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.

1 . A colon stimulation 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, wherein 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.  
   
   
       2 - 4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of electrodes in contact with the colon.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the colon stimulation system applies an electrical stimulus to each of the electrodes substantially simultaneously.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the colon stimulation system applies electrical stimuli to the colon sequentially.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the colon stimulation system applies a first electrical stimulus to a first electrode, waits a period of time and applies a second electrical stimulus to a second electrode.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the colon stimulation system waits until a portion of the colon proximate the first electrode substantially fully contacts.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an electrode pair for bipolar stimulation, wherein electrodes of the electrode pair are placed diametrically opposite one another on the colon.  
   
   
       11 . (canceled)  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a path that embeds the electrode, the patch attached to the colon in order to place the electrode in contact with the colon.  
   
   
       13 - 19 . (canceled)  
   
   
       20 . A method of inducing peristaltic activity in a colon 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.    
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein applying the electrical stimulus to the colon comprises applying the electrical stimulus to the colon for a duration of approximately 10 to 90 seconds.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying the electrical stimulus to the colon comprises applying the electrical stimulus to the colon for a duration of approximately 60 seconds.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the electrical stimulus is a first electrical stimulus, the method further comprising applying a second electrical stimulus to the colon to cause the colon to contact to the contracted state after the colon has relaxed.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the electrical stimulus is a first electrical stimulus, the method further comprising applying a second electrical stimulus to the colon substantially simultaneous with the first electrical stimulus.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the electrical stimulus is a first electrical stimulus, the method further comprising applying a second electrical stimulus to the colon.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second electrical stimulus are applied to the colon via a common electrode.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 25 , wherein the first and second electrical stimulus are applied to the colon via a first and second electrode, and further comprising waiting a period of time between applying the first electrical stimulus and the second electrical stimulus.  
   
   
       28 - 40 . (canceled)  
   
   
       41 . A device comprising: a patch body formed of a biocompatible material; and a first electrode and a second electrode coupled to the patch body; wherein the patch body is so sized to wrap around a portion of a colon, and wherein the electrodes so sized and spaced that the first electrode and the second electrode are deployed on diametrically opposite sides of the portion of the colon when the patch body is wrapped around the portion of the colon.  
   
   
       42 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are embedded within patch body  44 .  
   
   
       43 . The device of  claim 41 , further comprising a lead including a first conductor coupled to the first electrode and a second conductor coupled to the second electrode.  
   
   
       44 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the patch body defines a contact side that comes in contact with the colon when the patch body is wrapped around the portion of the colon, the device further comprising an adhesive on the contact side that adheres to the patch body and the colon.  
   
   
       45 . The device of  claim 41 , wherein the patch body defines a contact side that comes in contact with the colon when the patch body is wrapped around the portion of the colon, the device further comprising a therapeutic agent on the contact side.