Methods and Apparatuses for Stimulating Blood Vessels in Order to Control, Treat, and/or Prevent a Hemorrhage

Abstract

Methods of preventing, treating, and/or controlling a hemorrhage in an organ of a patient include providing electrical stimulation to the arteries, veins, nerves innervating the arteries or veins, or walls of the organ. The apparatus has at least one electrode operably connected to a stimulus generator and placed in electrical communication with an artery, vein, nerve, or organ wall. An electrical stimulus generator causes an electrical stimulus to be administered to the artery, vein, nerve, or wall through the at least one electrode, where the electrical stimulus is effective for preventing, treating, and/or controlling a hemorrhage.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of treating a gastrointestinal condition in a subject, the method comprising:
 providing an apparatus comprising at least one electrode operably connected to a stimulus generator;   placing the at least one electrode in direct contact with a portion of a hepatic artery in order to electrically stimulate the hepatic artery; and   causing the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the portion of the hepatic artery through the at least one electrode, wherein the electrical stimulus is effective to alter a flow of blood into the subject's gastrointestinal tract.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of:
 providing a second electrode operably connected to a stimulus generator; 
 placing the second electrode in electrical communication with a target comprising one or more of the following:
 an artery, other than the hepatic artery, of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, 
 a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, 
 a nerve supplying an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, and 
 a nerve supplying a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject; and 
 
 causing the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the target through the second electrode, wherein the electrical stimulus is effective for treating the gastrointestinal condition. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the gastrointestinal condition comprises one of diabetes or dyslipidemia. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the target comprises an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature or a nerve supplying an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject and the electrical stimulus induces a contraction in the hepatic artery. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the target comprises a vein or a nerve supplying a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject and the electrical stimulus induces a contraction in the hepatic artery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the apparatus further comprises a microprocessor operably connected to the stimulus generator,
 wherein at least one parameter of the stimulus is controlled by the microprocessor, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of: the amplitude, frequency, pattern, period, and duration of the stimulation, and 
 wherein causing the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the target through one of the at least two electrodes comprises the microprocessor sending a signal to the stimulus generator signaling the stimulus generator to generate a stimulus. 
 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one sensing electrode operably connected to the signal generator and in communication with at least a portion of the subject's gastrointestinal tract,
 wherein the at least one sensing electrode senses at least one physiological stimulus resulting from the subject feeling hungry or ingesting food, and 
 wherein the at least one sensing electrode transmits a signal to the signal generator to administer an electrical signal to the target after sensing the at least one physiological stimulus resulting from the subject ingesting food. 
 
     
     
         8 . A method of treating a gastrointestinal condition in a subject, the method comprising:
 providing an apparatus comprising at least two electrodes operably connected to a stimulus generator;   placing a first of the at least two electrodes in direct physical contact with a first target comprising a portion of a hepatic artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject;   placing a second of the at least two electrodes in electrical communication with a second target comprising one or more of the following: an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, a nerve supplying an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, and a nerve supplying a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject; and   causing the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the first and second target through the at least two electrodes, wherein the electrical stimulus is effective to change a flow of blood into the subject's gastrointestinal tract through the portion of a hepatic artery.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the gastrointestinal condition comprises one of diabetes or dyslipidemia. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second target comprises a superior mesenteric artery or a branch of a superior mesenteric artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject and the electrical stimulus induces a contraction in the hepatic artery. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second target comprises an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject and the electrical stimulus induces a contraction in the tone of the hepatic artery. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the apparatus further comprises a microprocessor operably connected to the stimulus generator,
 wherein at least one parameter of the stimulus is controlled by the microprocessor, wherein the parameter is selected from the group consisting of: the amplitude, frequency, pattern, period, and duration of the stimulation, and 
 wherein causing the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the first and second targets through the at least two electrodes comprises the microprocessor sending a signal to the stimulus generator signaling the stimulus generator to generate a stimulus. 
 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one sensing electrode operably connected to the signal generator and in communication with at least a portion of the subject's gastrointestinal tract,
 wherein the at least one sensing electrode senses at least one physiological stimulus resulting from the subject feeling hungry or ingesting food, and 
 wherein the at least one sensing electrode transmits a signal to the signal generator to administer an electrical signal to the target after sensing the at least one physiological stimulus resulting from the subject ingesting food. 
 
     
     
         14 . A method of treating a gastrointestinal condition in a subject, the method comprising:
 providing a stimulus generator;   providing at least two electrodes which are configured to operably connect to said stimulus generator;   instructing a person to place a first of the at least two electrodes in direct physical contact with a first target in the subject, said first target comprising a portion of a hepatic artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject,   instructing a person to place a second of the at least two electrodes in electrical communication with a second target in the subject, said second target comprising one or more of the following: an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, a nerve supplying an artery of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject, and a nerve supplying a vein of the gastrointestinal vasculature of the subject; and   instructing a person to cause the stimulus generator to generate an electrical stimulus administered to the first and second target through the at least two electrodes, wherein the electrical stimulus is effective to change a flow of blood into the subject's gastrointestinal tract through the portion of a hepatic artery.