Did You Know...
...that in 1800 ether was first used by partyers as a fun diversion? Sniffing the gas led to hilarious and raucous laughter as people watched each other become more and more intoxicated and silly. Several doctors independently realized the value ether would have to anesthetize surgery patients. Of those who claimed rights to the "discovery," none had a happy ending. One had a seizure and died defending his rights. Another spent his life in an asylum because he had been denied acclaim. A third became addicted to chloroform and, in a New York City jail, he soaked a cloth in the drug, severed an artery and bled to death.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8190261 | Gastrointestinal anchor in optimal surface area A device, system and method for anchoring a device to a stomach is provided. The device may be, among other things, a sensor for sensing various parameters of the stomach or stomach environment, or may be a therapeutic delivery device. The anchor of the device is co... | 05/29/2012 |
| 8185206 | Electrical stimulation therapy to promote gastric distention for obesity management The disclosure is directed to techniques for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to support obesity management. The electrical stimulation therapy is configured to cause at least partial gastric distention. Gastric distention tends to induce a sensation of ful... | 05/22/2012 |
| 8170674 | Method of using spinal cord stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders or conditions The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead that is in communication with predet... | 05/01/2012 |
| 8165681 | Method for blocking activation of tissue or conduction of action potentials while other tissue is being therapeutically activated A desired effect is produced by therapeutically activating tissue at a first site within a patient's body and a corresponding undesired side effect is reduced by blocking activation of tissue or conduction of action potentials at a second site within the patient's b... | 04/24/2012 |
| 8160709 | Use of electrical stimulation of the lower esophageal sphincter to modulate lower esophageal sphincter pressure The present invention describes methods and devices using low frequency electrical stimulation or neural high frequency stimulation to modulate lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure. The electrical stimulation may be delivered to the LES via one or more electrod... | 04/17/2012 |
| 8135470 | Energy balance therapy for obesity management Techniques are described that allow an implantable device to sense gastric data and activity data from a patient, and estimate the patient's amount of energy consumed and energy expended based on the sensed data. A system provides feedback to the patient, a family m... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8103349 | Neural electrode treatment An apparatus for applying a signal to a nerve for the treatment of a disorder includes a first electrode and a second electrode. Each of the electrodes is adapted to be secured to a nerve of a patient. A signal generator is electrically connected to each of the firs... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8095219 | Stimulation of the stomach in response to sensed parameters to treat obesity A neurostimulation kit and a method of treating a patient are provided. The kit comprises a stimulation backing that includes a flat, electrically insulative, body having a pair of opposing first and second planar surfaces, and an electrode affixed to the first surf... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8095218 | GI and pancreatic device for treating obesity and diabetes A method is provided, including placing first and second electrodes (90) at respective first and second sites of a duodenum (40) of a subject, and activating the electrodes (90) to increase a blood insulin level of the subject. Other embodiments... | 01/10/2012 |
| 8073543 | Method of using spinal cord stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders or conditions The present invention involves a method and a system for using electrical stimulation to treat gastrointestinal and/or eating disorders. More particularly, the method comprises surgically implanting an electrical stimulation lead that is in communication with predet... | 12/06/2011 |
| 8032223 | Randomized stimulation of a gastrointestinal organ A device, system and method for stimulating a digestive organ is provided where the stimulation is randomized. ... | 10/04/2011 |
| 8032222 | Device for electrically and mechanically stimulating a compartment in a body A device is provided for stimulating select body tissues and organs from within a compartment in a body. The device includes a tube having a distal end, a proximal end and a plurality of lumens. At least one distendable element is located along and coupled to the tu... | 10/04/2011 |
