Method and apparatus for electrical current therapy or biological tissue and insulin release therefrom

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device for applying electrical stimulation to biological tissues. Specifically, the present disclosure is related to a device for applying anodal/cathodal biphasic electrical stimulation to beta cells of the pancreas. Through application of biphasic stimulation to beta cells of the pancreas, insulin secretion can be increased in an effort to overcome deficiencies associated with diabetic patients.

1 . An apparatus for performing electrical current therapy on biological tissue, comprising:
 at least one sensor;   at least one electrode; and   processing circuitry configured to
 acquire data from the at least one sensor, 
 compare a value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to a pre-determined threshold value, 
 generate an electrical current based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value, and 
 apply the generated electrical current to the biological tissue via the at least one electrode, the applied generated electrical current corresponding to a voltage differential. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the generated electrical current is biphasic. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is between 10 volts and 25 volts. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is variable based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is 25 volts. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the biological tissue is a pancreas, the at least one sensor is an at least one glucose sensor, and the pre-determined threshold value is a blood glucose concentration associated with a healthy blood glucose concentration for a patient. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6 , wherein the at least one electrode is positioned within a head of the pancreas via a common bile duct of the pancreas. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor is an at least one voltage sensor and the pre-determined threshold value is a depolarization voltage of a membrane of the biological tissue. 
     
     
         9 . A method for performing electrical current therapy on biological tissue, comprising:
 acquiring, by processing circuitry, data from at least one sensor;   comparing, by the processing circuitry, a value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to a pre-determined threshold value;   generating, by the processing circuitry, an electrical current based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value; and   applying, by the processing circuitry, the generated electrical current to the biological tissue via at least one electrode, the applied generated electrical current corresponding to a voltage differential.   
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the generating generates the electrical current as a biphasic electrical current. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is between 10 volts and 25 volts. 
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is variable based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is 25 volts. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the biological tissue is a pancreas, the at least one sensor is an at least one glucose sensor, and the pre-determined threshold value is a blood glucose concentration corresponding to a healthy blood glucose concentration for a patient. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the at least one sensor is an at least one voltage sensor and the pre-determined threshold value is a depolarization voltage of a membrane of the biological tissue. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a computer, cause the computer to perform a method for performing electrical current therapy on biological tissue, comprising:
 acquiring data from at least one sensor;   comparing a value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to a pre-determined threshold value;   generating an electrical current based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value; and   applying the generated electrical current to the biological tissue via at least one electrode, the applied generated electrical current corresponding to a voltage differential.   
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 16 , wherein the generating generates the electrical current as a biphasic electrical current. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 17 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is between 10 volts and 25 volts. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 18 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is variable based on the comparison of the value of the acquired data from the at least one sensor to the pre-determined threshold value. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to  claim 18 , wherein the voltage differential corresponding to the applied generated electrical current is 25 volts.