Method and apparatus for treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD)

Abstract

GERD is treated through a method and apparatus of stimulating the body organ to accelerate a discharge of contents from the duodenum of the patient to thereby encourage discharge of contents from the stomach of the patient across the pyloric valve and into the duodenum.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) of a patient comprising: 
 treating a body organ to accelerate a discharge of contents through at least a portion of a small intestine of the patient to thereby encourage discharge of contents from a stomach of the patient across a pyloric valve of the patient and into said small intestine.    
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said portion is a duodenum of said patient.  
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said treating is a stimulation selected to increase a pH of said contents of said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said treating is a stimulation selected to decrease an osmolality of said contents of said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said organ is a pancreas of said patient and said treating is a stimulation of said organ selected to stimulate delivery of an exocrine secretion from said pancreas to said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said pancreas is stimulated directly.  
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said pancreas is indirectly stimulated by stimulating at least a nerve of said pancreas.  
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said stimulation is initiated by said patient.  
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said stimulation is initiated by a controller operatively connected to stimulating electrodes and having an input operatively connected to a sensor.  
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said sensor senses a pH level of said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said sensor senses a degree of filling of said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said sensor senses a degree of osmolality within said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein said sensor senses a degree of motility within said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said treatment includes delivery of a paralyzing agent to said pyloric valve.  
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 14  wherein said delivery is done in conjunction with agents to manage acidity of a content of said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said agents are selected from a group including H 2  antagonists and PPI's.  
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 5  wherein said stimulation is an electrical stimulation.  
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 17  wherein said stimulation is at a frequency selected to encourage exocrine secretion without excess endocrine secretion.  
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said treating is a stimulation selected to encourage bile delivery to the portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         20 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the body organ is a duodenum of said patient.  
     
     
         21 . An apparatus for treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD) of a patient comprising: 
 a generator for generating a stimulation signal;    a conductor for electrically connecting said signal generator to a body organ to accelerate a discharge of contents from a portion of said small intestine of the patient to thereby encourage discharge of contents from a stomach of the patient across a pyloric valve of the patient and into said portion of said small intestine.    
     
     
         22 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said conductor is selected to engage and stimulate a pancreas to produce and deliver exocrine secretion to said portion of said small intestine.  
     
     
         23 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said conductor is selected to engage and stimulate a pancreas to produce and deliver endocrine digestive compounds to the blood of said patient.  
     
     
         24 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  comprising a controller to initiate said signal generator.  
     
     
         25 . An apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said controller is a patient operated controller.  
     
     
         26 . An apparatus according to  claim 24  wherein said controller is an automatic controller having sensors connected to body organs to sense initiating events and to send a signal to said controller in response to said events.  
     
     
         27 . An apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein said stimulation is at a frequency selected to encourage exocrine secretion without excess endocrine secretion.  
     
     
         28 . An apparatus according to  claim 21  wherein said conductor is selected to stimulate delivery of bile to said portion of said small intestine.