Method for stimulating neural tissue in response to a sensed physiological event

1 . A method of treating a disorder of a patient, comprising:

intravascularly delivering a stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the stimulation lead adjacent neural tissue;

sensing a physiological event associated with the disorder; and

stimulating the neural tissue with the stimulation lead in response to the sensed physiological event.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the disorder is a neurological disorder.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the circulatory system.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is introduced into the head via the ventricular system.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the neural tissue.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the neural tissue.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neural tissue is brain tissue.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the neural tissue is nerve tissue.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is acutely placed adjacent the neural tissue.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the stimulation lead is subchronically or chronically placed adjacent the neural tissue.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising intravascularly delivering a sensing lead within the patient, wherein the sensing lead senses the physiological event.

12 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising intravascularly delivering a sensing lead within the head of the patient, wherein the sensing lead senses the physiological event.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location adjacent the head of the patient.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location peripheral from the head of the patient.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location internal to the patient.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location external to the patient.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing physiological electrical activity.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing intracranial pressure.

19 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a blood parameter.

20 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, essential tremor, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain, and the sensed physiological event is a change in electrophysiological electrical activity.

21 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of cerebral ischemia, cerebral vasospasm, and refractory hypertension, and the sensed physiological event is at least one of a change in blood flow, a change in blood pressure, a change in the blood oxygen level, and a change in intracranial pressure.

22 . A method of treating a neurological disorder of a patient, comprising:

delivering a stimulation lead within the head of the patient;

placing the stimulation lead adjacent neural tissue;

sensing a physiological event associated with the neurological disorder using a sensing device, wherein at least one of the stimulation lead and sensing device is intravascularly delivered within the patient; and

stimulating the neural tissue with the stimulation lead in response to the sensed physiological event.

23 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the stimulation lead and sensing device is introduced into the patient via the circulatory system.

24 . The method of claim 22 , wherein at least one of the stimulation lead and sensing device is introduced into the patient via the ventricular system.

25 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the neural tissue.

26 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the neural tissue.

27 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the neural tissue is brain tissue.

28 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the neural tissue is nerve tissue.

29 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the stimulation lead is acutely placed adjacent the neural tissue.

30 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the stimulation lead is subchronically or chronically placed adjacent the neural tissue.

31 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the sensing device comprises a sensing lead that is intravascularly delivered into the patient.

32 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the sensing lead is intravascularly delivered into the patient.

33 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location adjacent the head of the patient.

34 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location peripheral from the head of the patient.

35 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location internal to the patient.

36 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location external to the patient.

37 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing physiological electrical activity.

38 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing intracranial pressure.

39 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a blood parameter.

40 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the neurological disorder comprises at least one of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, essential tremor, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain, and the sensed physiological event is a change in electrophysiological electrical activity.

41 . The method of claim 22 , wherein the neurological disorder comprises at least one of cerebral ischemia, cerebral vasospasm, and refractory hypertension, and the sensed physiological event is at least one of a change in blood flow, a change in blood pressure, a change in the blood oxygen level, and a change in intracranial pressure.

42 . A method of treating a disorder in a patient, comprising:

making an access point into the vasculature of the patient;

introducing a stimulation lead through the access point and into the head of the patient;

placing the stimulation lead adjacent neural tissue within the head, while a proximal end of the stimulation lead extends from the access point;

connecting the proximal end of the stimulation lead to a stimulation source, wherein the stimulation source is configured to transmit stimulation energy to the stimulation lead in response to a feedback signal; and

connecting a sensing device to the stimulation source, wherein the sensing device is configured to sense a physiological event and transmit the feedback signal to the stimulation source.

43 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the disorder is a neurological disorder.

44 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the access point is made in the circulatory system of the patient.

45 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the access point is made in the ventricular system of the patient.

46 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in direct contact with the neural tissue.

47 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the stimulation lead is placed in indirect contact with the neural tissue.

48 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the neural tissue is brain tissue.

49 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the neural tissue is nerve tissue.

50 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the stimulation lead is acutely placed adjacent the neural tissue.

51 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the stimulation lead is subchronically or chronically placed adjacent the neural tissue.

52 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location adjacent the head of the patient.

53 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter at a location peripheral from the head of the patient.

54 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location internal to the patient.

55 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a parameter from a location external to the patient.

56 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing physiological electrical activity.

57 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing intracranial pressure.

58 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a blood parameter.

59 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, essential tremor, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain, and the sensed physiological event is a change in electrophysiological electrical activity.

60 . The method of claim 42 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of cerebral ischemia, cerebral vasospasm, and refractory hypertension, and the sensed physiological event is at least one of a change in blood flow, a change in blood pressure, a change in the blood oxygen level, and a change in intracranial pressure.

61 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising implanting the stimulation source within the patient external to the vasculature of the patient.

62 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising conveying stimulation energy from the stimulation source to the stimulation lead, wherein the neural tissue is electrically stimulated to treat the disorder.

63 . The method of claim 62 , further comprising sensing the physiological event with the sensing device.

64 . The method of claim 42 , further comprising modifying a stimulation parameter within the stimulation source based on the sensed physiological event.

65 . A method of treating a disorder of a patient, comprising:

intravascularly delivering at least one of a stimulation lead and a sensing lead within the head of the patient;

sensing a physiological event associated with the disorder using the sensing lead; and

stimulating neural tissue with the stimulation lead in response to the sensed physiological event.

66 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the disorder is a neurological disorder.

67 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the at least one stimulation lead and sensing lead is introduced into the head via the circulatory system.

68 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the at least one stimulation lead and sensing lead is introduced into the head via the ventricular system.

69 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing physiological electrical activity.

70 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing intracranial pressure.

71 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the physiological event sensing comprises sensing a blood parameter.

72 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Huntington's disease, epilepsy, essential tremor, depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia, and neuropathic pain, and the sensed physiological event is a change in electrophysiological electrical activity.

73 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the disorder comprises at least one of cerebral ischemia, cerebral vasospasm, and refractory hypertension, and the sensed physiological event is at least one of a change in blood flow, a change in blood pressure, a change in the blood oxygen level, and a change in intracranial pressure.

74 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the at least one of a stimulation lead and a sensing lead comprises the stimulation lead.

75 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the at least one of a stimulation lead and a sensing lead comprises the sensing lead.

76 . The method of claim 65 , wherein the at least one of a stimulation lead and a sensing lead comprises both the stimulation lead and the sensing lead.