| 8019421 | Blood glucose level control A pancreatic controller, comprising: at least one electrode adapted for electrifying at least a portion of a pancreas; and a controller programmed to electrify said electrode so as to positively control at least th... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8019423 | Laparoscopic implantation of neurostimulators A method for altering operation of a nerve related to a given body condition includes the steps of identifying at least one nerve root of a nerve related to the given body condition; laparoscopically implanting at least one electrode on the nerve root; and operating... | 09/13/2011 |
| 8019422 | Gastric device and endoscopic delivery system A system is provided for endoscopically attaching a functional device to a stomach wall wherein the functional device is configured to perform a therapeutic or diagnostic function at the stomach. ... | 09/13/2011 |
| 7991474 | Methods and apparatus for testing disruption of a vagal nerve Method and apparatus for disrupting a gastric vagal nerve in the gastroesophageal region and testing the function and disruption of the vagal nerve. In one example embodiment, a treatment device applies ultrasound at a high energy level, such as high intensity focus... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7986995 | Bulimia treatment At least one of a plurality of disorders of a patient characterized at least in part by vagal activity innervating at least one of a plurality of organs of the patient is treated by a method that includes positioning an electrode on a vagus nerve. An electrical sign... | 07/26/2011 |
| 7983755 | Gastric electrical stimulation with multi-site stimulation anti-desensitization feature The disclosure is directed to gastric stimulation programmers, stimulators and methods for controlling delivery of gastric stimulation therapy to maintain the efficacy of the therapy over time. Maintaining the efficacy of gastric stimulation therapy may be possible ... | 07/19/2011 |
| 7979127 | Digestive organ retention device An retaining device for attaching to a contractile organ such as a digestive tract organ or stomach is provided. One aspect may include a lead for stimulating a digestive organ. The device may be an electrical stimulation device configured to deliver electrical sign... | 07/12/2011 |
| 7966071 | Method and apparatus for regulating glucose level A method of promoting the healing of a lesion in a smooth muscle (200), comprises selecting a smooth muscle portion having a lesion, and applying a non-excitory electric field (210) to the portion, which reduces the mechanical activity of the portion. | 06/21/2011 |
| 7962214 | Non-surgical device and methods for trans-esophageal vagus nerve stimulation A method and apparatus for providing trans-esophageal electrical signal therapy to a portion of a vagus nerve of a patient to treat a medical condition. An implantable medical device comprising at least one electrode is implanted in an inner lumen of the esophagus o... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7957807 | Gastric electrical stimulation with therapy window anti-desensitization feature The disclosure is directed to gastric stimulation programmers, stimulators and methods for controlling delivery of gastric stimulation therapy to maintain the efficacy of the therapy over time. Maintaining the efficacy of gastric stimulation therapy may be possible ... | 06/07/2011 |
| 7949397 | Implantable medical device capable of depressing appetite to control obesity using stochastic resonance electrical stimulation Methods and devices are provided for influencing an amount of food ingested. The methods include applying stochastic resonance stimulation to a stomach to influence a nervous system response using an implantable stimulation device. In one embodiment, a device includ... | 05/24/2011 |
| 7941221 | Method and apparatus for intentional impairment of gastric motility and/or efficiency by triggered electrical stimulation of the gastrointestinal tract with respect to the intrinsic gastric electrical activity A sensor based gastric stimulator system and method for gastric stimulation of a patient employing an implantable gastric stimulator, which includes an information processor, an electrical stimulator circuit, and telemetry circuitry. The implantable stimulator sense... | 05/10/2011 |
| 7930033 | Appendicular and rectal stimulator device for digestive and eating disorders A method of using a stimulation device to emit a medium to an appendicular region and/or rectal region of a user for treatment of a gastrointestinal disorder is described. The method includes placing the stimulation device into the appendicular region and/or rectal ... | 04/19/2011 |
| 7925351 | Gastrointestinal device for treating obesity and diabetes Apparatus is provided, including an ingestible capsule, one or more electrodes coupled to the capsule, and a control unit configured to maintain the capsule in a vicinity of a designated site of a subject by driving at least a subset of the electrodes to apply a cur... | 04/12/2011 |
