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  Method and apparatus for neural stimulation via the lymphatic systemUSPTO Application #: 20070282376Title: Method and apparatus for neural stimulation via the lymphatic system Abstract: An implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable medical device having a neural stimulation circuit and at least one implantable lead configured to allow one or more stimulation electrodes to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient's thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from the implantable medical device to one or more target regions adjacent to the thoracic duct or the vessels branching from the thoracic duct through the one or more stimulation electrodes. (end of abstract)
Agent: Schwegman, Lundberg & Woessner, P.A. - Minneapolis, MN, US Inventors: Allan C. Shuros, Randy Westlund, Anthony V. Caparso USPTO Applicaton #: 20070282376 - Class: 607 2 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070282376. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001]This application is related to co-pending, commonly assigned, U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR LYMPHATIC SYSTEM PACING AND SENSING," filed on even date herewith (Attorney Docket No. 279.A69US1), U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled "METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GASTROINTESTINAL STIMULATION VIA THE LYMPHATIC SYSTEM," filed on even date herewith ______ (Attorney Docket No. 279.A66US1), U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled "METHOD AND DEVICE FOR LYMPHATIC SYSTEM MONITORING," filed even date herewith (Attorney Docket No. 279.A05US1), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled "METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ENDO-LYMPHATIC STIMULATION," filed on even date herewith (Attorney Docket No. 279.A04US1), which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002]This document relates generally to medical devices and particularly to an implantable system that delivers neural stimulation via one or more lymphatic vessels. BACKGROUND [0003]Neural stimulation has been applied to treat various pathological conditions. Controlled delivery of electrical stimulation pulses to a nerve generates, modulates, or inhibits activities of that nerve, thereby restoring the functions of that nerve and/or regulating the functions of the tissue or organ innervated by that nerve. One specific example of neural stimulation is to regulate cardiac functions and hemodynamic performance by delivering electrical stimulation pulses to portions of the autonomic nervous system. The heart is innervated with sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. Activities in these nerves, including artificially applied electrical stimuli, modulate cardiac functions and hemodynamic performance. Direct electrical stimulation of parasympathetic nerves can activate the baroreflex, inducing a reduction of sympathetic nerve activity and reducing blood pressure by decreasing vascular resistance. Sympathetic inhibition, as well as parasympathetic activation, has been associated with reduced arrhythmia vulnerability following a myocardial infarction, presumably by increasing collateral perfusion of the acutely ischemic myocardium and decreasing myocardial damage. Modulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system with neural stimulation has been shown to have positive clinical benefits, such as protecting the myocardium from further remodeling and predisposition to fatal arrhythmias following a myocardial infarction. [0004]Implantable medical systems are used to deliver neural stimulation. A typical implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable neural stimulator that delivers electrical stimulation pulses through a plurality of stimulation electrodes. Depending on the location of the nerve to be stimulated, the stimulation electrodes may be incorporated onto the implantable neural stimulator and/or connected to the implantable neural stimulator using one or more implantable leads. In practice, the desirable stimulation sites may not be in a location with anatomical structure allowing for easy implantation of the implantable neural stimulator or easy access by the lead(s). The degree of risk associated with the implantation procedure increases with the degree of invasiveness. Therefore, given a desirable stimulation site, there is a need to minimize the invasiveness of implanting a system that delivers neural stimulation pulses to that stimulation site. SUMMARY [0005]An implantable neural stimulation system includes an implantable medical device having a neural stimulation circuit and at least one implantable lead configured to allow one or more stimulation electrodes to be placed in one or more lymphatic vessels of a patient, such as the patient's thoracic duct and/or vessels branching from the thoracic duct. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from the implantable medical device to one or more target regions adjacent to the thoracic duct or the vessels branching from the thoracic duct through the one or more stimulation electrodes. [0006]In one embodiment, a neural stimulation system includes an electrode assembly and an implantable medical device. The electrode assembly includes an electrode base configured to be implanted into a lymphatic vessel and a stimulation electrode on the electrode base. The electrode base is configured to cause a portion of the lymphatic vessel to substantially alter its natural path to contact a target region to which neural stimulation pulses are delivered and maintain the contact between the portion of the lymphatic vessel and the target region after the implantation of the electrode assembly. The implantable medical device includes a neural stimulation circuit that delivers the neural stimulation pulses through the stimulation electrode. [0007]In one embodiment, a method for delivering neural stimulation is provided. Neural stimulation pulses are delivered from an implantable medical device to at least one stimulation electrode placed in a lymphatic vessel. [0008]This Summary is an overview of some of the teachings of the present application and not intended to be an exclusive or exhaustive treatment of the present subject matter. Further details about the present subject matter are found in the detailed description and appended claims. Other aspects of the invention will be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following detailed description and viewing the drawings that form a part thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009]The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, various embodiments discussed in the present document. The drawings are for illustrative purposes only and may not be to scale. [0010]FIG. 1 is an illustration of an embodiment of a neural stimulation system and portions of an environment in which the neural stimulation system is used. [0011]FIG. 2 is an illustration of another embodiment of the neural stimulation system and portions of the environment in which the neural stimulation system is used. [0012]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an implantable medical device of the neural stimulation system. [0013]FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a specific embodiment of the implantable medical device. [0014]FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating another specific embodiment of the implantable medical device. [0015]FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of an external system of the neural stimulation system. [0016]FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the external system being a patient management system. [0017]FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating a method for delivering neural stimulation via the thoracic duct. [0018]FIG. 9 is an illustration of a lymphatic vessel and a target region for neural stimulation. [0019]FIG. 10 is an illustration of an embodiment of an electrode assembly for placement in the lymphatic vessel to allow for the neural stimulation. Continue reading... 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