| Electrical stimulation of the colon to treat chronic constipation -> Monitor Keywords |
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  Electrical stimulation of the colon to treat chronic constipationUSPTO Application #: 20070112391Title: Electrical stimulation of the colon to treat chronic constipation Abstract: The invention is directed to techniques for stimulating a colon of a patient to relieve chronic constipation. Specifically, a colon stimulation system applies one or more electrical stimuli to the colon of the patient in order to induce peristaltic activity in the colon to relieve chronic constipation. In accordance with the invention, the colon stimulation system induces peristaltic activity in the colon by applying an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. While in the contracted state, the colon is substantially fully contracted. (end of abstract)
Agent: Medtronic, Inc. - Minneapolis, MN, US Inventors: Antoine Camps, Nathalie Virag, Mattia Bertschi, Pavel Kucera USPTO Applicaton #: 20070112391 - Class: 607040000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Surgery: Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Light, Thermal, And Electrical Application, Electrical Therapeutic Systems, Stimulating Bladder Or Gastrointestinal Tract The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070112391. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to medical devices, and more particularly, to devices that stimulate a colon of a patient to treat constipation. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] Chronic constipation refers to a decreased number of bowel movements and/or difficulties evacuating the rectum, including excessive straining or hard stools. Constipation is a major problem for many individuals and frequently causes extreme discomfort to the afflicted, including discomfort during passage of stools, a constant feeling of the need to pass stool, and the like. [0003] Chronic constipation may result from changes in diet, decrease in physical activity, dehydration, diseases of the bowel, neurological diseases, congenital diseases, medications, and physical injury. Conventional therapies for chronic constipation include consumption of laxatives, special diets, colon ablation surgery, and the like. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0004] In general, the invention is directed to techniques for stimulating a colon of a patient to relieve chronic constipation. Specifically, a colon stimulation system applies electrical stimuli to the colon of the patient in order to induce peristaltic activity in the colon to relieve chronic constipation. In accordance with the invention, the colon stimulation system induces peristaltic activity in the colon by applying an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. As will be described, while in the contracted state, the colon is substantially fully contracted. [0005] The colon stimulation system includes a stimulus generator to generate electrical stimuli for application to the colon via one or more electrodes placed in contact with the colon. More specifically, one or more leads couple the stimulus generator to the electrodes in contact with the colon. The electrodes are in contact with an outer portion of a cecum of the colon. However, in alternate embodiments, the electrodes may be deployed elsewhere along the colon such as along the ascending colon, the transverse colon, the descending colon or the sigmoid colon. The electrodes may be anchored to the colon using a needle to advance the electrodes into the muscular tissue of the colon, via one or more sutures or via an adhesive patch. [0006] The colon stimulation system applies electrical stimuli to the colon of the patient via the electrodes and leads in order to induce peristaltic activity in the colon to relieve chronic constipation. The peristaltic activity in the colon moves stool through the colon towards the rectum for exit out of the patient via the anal canal. More specifically, the electrical stimuli applied to the colon via the electrodes and leads cause a portion of colon proximate the electrodes of the leads to substantially fully contract, i.e., contract to the contracted state. For example, the stimulus generator may apply the electrical stimuli to the colon for a prolonged period of time, e.g., sixty seconds, in order to cause the colon to substantially fully contract. When the stimulus generator removes or discontinues the electrical stimulus, the contracted portion of the colon relaxes to a non-contracted state. During the contraction and relaxation of the colon a natural colonic activity is triggered thereby induce peristaltic activity. [0007] The colon stimulation system can be configured to apply one or more electrical stimuli to the colon in accordance with numerous stimulation algorithms. In one embodiment, the colon stimulation system applies multiple electrical stimuli to the colon substantially simultaneously. For example, the colon stimulation system applies electrical stimuli to the colon via a plurality of electrodes and leads at substantially the same time. In this manner, the stimulation algorithm separates the electrical stimuli applied to the colon in space, e.g., at different locations along the colon. The application of the electrical stimuli to the colon substantially simultaneously causes the portion of the colon proximate the electrodes of the leads to contract to a substantially fully contracted state at substantially the same time. Alternatively, the colon stimulation system may selectively apply stimulation to the colon via a particular subset of the electrodes and leads. For example, the colon stimulation system may apply an electrical stimulus to the colon