Neural monitoring methods and systems for treating pharyngeal disorders
AssigneeMED-EL Elektromedizinische Geraete GmbH
InventorWillard Wilson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and systems for monitoring, preventing and/or treating upper airway disorders such as apnea, dysphagia, reflux and/or snoring are described. The methods and systems monitor the upper airway disorders by processing one or more neural signals obtained from one or more upper airway afferents. Upper airway disorders are prevented and/or treated by delivering one or more stimulations to one or more reflex-related afferents, efferents, muscles, and sensory receptors to manipulate the threshold and/or trigger an upper airway reflex including, but not limited to a swallow reflex and/or a negative-pressure reflex.
Claims21
A method for treating and/or preventing a disorder in a subject in need thereof, the method comprising:
- delivering one or more stimulations to modulate one or more reflexes chosen from all or part of a swallowing reflex, all or part of a negative-pressure reflex, and combinations thereof, wherein:
- the disorder comprises one or more of:
- obstructive apnea, central apnea, mixed apnea, snoring, flow limitation, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, dysphagia, esophageal reflux, laryngeal reflux, pharyngeal reflux presence of unswallowed bolus, acid reflux, Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and combinations thereof;
- the one or more stimulations are delivered with subthreshold parameters insufficient to independently elicit the one or more reflexes in order to reduce a threshold of the one or more reflexes by providing an additive effect that augments and enhance enhances the subject's detection of sensory signals so as to trigger the one or more reflexes;
- and
- the one or more stimulations are delivered either according to a predetermined schedule, in response to one or more stimulation signals, and or combinations thereof.
A system for treating and/or preventing a disorder in a subject in need thereof, the system comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- a disorder treatment application comprising a plurality of modules executable on the at least one processor, the plurality of modules comprising:
- a reflex stimulation module configured to provide instructions to the at least one processor in order to cause deliver of one or more stimulations to modulate one or more reflexes chosen from a swallowing reflex, a negative-pressure reflex, and combinations thereof, wherein:
- the disorder is chosen from obstructive apnea, central apnea, mixed apnea, snoring, flow limitation, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, dysphagia, esophageal reflux, laryngeal reflux, pharyngeal reflux, presence of unswallowed bolus, acid reflux, Gastro-Esophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), and combinations thereof;
- the one or more stimulations are delivered with parameters chosen from subthreshold parameters insufficient to independently elicit the one or more reflexes in order to reduce a threshold of the one or more reflexes and enhance the subject's detection of sensory signals so as to trigger the one or more reflexes;
- and
- the one or more stimulations are delivered in response to one or more stimulation signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.