A wearable, percutaneous device for suppressing appetite or hunger in a patient includes a microprocessor, electrical stimulator and at least one percutaneous electrode implanted and configured to deliver electrical stimulation through the patient's skin. The percutaneous device includes a pad and at least one needle, in which the electrode is disposed, for secure placement of the device within the skin of a patient. The percutaneous device is adapted to provide electrical stimulation as per stimulation protocols and to communicate wirelessly with a companion control device configured to monitor and record appetite patterns of the patient. The control device is also configured to monitor, record, and modify stimulation parameters of the stimulation protocols.

The invention refers to a device for inhibiting the neural activity of a carotid sinus nerve (CSN) or carotid body of a subject, the device comprising: one or more transducers configured to apply a signal to the CSN or associated carotid body of the subject, optionally at least two such transducers; and a controller coupled to the one or more transducers, the controller controlling the signal to be applied by the one or more transducers, such that the signal inhibits the neural activity of the CSN or carotid body to produce a physiological response in the subject, wherein the physiological response is one or more of the group consisting of: an increase in insulin sensitivity in the subject, an increase in glucose tolerance in the subject, a decrease in (fasting) plasma glucose concentration in the subject, a reduction in subcutaneous fat content in the subject, and a reduction in obesity in the subject.

A method for stimulating vagal neurons as demonstrated by generation of action potentials on these same neurons, wherein electrical pulse trains are periodically applied to electrodes implanted on the anterior and posterior vagus nerve at an entrance of a diaphragm, wherein each electrical pulse train is formed by a plurality of monophasic pulses having a frequency of at least 13.0 kHz.

There is provided a method for controlling a flow of fluid and/or other bodily matter in a lumen formed by a tissue wall of a patient's organ. The method comprises gently constricting (i.e., without substantially hampering the blood circulation in the tissue wall) at least one portion of the tissue wall to influence the flow in the lumen, and stimulating the constricted wall portion to cause contraction of the wall portion to further influence the flow in the lumen. The method can be used for restricting or stopping the flow in the lumen, or for actively moving the fluid in the lumen, with a low risk of injuring the organ. Such an organ may be the esophagus, stomach, intestines, urine bladder, urethra, ureter, renal pelvis, aorta, corpus cavernosum, exit veins of erectile tissue, uterine tube, vas deferens or bile duct, or a blood vessel.

The present application relates to a new stimulation design which can be utilized to treat neurological conditions. The stimulation system produces a burst mode stimulation which alters the neuronal activity of the predetermined site, thereby treating the neurological condition or disorder. The burst stimulus comprises a plurality of groups of spike pulses having a maximum inter-spike interval of 100 milliseconds. The burst stimulus is separated by a substantially quiescent period of time between the plurality of groups of spike pulses. This inter-group interval may comprise a minimum of 5 seconds.

Disclosed is a device for modulating a nerve of a patient by applying electrical stimulation to the nerve of the patient. The device includes a stimulation module that applies a signal to the nerve of the patient, and a controller that controls a signal to be applied to the stimulation module, wherein the signal to be applied to the stimulation module includes pulse bursts and a direct current (DC) waveform.

Systems for delivering therapy to an intestinal muscle in a patient may comprise a cardiac sensor, an intestinal sensor, an implantable pulse generator and a signal delivery device. The signal delivery device may be configured to deliver a stimulation signal to the muscle. The implantable pulse generator may comprise a microcontroller configured to receive cardiac data from the cardiac sensor and calculate a heart rate parameter therefrom, receive intestinal activity data from the intestinal sensor and calculate an intestinal activity parameter therefrom, determine a physiological state of a patient based on the parameters, adjust a stimulation parameter of the stimulation signal based on the determined state, and instruct the signal delivery device to deliver an adjusted stimulation signal.

A method for optimization of the stimulation pattern of a set of implanted electrodes in excitable tissue of a patient is disclosed, wherein it comprises the steps of: (a) choosing a first group of a certain number of from said set of implanted electrodes, (b) stimulating the excitable tissue electrically by said first group of electrodes, (c) registering information provided by the patient, (d) assigning each electrode of said first group of electrodes a value related to said information, wherein these steps are repeated for one or more further groups of said certain number of electrodes chosen from said set of implanted electrodes, wherein each electrode may be included in one or several groups, wherein the total assigned value for each electrode is calculated, and wherein electrodes having a total assigned value exceeding a predetermined value or a predetermined number of the electrodes having the highest total assigned value are chosen to be included in said stimulation pattern, as well as a method for treatment or alleviation of a disease or condition by use of a set of electrodes whose stimulation pattern has been optimized with said method, and a system for optimization of the stimulation pattern.

A wearable, percutaneous device for suppressing appetite or hunger in a patient includes a microprocessor, electrical stimulator and at least one percutaneous electrode implanted and configured to deliver electrical stimulation through the patient's skin. The percutaneous device includes a pad and at least one needle, in which the electrode is disposed, for secure placement of the device within the skin of a patient. The percutaneous device is adapted to provide electrical stimulation as per stimulation protocols and to communicate wirelessly with a companion control device configured to monitor and record appetite patterns of the patient. The control device is also configured to monitor, record, and modify stimulation parameters of the stimulation protocols.

Systems, methods and computer-readable media are disclosed for providing therapeutic auditory stimulation. Consistent with disclosed embodiments, a system for providing therapeutic auditory stimulation may comprise a diagnostic unit that computes an EEG spectral density of a patient and a heart rate spectral density of a patient and provides values for one or more EEG frequency bands and one or more heart rate frequency bands. The system may also comprise a therapy unit that generates, based on the provided values, one or more stimulation waveforms corresponding to one or more of the EEG frequency bands and provides the stimulation waveforms for therapeutic auditory stimulation. The stimulation waveforms may comprise audible carrier frequencies modulated by signals with frequencies that vary exponentially with time. The EEG frequency bands may comprise the delta, theta, alpha, beta 1, beta 2, and gamma EEG frequency hands.