Implantable device for facilitating control of electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction

An externally-controllable implantable device for treating chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• an implantable neurostimulator comprising a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation tuned to restore autonomic balance at an intensity that avoids acute physiological side affects and with an unchanging cycle not triggered by physiological markers through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses simultaneously delivered in both afferent and efferent directions of a cervical vagus nerve in continuous alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition;
• a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead electrically coupled to the pulse generator and terminated by a pair of helical electrodes through which the therapeutic electrical stimulation is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve;
• and
• a programmable switch configured to control the therapeutic electrical stimulation via the pulse generator in response to an external magnetic signal.

An implantable device for facilitating control of electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead, comprising:
• a pair of helical electrodes configured to conform to an outer diameter of a cervical vagus nerve sheath of a patient;
• and
• a set of connector pins electrically connected to the helical electrodes by an insulated electrical lead body;
• and
• a neurostimulator powered by a primary battery and enclosed in a hermetically sealed housing, further comprising:
• an electrical receptacle comprised on an outer surface of the housing into which the connector pins are securely and electrically coupled;
• a pulse generator configured to therapeutically stimulate the cervical vagus nerve through the helical electrodes in alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition that are tuned to restore autonomic balance at an intensity that avoids acute physiological side effects and with an unchanging cycle not triggered by physiological markers through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses simultaneously delivered in both afferent and efferent directions of the vagus nerve to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes by triggering bi-directional action potentials;
• and
• a programmable switch configured to alter the triggering of the bi-directional action potentials by the pulse generator in response to a magnetic signal received from outside the housing.

A vagus nerve neurostimulator with autotitration for treating chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• an implantable neurostimulator comprising:
• a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation tuned to restore autonomic balance through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses simultaneously delivered at an intensity that avoids acute physiological side effects and with an unchanging cycle not triggered by physiological markers in both afferent and efferent directions of a cervical vagus nerve through a pair of helical electrodes via an electrically coupled nerve stimulation therapy lead;
• and
• a programmable switch configured to trigger automatic titration of the electrical therapeutic stimulation progressively over a fixed period of time in response to a remotely-applied magnetic signal.

An implantable device with autotitration for treating chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• an implantable neurostimulator comprising a pulse generator configured to deliver electrical therapeutic stimulation tuned to restore autonomic balance at an intensity that avoids acute physiological side effects and with an unchanging cycle not triggered by physiological markers through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses simultaneously delivered in both afferent and efferent directions of a cervical vagus nerve in continuous alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition;
• a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead electrically coupled to the pulse generator and terminated by a pair of helical electrodes through which the therapeutic electrical stimulation is delivered to the cervical vagus nerve;
• and
• a programmable switch configured to trigger automatic titration of the therapeutic electrical stimulation progressively over a fixed period of time in response to an external magnetic signal.

An implantable device for triggering autotitration of electrical stimulation of cervical vagus nerves for treatment of chronic cardiac dysfunction, comprising:

• a cervical vagus nerve stimulation therapy lead, comprising:
• a pair of helical electrodes configured to conform to an outer diameter of a cervical vagus nerve sheath of a patient;
• and
• a set of connector pins electrically connected to the helical electrodes by an insulated electrical lead body;
• and
• a neurostimulator powered by a primary battery and enclosed in a hermetically sealed housing, further comprising:
• an electrical receptacle comprised on an outer surface of the housing into which the connector pins are securely and electrically coupled;
• a pulse generator configured to therapeutically stimulate the cervical vagus nerve through the helical electrodes in alternating cycles of stimuli application and stimuli inhibition that are tuned to restore autonomic balance at an intensity that avoids acute physiological side effects and with an unchanging cycle not triggered by physiological markers through continuously-cycling, intermittent and periodic electrical pulses simultaneously delivered in both afferent and efferent directions of the vagus nerve to both efferently activate the heart's intrinsic nervous system and afferently activate the patient's central reflexes by triggering bi-directional action potentials;
• and
• a programmable switch configured to trigger automatic titration of the bi-directional action potentials into a predetermined set of stimulation parameters progressively over a fixed period of time in response to a magnetic signal received from outside the housing.