| 7920921 | Endoscopic device delivery system A system and method are disclosed for an implantable gastric stimulation system within the stomach. The stimulation system includes an electronics anchor, electrode lead anchor, implantable pulse generator and external programmer. The electronics anchor is configure... | 04/05/2011 |
| 7908008 | Treatment for disorders by parasympathetic stimulation A treatment method is provided, including identifying a subject as one who is selected to undergo an interventional medical procedure, and, in response to the identifying, reducing a likelihood of a potential adverse effect of the procedure by applying an electrical... | 03/15/2011 |
| 7899541 | Systems and methods for implantable leadless gastrointestinal tissue stimulation Systems and methods are disclosed to stimulate gastrointestinal tissue to treat medical conditions such as eating disorders, gastroparesis, and gastric reflux. The invention uses electrical stimulation of the nerve, where vibrational energy from a source is received... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7899540 | Noninvasively adjustable gastric band A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically stimulating the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so as to induce afferent action potentials on the vagus n... | 03/01/2011 |
| 7881797 | Methods and devices for gastrointestinal stimulation Methods and devices for gastrointestinal stimulation are disclosed. In one embodiment, disclosed is an electrical stimulator device that includes a circuit board and a battery contained within a base housing; a conduction element; and at least one electrode. In some... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7873417 | Methods and apparatus for pulsed electric field neuromodulation via an intra-to-extravascular approach Methods and apparatus are provided for pulsed electric field neuromodulation via an intra-to-extravascular approach, e.g., to effectuate irreversible electroporation or electrofusion, necrosis and/or inducement of apoptosis, alteration of gene expression, changes in... | 01/18/2011 |
| 7856273 | Autonomic nerve stimulation to treat a gastrointestinal disorder A method and apparatus for stimulating a portion of a vagus nerve of a patient to treat a gastrointestinal disorder is provided. At least one electrode is coupled to at least one portion of a vagus nerve of the patient. The portion of the a vagus nerve may include a... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7844338 | High frequency obesity treatment A method for treating at least one of a plurality of disorders characterized at least in part by vagal activity includes positioning an electrode around a body organ innervated by the vagus. An electrical signal is applied to the electrode to modulate vagal activity... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7840269 | Analysis of eating habits Diet evaluation gastric apparatus (18) is provided, which detects when a patient (10) swallows, and detects the type and amount of matter ingested. The apparatus includes electrodes (74, 100) adapted to be coupled to the fundus and antrum of the... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7835796 | Weight loss method and device A method and apparatus for treatment of an eating disorder includes electrically, mechanically and/or pharmaceutically/chemically stimulating a of the vagus nerve of the lower esophagus, cardia, esophageal/cardia junction, cardia/fundus junction or upper stomach so ... | 11/16/2010 |
| 7783358 | Methods and apparatus for treatment of obesity with an ultrasound device movable in two or three axes Method and apparatus for treating obesity by an energy delivery device, such as a high focus ultrasound transducer, mounted for movement along two or three axes relative to the esophagus to deliver transesophageal energy to interrupt the function of vagal nerves. Pr... | 08/24/2010 |
| 7765006 | Method and apparatus for providing continence to a gastrointestinal ostomy An apparatus, and method, for providing continence to a gastrointestinal ostomy of a patient, the apparatus having a sealing device for retaining discharge of intestinal effluents and waste products from the ostomy, at least one pair of electrodes capable of deliver... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7765007 | Apparatus and method for providing continence to a gastrointestinal ostomy An apparatus, and method, for providing continence to a gastrointestinal ostomy of a patient, the apparatus having a sealing device for retaining discharge of effluents or waste products from an ostomy, at least one pair of electrodes capable of delivering electrica... | 07/27/2010 |
| 7756582 | Gastric stimulation anchor and method A device, system and method for electrically stimulating the stomach is provided. A device system and method for attaching a stimulating device to the stomach wall is also provided. ... | 07/13/2010 |
