Neuromodulatory methods for treating pulmonary disorders

1. A method for treating asthma in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a therapy delivery device into a subclavian artery or a subclavian vein of the subject;

advancing the therapy delivery device to a point substantially adjacent an intraluminal target site of the autonomic nervous system (ANS); and

activating the therapy delivery device to deliver a therapy signal to the intraluminal target site of the ANS to treat the asthma; and

wherein the intraluminal target site is in electrical communication with nervous tissue selected from the group consisting of a spinal nerve, pre- or post-ganglionic autonomic fibers, a sympathetic chain ganglion, a thoracic sympathetic chain ganglion, a cervical ganglion, a superior cervical ganglion, a middle cervical ganglion, a lower cervical ganglion, an inferior cervical ganglion, an intramural ganglion, an esophageal plexus, a cardiac plexus, a pulmonary plexus, an anterior pulmonary plexus, and a posterior pulmonary plexus.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

sensing a bodily activity associated with the asthma;

generating a sensor signal based on the bodily activity; and

activating the therapy delivery device to adjust application of the therapy signal to the intraluminal target site in response to the sensor signal to treat the asthma.

3. The method of claim 1 , said step of activating the therapy delivery device further including increasing the sympathetic activity of the nervous tissue.

4. A method for treating asthma in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a therapy delivery device into a renal artery or a renal vein of the subject;

advancing the therapy delivery device to a point substantially adjacent an intraluminal target site of the ANS; and

activating the therapy delivery device to deliver a therapy signal to the intraluminal target site of the ANS to treat the asthma;

wherein the intraluminal target site is in electrical communication with nervous tissue selected from the group consisting of a spinal nerve, pre- or post-ganglionic autonomic fibers, a sympathetic chain ganglion, an intramural ganglion, a splanchnic nerve, an esophageal plexus, a celiac plexus, a hypogastric plexus, an inferior mesenteric ganglion, a celiac ganglion, and a superior mesenteric ganglion.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the steps of:

sensing a bodily activity associated with the asthma;

generating a sensor signal based on the bodily activity; and

activating the therapy delivery device to adjust application of the therapy signal to the intraluminal target site in response to the sensor signal to treat the asthma.

6. A method for treating asthma in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a therapy delivery device into an intercostal vein or an intercostal artery of the subject;

advancing the therapy delivery device to a point substantially adjacent an intraluminal target site of the ANS; and

activating the therapy delivery device to deliver a therapy signal to the intraluminal target site of the ANS to treat the asthma;

wherein the intraluminal target site is in electrical communication with nervous tissue selected from the group consisting of a spinal nerve, pre- or post-ganglionic autonomic fibers, a sympathetic chain ganglion, a thoracic sympathetic chain ganglion, an intramural ganglion, a splanchnic nerve, an esophageal plexus, a cardiac plexus, a pulmonary plexus, an anterior pulmonary plexus, a posterior pulmonary plexus and a celiac plexus.

7. A method for treating asthma in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a therapy delivery device into a jugular vein of the subject;

advancing the therapy delivery device to a point substantially adjacent an intraluminal target site of the ANS; and

activating the therapy delivery device to deliver a therapy signal to the intraluminal target site of the ANS to treat the asthma;

wherein the intraluminal target site is in electrical communication with nervous tissue selected from the group consisting of a spinal nerve, pre- or post-ganglionic autonomic fibers, a sympathetic chain ganglion, a cervical ganglion, a superior cervical ganglion, a middle cervical ganglion, a lower cervical ganglion, an inferior cervical ganglion, and an intramural ganglion.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the jugular vein is an internal jugular vein.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the jugular vein is an external jugular vein.

10. A method for treating asthma in a subject, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a therapy delivery device into a carotid artery of the subject;

advancing the therapy delivery device to a point substantially adjacent an intraluminal target site of the ANS; and

activating the therapy delivery device to deliver a therapy signal to the intraluminal target site of the ANS to treat the asthma;

wherein the intraluminal target site is in electrical communication with nervous tissue selected from the group consisting of a spinal nerve, pre- or post-ganglionic autonomic fibers, a sympathetic chain ganglion, a cervical ganglion, a superior cervical ganglion, a middle cervical ganglion, a lower cervical ganglion, an inferior cervical ganglion, and an intramural ganglion.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carotid artery is an internal carotid artery.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carotid artery is an external carotid artery.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the carotid artery is a common carotid artery.