via electrodes of a single lead. [0008] Further, the colon stimulation system may apply a series of electrical stimuli to the colon. For example, the colon stimulation system may apply a first set of electrical stimuli substantially simultaneously to the colon via the electrodes and leads to cause a portion the colon to contract to a contracted state, remove the electrical stimuli to cause the colon to relax, and then apply a second set of electrical stimuli substantially simultaneously to the colon via the electrodes and leads to cause the portion of the colon to contract to the contracted state again. In this manner, the stimulation algorithm causes the electrical stimuli to be applied to the colon at different locations along the colon, and further causes the electrical stimuli to be applied at different times as well. Although in the example described the colon stimulation system only applies two sets of electrical stimuli to the colon separated by a period of non-stimulation, the colon stimulation system can apply any number of sets of electrical stimuli to the colon with each set of electrical stimuli followed by a non-stimulation period. The stimulus generator may remove the electrical stimulus from the colon for a long enough period of time to allow the colon to relax to a substantially non-contracted state. However, in some cases, the stimulus generator applies the second set of electrical stimuli to the colon before the colon relaxes to a fully non-contracted state, i.e., while the colon is still partially contracted. [0009] In another embodiment, the colon stimulation system can be configured to apply electrical stimuli to the colon sequentially along the colon. For example, the colon stimulation system applies an electrical stimulus to the colon via electrodes of a first lead, followed by subsequent application of an electrical stimulus via electrodes of a second lead, and a further subsequent application of an electrical stimulus via electrodes of a third lead. The sequential application of the electrical stimuli to the colon via electrodes of the three leads causes portions of the colon proximate respective the electrodes of the leads to enter the contracted state. Particularly, the portion of the colon proximate electrodes of the first lead begins to contract, followed by the portion of the colon proximate electrodes of the second lead and then the portion of the colon proximate electrodes of the third lead. In this manner, the contraction of the colon "moves" along the colon toward the rectum. [0010] In the same way, the relaxation of the colon "moves" along the colon toward the rectum. Specifically, the colon stimulation system removes the electrical stimulus to the portion of the colon proximate the electrodes of the first lead to allow of the portion of the colon proximate electrodes the first lead to relax. Likewise, the colon stimulation system sequentially removes the electrical stimuli to the portions of the colon proximate the electrodes of the second and third leads, allowing the portion of the colon proximate the electrodes of the second lead and the portion of the colon proximate the electrodes of the third lead to sequentially relax. Further, the colon stimulation system may apply sets of electrical stimuli to the colon via the plurality of electrodes and leads. For example, the colon stimulation system may apply to the colon a first set of sequential electrical stimuli, which last for approximately 1 minute, via the plurality of leads followed by a period of relaxation, e.g., 2-3 minutes, and then apply a second set of sequential electrical stimuli to the colon via the leads. [0011] In one embodiment, the invention provides a system comprising a stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus and at least one electrode in contact with a colon of a patient to apply the electrical stimulus to the colon. The system is configured to cause the colon to undergo peristaltic activity by applying the electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state where a portion of the colon is substantially fully contracted, and by removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. [0012] In another embodiment, the invention provides a method comprising applying an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state, the portion of the colon being substantially fully contracted in the contracted state, and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. [0013] In a further embodiment, the invention provides a computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to apply an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state, the portion of the colon being substantially fully contracted in the contracted state and remove the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. [0014] The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a colon stimulation system in conjunction with a colon of a patient. [0016] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary lead that fixates one or more electrodes in contact with a colon of a patient. [0017] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary patch lead to place of electrodes on the colon. [0018] FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating an exemplary stimulation algorithm for applying electrical stimuli to a colon of a patient via a plurality of leads. [0019] FIG. 5 is a timing diagram illustrating another exemplary stimulation algorithm for applying electrical stimuli to a colon of a patient via a plurality of leads. [0020] FIG. 6 is a flow diagram illustrating exemplary operation of a colon stimulation system stimulating a colon to induce peristaltic activity. Continue reading... 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