Control of arterial smooth muscle tone
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsRoger Hastings, William J. Drasler, Vitaly Shapovalov, Mark Schroeder, Anupama Sadasiva
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for locally controlling smooth muscle tone includes a first electrode for insertion into an artery; a barrier for preventing the first electrode from contacting an arterial wall; a second electrode; a power supply; and a controller for coupling the power supply to the electrodes. The controller is configured to cause the electrode to maintain a waveform for controlling polarization of smooth muscle tone.
Claims17
An apparatus for locally controlling smooth muscle tone for a plurality of arterioles within an arterial bed, the apparatus comprising:
- a first electrode for insertion into an artery;
- a barrier for preventing the first electrode from contacting an arterial wall;
- a second electrode configured to be positioned to use blood vessels as communication channels to cause current flowing through conductive blood between the first and second electrodes to traverse the plurality of arterioles in the arterial bed and control smooth muscle tone for the plurality of arterioles;
- a power supply;
- an electronic controller for coupling the power supply to the electrodes, the controller being configured to use the electrodes to maintain a waveform for controlling polarization of smooth muscle tone for the plurality of arterioles in the arterial bed;
- and
- a sensor coupled to the controller, wherein the sensor is configured to provide data indicative of the cardiac cycle to the controller;
- wherein the controller is configured to generate the waveform and to synchronize the waveform with the cardiac cycle in response to the data such that a positive voltage is applied during ventricular diastole.
An apparatus for locally controlling smooth muscle tone for a plurality of arterioles within an arterial bed, the apparatus comprising:
- a first electrode for insertion into an artery;
- a barrier for preventing the first electrode from contacting an arterial wall;
- a second electrode configured to be positioned to use blood vessels as communication channels to cause current flowing through conductive blood between the first and second electrodes to traverse the plurality of arterioles in the arterial bed and control smooth muscle tone for the plurality of arterioles;
- a power supply;
- and
- an electronic controller for coupling the power supply to the electrodes, the controller being configured to use the electrodes to maintain a waveform for controlling polarization of smooth muscle tone for the plurality of arterioles in the arterial bed;
- wherein the first electrode comprises a distal tip of a catheter;
- wherein the barrier comprises a housing surrounding the first electrode;
- and
- a local sensor for providing data indicative of blood pressure local to the first electrode,
- wherein the controller is configured to manipulate the waveform in response to the data provided by the local sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.