Patent US3287768A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent DE701548C successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4708671A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US2998585A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US5716385A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US5716385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Crural diaphragm pacemaker and method for treating esophageal reflux disease
Assignee: University of Virginia
•
Filing: 1996-11-12
•
Granted: 1998-02-10
•
Expires: 2016-11-12
Abstract
Abstract An electronic pacemaker is used to counter-act crural diaphragm relaxation thereby preventing and/or treating gastroesophageal reflux. The pacemaker can be implantable, or be connected to the skeletal muscles of the crural diaphragm through the skin. A sensor is used to identify spontaneous intermittent relaxations of the diaphragm. During these spontaneous intermittent relaxations, one or more electrodes are used to stimulate the skeletal muscles of the crural diaphragm to cause contraction of the lower esophageal sphincter.
Inventors
- 👤 Ravinder K. Mittal
- 👤 Robert Ross
- 👤 Jiamnim Liu
- 👤 Bruce Schirmer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 15:08
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N1/00; A61N1/18; A61N1/32; A61N1/36; A61N1/36007
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
22 words
A crural diaphragm pacemaker, comprising: means for sensing crural diaphragm inhibition; and means for providing electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
22 words
A crural diaphragm pacemaker, comprising: means for sensing crural diaphragm inhibition; and means for providing electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 1 further comprising means for determining a time period when a patient is experiencing transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation, said means for providing electrical stimulation being selectively activated during said time period.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 2 further comprising means for monitoring a patient's costal diaphragm.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 3 wherein said means for providing electrical stimulation includes a means for providing electrical stimuli to said patient's crural diaphragm at the same frequency as contractions of said patient's costal diaphragm sensed by said means for monitoring.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 1 wherein said means for providing electrical stimulation includes a means for providing electrical stimulus to said patient's crural diaphragm only when crural diaphragm inhibition is sensed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 1 wherein said means for providing electrical stimulation includes a means for providing electrical stimulus to said patient's crural diaphragm on an intermittent basis.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
A crural diaphragm pacemaker, comprising: a crural diaphragm electrode connectable to a patient's crural diaphragm; and a controller connected to said crural diaphragm electrode, said controller selectively directing said crural diaphragm electrode to provide electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
41 words
A crural diaphragm pacemaker, comprising: a crural diaphragm electrode connectable to a patient's crural diaphragm; and a controller connected to said crural diaphragm electrode, said controller selectively directing said crural diaphragm electrode to provide electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
37 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 7 further comprising costal diaphragm electrode connectable to a patient's costal diaphragm, said costal diaphragm electrode being connected to said controller and providing signals representative of a patient's costal diaphragm contractions.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 8 wherein said controller directs said crural diaphragm electrode to provide electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm at substantially the same frequency as a patient's costal diaphragm contractions sensed with said costal diaphragm electrode.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
31 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 7 wherein said crural diaphragm electrode functions to both sense inhibition of a patient's crural diaphragm and provide electrical stimulation to a patient's crural diaphragm.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 7 further comprises a means for programming said controller to adjust any one of the parameters selected from the group consisting of stimulation level, stimulation frequency, enablement of stimulation, and duty cycle.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The crural diaphragm pacemaker of claim 7 further comprising a communications interface module which communicates with said controller.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
38 words
A method for treating gastroesophageal reflux, comprising the steps of: sensing spontaneous intermittent relaxations of a patient's crural diaphragm; and providing sufficient electrical stimulation to said patient's crural diaphragm to cause contraction of said patient's lower esophageal sphincter.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
38 words
A method for treating gastroesophageal reflux, comprising the steps of: sensing spontaneous intermittent relaxations of a patient's crural diaphragm; and providing sufficient electrical stimulation to said patient's crural diaphragm to cause contraction of said patient's lower esophageal sphincter.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 13 wherein said step of providing electrical stimulation is performed intermittently.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of electrically pacing a patient's crural diaphragm, comprising the steps of: detecting crural diaphragm inhibition for said patient; and electrically stimulating said patient's crural diaphragm when crural diaphragm inhibition is detected during said detecting step.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
37 words
A method of electrically pacing a patient's crural diaphragm, comprising the steps of: detecting crural diaphragm inhibition for said patient; and electrically stimulating said patient's crural diaphragm when crural diaphragm inhibition is detected during said detecting step.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 15 further comprising the step of detecting said patient's costal diaphragm contractions, said step of electrically stimulating being performed when said patient's crural diaphragm is inhibited and said patient's costal diaphragm is functioning normally.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said step of electrically stimulating is performed at the same frequency as said patient's crural diaphragm contractions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-02-09 | 2001-08-11 | 2002-02-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-02-09 | 2005-08-11 | 2006-02-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-02-09 | 2009-08-11 | 2010-02-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |