Acute and chronic electrical signal therapy for obesity
View Patent ↗Apparatus is provided for treating a condition such as obesity. The apparatus includes a set of one or more electrodes, which are adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient. A control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach a signal, configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross-sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.
1. Apparatus for treating a condition, comprising:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach,
wherein the control unit is adapted to configure a timing parameter of the ETC signal responsive to timing of natural gastric electrical activity.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the electrode set is adapted to be applied in contact with muscle tissue of the stomach.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the ETC signal as a series of biphasic pulses.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal to have a duration of at least about 1 second.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5 . wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal to have a duration of at least about 3 seconds.
7. Apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set in accordance with a schedule programmed into the control unit.
8. Apparatus for treating a condition, comprising:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach,
wherein the control unit is adapted to receive a patient signal, input by the patient, and to drive the electrode set responsive to the patient signal.
9. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the electrode set is adapted to be applied in contact with muscle tissue of the stomach.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
11. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set to apply the ETC signal as a series of biphasic pulses.
12. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal to have a duration of at least about 1 second.
13. Apparatus according to claim 12 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the ETC signal to have a duration of at least about 3 seconds.
14. Apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set in accordance with a schedule programmed into the control unit.
15. Apparatus for treating a condition, comprising:
a set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient;
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to the sites, configured such that application thereof decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach; and
a second set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a lower-esophageal sphincter of the patient, wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the second electrode set to apply a sphincter-control signal to the sphincter, configured such that application thereof increases a contraction force generated by the sphincter.
16. Apparatus for treating a condition, comprising:
exactly one set of one or more electrodes, adapted to be applied to one or more respective sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient, the one or more respective sites generally arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stomach; and
a control unit, adapted to drive the electrode set to apply to the body of the stomach, substantially in the plane, a signal configured such that application thereof increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of the body of the stomach, and decreases a cross-sectional area of a portion of the body of the stomach substantially in the plane for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.
17. Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the electrode set is adapted to be applied in contact with muscle tissue of the stomach.
18. Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the control unit is adapted to configure the signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
19. Apparatus according to claim 16 , wherein the control unit is adapted to drive the electrode set in accordance with a schedule programmed into the control unit.
20. A method for treating a condition, comprising:
applying an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient; and
configuring the ETC signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach,
wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring a timing parameter of the signal responsive to timing of natural gastric electrical activity.
21. A method according to claim 20 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal to muscle tissue of the stomach.
22. A method according to claim 20 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
23. A method according to claim 20 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal as a series of biphasic pulses.
24. A method according to claim 20 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal to have a duration of at least about 1 second.
25. A method according to claim 24 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal to have a duration of at least about 3 seconds.
26. A method according to claim 20 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal in accordance with a schedule.
27. A method for treating a condition, comprising:
applying an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient;
configuring the ETC signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach;
applying a sphincter-control signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a lower-esophageal sphincter of the patient; and
configuring the sphincter-control signal such that application thereof increases a contraction force generated by the sphincter.
28. A method for treating a condition, comprising:
applying an Excitable-Tissue Control (ETC) signal to one or more sites in a vicinity of a stomach of a patient;
configuring the ETC signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites decreases a cross-sectional area of at least a portion of the stomach; and
receiving a patient signal input by the patient, wherein configuring the ETC signal comprises configuring the ETC signal responsive to the patient signal.
29. A method according to claim 28 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal to muscle tissue of the stomach.
30. A method according to claim 28 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the stomach.
31. A method according to claim 28 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal as a series of biphasic pulses.
32. A method according to claim 28 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal to have a duration of at least about 1 second.
33. A method according to claim 32 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal to have a duration of at least about 3 seconds.
34. A method according to claim 28 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal in accordance with a schedule.
35. A method for treating a condition, comprising:
applying a signal to exactly one set of one or more sites in a vicinity of a body of a stomach of a patient, the one or more sites generally arranged in a plane substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the stomach; and
configuring the signal such that application thereof to the one or more sites increases a level of contraction of muscle tissue of a portion of the body of the stomach substantially in the plane, and decreases a cross-sectional area of the portion for a substantially continuous period greater than about 3 seconds.
36. A method according to claim 35 , wherein applying the signal comprises applying the signal to muscle tissue of the body of the stomach.
37. A method according to claim 35 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal such that application thereof decreases a volume of the body of the stomach.
38. A method according to claim 35 , wherein configuring the signal comprises configuring the signal in accordance with a schedule.