Claims
- 1. A system for treating disorders of gastrointestinal peristalsis, comprising:
at least one leadless microstimulator implanted within a patient; and a wireless controller coupled to the at least one leadless microstimulator for generating and transmitting a signal and power to the leadless microstimulator, causing the leadless microstimulator to generate stimulation pulses with the appropriate timing and intensity to evoke a desired gastrointestinal muscle contraction.
- 2. The system of claim 1 wherein the leadless microstimulator is a class of microstimulator operable by a continuous RF field.
- 3. The system of claim 1 wherein the leadless microstimulator is a class of microstimulator operable by a rechargeable lithium battery.
- 4. The system of claim 1 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted into the stomach for treatment of gastroparesis.
- 5. The system of claim 1 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted contacting tissue in at least one of the group consisting of: stomach, esophagus, small intestine, large bowel, small bowel, and rectum.
- 6. An apparatus for providing stimulation to the gastrointestinal tract comprising:
a leadless microstimulator implanted in the gastrointestinal tract of a patient; and a controller located outside the body of the patient for transmitting a signal and power to the microstimulator, comprising:
a transmission coil wirelessly coupled to the microstimulator; memory means for storing modulated signal patterns; a driver coupled to the transmission coil for generating a carrier frequency according to modulated signal patterns located in memory; and a switch operable by the patient for initiating the operation of the transmission coil, causing each microstimulator to generate pulses with the appropriate timing and intensity to evoke the desired contraction.
- 7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the leadless microstimulator is a class of microstimulator operable by a continuous RF field.
- 8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted into the stomach for treatment of gastroparesis.
- 9. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted contacting tissue in at least one of the group consisting of: stomach, esophagus, small intestine, large bowel, small bowel, and rectum.
- 10. A method for treating disorders of gastrointestinal peristalsis, comprising:
implanting a leadless microstimulator into the gastrointestinal tract of a patient; providing the patient with a controller providing power and command signals to the microstimulator upon operation; and electrically stimulating the area of the gastrointestinal tract where the leadless microstimulator is implanted so as to excite a physiological response from tissue near the microstimulator.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted through injection from the serosal surface via a laparoscopy tool.
- 12. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted through an endoscope.
- 13. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is attached to the serosal wall of the gastrointestinal tract with a surgical clip.
- 14. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is attached to the serosal wall of the gastrointestinal tract with a suture.
- 15. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is attached to the serosal wall of the gastrointestinal tract with a staple.
- 16. The method of claim 10 wherein the leadless microstimulator is implanted near the fundus of the stomach.
- 17. An apparatus for treating disorders of stomach peristalsis, the apparatus comprising:
a leadless microstimulator implanted in the wall of the stomach near the fundus; and a controller located outside the body of the patient for transmitting a signal and power to the microstimulator, comprising:
a transmission coil wirelessly coupled to the microstimulator; memory means for storing modulated signal patterns; a driver coupled to the transmission coil for generating a carrier frequency according to modulated signal patterns located in memory; and a switch operable by the patient for initiating the operation of the transmission coil, causing the microstimulator to generate pulses with the appropriate timing and intensity to evoke a peristaltic contraction in the stomach.
- 18. An apparatus for treating disorders of stomach peristalsis, comprising:
at least one wireless microstimulator affixed directly to the moving gut; and external means for selectively controlling the at least one wireless microstimulator to produce a sequence of electrical pulses necessary to achieve proper peristalsis of the stomach.
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the filing date benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/232,753 (our matter 20442-12), filed on Sep. 15, 2000, entitled “Method and Apparatus to Treat Disorders of Gastrointestinal Peristalsis”, and relates to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/230,664, filed on Sep. 7, 2000, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Control of Bowel Function”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______ (our file 20441-14), filed on Sep. 7, 2001, entitled “Method and Apparatus for Control of Bowel Function”, the contents of which are incorporated herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60232753 |
Sep 2000 |
US |