in each of a plurality of cardiac cycles of the subject,
wherein the parameter includes a number of pulses in each of the bursts, and
wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the number of pulses in each of the bursts.

### Claim 4

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein applying the current comprises applying the current in respective bursts in each of a plurality of cardiac cycles of the subject,
wherein the parameter includes a pulse width of pulses in each of the bursts, and
wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the pulse width of the pulses in each of the bursts.

### Claim 5

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein the parameter includes an on/off status of the current, and wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the on/off status of the current.

### Claim 6

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises:
during a first period, configuring the current so as to induce action potentials in the vagus nerve; and
during a second period, configuring the current so as to block action potentials in the vagus nerve.

### Claim 7

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the parameter at a rate of between about one change per heart beat of the subject and about one change per 30 seconds.

### Claim 8

A treatment method, comprising:
applying an electrical current to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
repeatedly changing at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the parameter randomly.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A method according to claim 8, wherein repeatedly changing the parameter comprises repeatedly changing the parameter with an interval between each change of between about 500 milliseconds and about 30 seconds.

### Claim 10

Treatment apparatus, comprising:
an electrode device, adapted to be coupled to a vagus nerve of a subject suffering from atrial fibrillation (AF); and
a control unit, adapted to:
drive the electrode device to apply an electrical current to the vagus nerve, and
repeatedly change at least one parameter of the current, so as to restore normal sinus rhythm (NSR) of the subject,
wherein the control unit is adapted to repeatedly change the parameter randomly.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the control unit is adapted to repeatedly change the parameter randomly, with an interval between each change, of between about 500 milliseconds and about 30 seconds.