SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR REDUCING AN INFLAMMATORY RESPONSE
Systems and methods for reducing or inhibiting an inflammatory response in a patient include a source of energy and one or more electrodes coupled to the source of energy and positionable near a vagus nerve of the patient to deliver the electrical impulse to the vagus nerve. The electrical impulse is sufficient to either inhibit a release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine, such as TNF-alpha, or increase an anti-inflammatory competence of a cytokine, such as TGF-beta, in the patient, thereby inhibiting the inflammatory response. The electrical impulse may be delivered transcutaneously and non-invasively through an outer skin surface of the patient to the vagus nerve.
1 . A method of treating a patient exhibiting an inflammatory response, the method comprising:
emitting an electrical impulse near a vagus nerve within the patient; and
wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to inhibit an inflammatory response in the patient.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to inhibit a release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine.
3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the cytokine includes a tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase an anti-inflammatory competence of a cytokine in the patient.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the cytokine includes a tumor growth factor (TGF)-beta.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to activate a sympathetic fiber in a splenic nerve of the patient and causes the sympathetic fiber to release an amount of norepinephrine into a spleen of the patient and thereby cause a release of an amount of acetylcholine.
7 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the amount of acetylcholine is released to activate an alpha 7 nicotinic Ach receptor on a macrophage in the spleen to block a transcription factor that promotes at least some inflammation in the patient.
8 . The method of claim 1 further comprising:
positioning a contact surface of a housing in contact with an outer skin surface of the patient;
generating an electric current within the housing;
transmitting the electric current transcutaneously and non-invasively from the contact surface through the outer skin surface of the patient such that an electrical impulse is generated at or near the vagus nerve.
9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the housing comprises an energy source that generates the electric current.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of 2-20 pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency of about 5 Hz to about 100 Hz.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each of the pulses has a duration of about 50 microseconds to about 1000 microseconds.
12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein each burst comprises 5 pulses and each pulse has a duration of approximately 200 microseconds.
13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electric current is transmitted through the outer skin surface of a neck of the patient.
14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is applied to the patient according to a treatment paradigm based at least in part on an application of the electrical impulse as a single dose from 2 to 5 times per day.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the single dose is from about 60 seconds to about three minutes.
16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the inflammatory response is associated with an autoimmune disease or disorder.
17 . A device for treating a patient exhibiting an inflammatory response, the device comprising:
a source of energy for emitting an electrical impulse sufficient to inhibit an inflammatory response in the patient; and
one or more electrodes coupled to the source of energy and positionable near a vagus nerve of the patient to deliver the electrical impulse to the vagus nerve.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to inhibit a release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein the cytokine includes a tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha.
20 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to increase an anti-inflammatory competence of a cytokine in the patient.
21 . The device of claim 20 , wherein the cytokine includes a tumor growth factor (TGF)-beta.
22 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to activate a sympathetic fiber in a splenic nerve of the patient and causes the sympathetic fiber to release an amount of norepinephrine into a spleen of the patient and thereby cause a release of an amount of acetylcholine.
23 . The device of claim 22 , wherein the amount of acetylcholine is released to activate an alpha 7 nicotinic Ach receptor on a macrophage in the spleen to block a transcription factor that promotes at least some inflammation in the patient.
24 . The device of claim 17 further comprising a housing coupled to the source of energy and having a contact surface for contacting an outer skin surface of a neck of a patient, wherein the source of energy transmits the electrical impulse transcutaneously and non-invasively from the contact surface through the outer skin surface at or near the vagus nerve within the patient.
25 . The device of claim 24 , wherein the source of energy generates an electric current within the housing.
26 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of 2-20 pulses with each of the bursts having a frequency of about 5 Hz to about 100 Hz.
27 . The device of claim 26 , wherein each of the pulses has a duration of about 50 to 100 microseconds.
28 . The device of claim 26 , wherein each burst comprises 5 pulses and each pulse has a duration of approximately 200 microseconds.
29 . The device of claim 17 , wherein the inflammatory response is associated with an autoimmune disease or disorder.