Pelvic disorder treatments

Abstract

In a method, at least one electrode is implanted in a pelvic muscle of a patient and a control unit is provided. An electrical waveform is applied to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit. A condition of the patient is treated in response to the application of the electrical waveform. The condition of the patient is fecal incontinence, interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain or urine retention.

1 . A method comprising:
 implanting at least one electrode in a pelvic muscle of a patient;   providing a control unit;   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit; and   treating a condition of the patient in response to the application of the electrical waveform, the condition selected from the group consisting of fecal incontinence, interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain, and urine retention.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the method comprises receiving an input from the patient using the control unit; and   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode is performed responsive to the input.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising implanting the control unit in the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the method further comprises detecting voiding of the patient's bladder; and   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit responsive to the expiration of a predetermined period of time following detecting voiding of the patient's bladder.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit comprises applying the electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle of the patient for a duration of about 10-30 minutes. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the waveform comprises a voltage that increases in magnitude from a baseline voltage to a waveform application voltage over a rise time lasting between about 1 second and 3 minutes. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the waveform comprises a voltage that decreases in magnitude from a waveform application voltage to a baseline voltage over a decay time lasting between about 1 second and 3 minutes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 sensing a state of the patient;   generating a signal in response to the sensed state of the patient; and   analyzing the signal;   wherein applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode is performed responsive to analyzing the signal.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 analyzing the signal comprises determining a likelihood of imminent patient pain based on the signal;   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode is performed when imminent pain is determined to be likely; and   wherein treating a condition of the patient comprises treating the imminent pain.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein sensing a state of the patient comprises sensing electrical activity of a bladder muscle of the patient. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein:
 analyzing the signal using the control unit comprises determining whether the signal is indicative of a state of the patient selected from the group consisting of imminent fecal incontinence, imminent pain and imminent stress incontinence; and   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode is performed responsive to a determination that the signal is indicative of the state of the patient.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising inducing relaxation of a bladder of the patient responsive to applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit. 
     
     
         13 . A method comprising:
 implanting at least one electrode in a pelvic muscle of a patient;   providing a control unit;   detecting voiding of a bladder of the patient; and   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit responsive to detecting voiding of a bladder of the patient.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode using the control unit responsive to detecting voiding of a bladder of the patient occurs after the expiration of a predetermined period of time following detecting voiding of a bladder of the patient. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein detecting voiding of a bladder of the patient comprises sensing electrical activity of a bladder muscle of the patient. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising treating a condition of the patient in response to the application of the electrical waveform, the condition selected from the group consisting of fecal incontinence, interstitial cystitis, chronic pelvic pain, and urine retention. 
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 implanting at least one electrode in a pelvic muscle of a patient;   providing a control unit;   sensing a characteristic of the patient;   generating a signal responsive to sensing a characteristic of the patient;   determining that the signal is indicative of a state of the patient selected from the group consisting of imminent fecal incontinence, imminent pain and imminent stress incontinence; and   applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle through the at least one electrode when the signal is indicative of the state of the patient.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein sensing a characteristic of the patient comprises sensing electrical activity of one of a bladder muscle of the patient and an anal sphincter muscle of the patient. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein sensing a characteristic of the patient comprises sensing an abdominal pressure of the patient. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising inducing relaxation of a bladder muscle of the patient in response to applying an electrical waveform to the pelvic muscle.