Responsive gastric stimulator
View Patent ↗A responsive gastrointestinal stimulation device is provided where one or more sensors sense data corresponding to a subject or the gastrointestinal tract of a subject and responds to sensing the data by stimulating, adjusting stimulation, or stopping stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract. A stimulation device is also provided to stimulate the gastrointestinal tract to produce a sensation of satiety or to control hunger or food consumption.
1. A method for treating an obese subject comprising the steps of:
providing at least one stimulating electrode electrically coupled to a stomach of the subject;
providing a sensor coupled to the subject, wherein the sensor comprises an accelerometer;
sensing gross movement of the subject with the sensor such that the sensed gross movement is indicative of the subject's activity level;
determining, in response to the sensed gross movement of the subject, that the subject's activity level corresponds to a sleeping state of the subject;
inhibiting stimulation of the subject when the subject is determined to be in the sleeping state; and
stimulating the stomach of the subject with the at least one stimulating electrode when the subject is determined to be in a wakeful state based at least in part on the sensed gross movement of the subject; wherein the stimulating interferes with innate electrical potentials of the subject's stomach.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a pressure sensor; and sensing a pressure within the stomach with the pressure sensor indicating existence of a predetermined threshold of stomach muscle contractions.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a temperature sensor coupled to the subject; and
sensing temperature within the stomach with the temperature sensor indicating ingestion of a substance.
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a strain gauge; and sensing strain within the stomach with the strain gauge indicating existence of a predetermined threshold of stomach muscle contractions.