Vagal nerve stimulation therapy

Abstract

Devices, systems and methods are provided for symptoms in patients, such as postoperative symptoms following major surgery and/or for treating patients in critical or intensive care. A device includes a patch having an adhesive surface for adhering to an outer skin surface of the patient and comprising one or more electrodes. An energy source is wirelessly coupled to the electrodes and configured to generate at least one electrical impulse and to wirelessly transmit the at least one electrical impulse transcutaneously from the electrodes through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve in the patient according to a stimulation protocol. The stimulation protocol includes administering at least one dose of about sixty seconds to about 5 minutes each day for a plurality of days. The doses may be administered before and after the patient’s surgery, or while the patient is being treating in intensive care.

1 . A device for treating a patient, the device comprising:
 a patch having an adhesive surface for adhering to an outer skin surface of the patient and comprising one or more electrodes; and   an energy source wirelessly coupled to the electrodes, wherein the energy source is configured to generate at least one electrical impulse and to wirelessly transmit the at least one electrical impulse transcutaneously from the electrodes through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve in the patient according to a stimulation protocol that includes at least one doses administered each day for a plurality of days, wherein the dose has a duration of about sixty seconds to about 5 minutes.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the selected nerve is a vagus nerve. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the patch is configured for attachment to the outer skin surface of a neck of the patient. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a controller coupled to the energy source and configured to transmit parameters for the stimulation protocol to the energy source. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stimulation protocol includes at least two doses administered each day. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein each of the doses are separated by a time frame of about 1 hour to about 12 hours. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the stimulation protocol comprises 2 to 12 treatments/day. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modify post-operative symptoms of a patient. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the doses is administered to the patient prior to a surgery. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein at least of the doses is administered to the patient after the surgery. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises pulses having a frequency of about 1 kHz to about 20 kHz. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse comprises bursts of pulses, with each burst having a frequency of about 1 to about 100 bursts per second and each pulse has a duration of about 50 to about 1000 microseconds in duration. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12 , wherein the bursts each comprise about 2 to 20 pulses and the bursts are separated by an inter-burst period that comprises zero pulses. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to reduce intraperitoneal or retroperitoneal inflammation. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to inhibit a release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to reduce post-operative pain. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the electrical impulse is sufficient to modify the vagus nerve such that the symptoms of post-operative ileus are reduced. 
     
     
         18 . A system for treating a patient, the system comprising:
 a patch having an adhesive surface for adhering to an outer skin surface of the patient and comprising one or more electrodes;   a software application configured for downloading onto a mobile device, wherein the software application stores a stimulation protocol that includes at least one doses administered each day for a plurality of days, wherein the dose has a duration of about sixty seconds to about 5 minutes; and   an energy source wirelessly coupled to the electrodes and coupled to the mobile device, wherein the energy source is configured to generate at least one electrical impulse and to wirelessly transmit the at least one electrical impulse transcutaneously from the electrodes through the outer skin surface of the patient to a selected nerve in the patient, wherein the energy source is configured to receive the stimulation protocol from the software application.   
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the energy source is housed within the mobile device. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein the energy source is remote from, and coupled to, the mobile device.