Method and apparatus for gastrointestinal stimulation via the lymphatic system
AssigneeCardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
InventorAllan C. Shuros
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An implantable gastrointestinal (GI) stimulation system includes an implantable medical device and at least one stimulus delivery device configured to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient's thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. In one embodiment, the implantable medical device includes a GI stimulation circuit to deliver electrical stimulation pulses to one or more target regions adjacent to a lymphatic vessel through the stimulus delivery device. In one embodiment, to control obesity, the electrical stimulation pulses are delivered to the organs and/or nerves of the GI tract to create a sensation of satiety and/or to expedite food movement through the GI tract.
Claims17
A system for delivering stimulation to a target region in a body having lymphatic vessels and a gastrointestinal (GI) tract including GI organs and nerves innervating the GI organs, the target region including portions of the GI tract, the system comprising:
- a first implantable lead having a first distal end, a first proximal end, and a first elongate lead body between the first distal end and the first proximal end;
- a first electrode assembly incorporated into the first implantable lead, the first electrode assembly including a first electrode base configured to be implanted into one of the lymphatic vessels and a first stimulation electrode and a second stimulation electrode on the first electrode base away from the first distal end, the first electrode base including a bias disposed at a location of the first stimulation electrode on the first electrode base, the bias including a helix-shaped portion of the first electrode base, the bias configured to selectively cause a portion of the one of the lymphatic vessels adjacent to the target region of stimulation to substantially alter its natural path to cause the first stimulation electrode to contact the portion of the one of the lymphatic vessels with the altered natural path and maintain the contact between the portion of the one of the lymphatic vessels and the target region after an implantation of the first electrode assembly;
- and a second electrode base disposed at the distal end of said first implantable lead and located distally of said bias in said first electrode base;
- and
- an implantable medical device configured to be connected to the first proximal end of the first implantable lead, the implantable medical device including:
- a GI stimulation circuit adapted to deliver GI stimuli through the first stimulation electrode and the second stimulation electrode;
- and
- an implant control circuit coupled to the GI stimulation circuit, the implant control circuit adapted to control the delivery of the GI stimuli using a plurality of stimulation parameters selected to stimulate one or more of the GI organs and the nerves innervating the GI organs.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.