Devices and methods for the treatment of metabolic disorders

Abstract

A system for stimulating the release of satiety hormone in a subject comprises a stimulus device which is implantable in the subject and adapted to apply an electrical stimulus to a tissue of a gastrointestinal system of said subject, and a detection device which is implantable in the subject and adapted to continuously monitoring at least one of a mechanical characteristic and an electrical characteristic of the subject to detect an ingestion of food by said subject, wherein the detection device cooperates with the stimulus device such that the stimulus device applies said electrical stimulus in response to a detected ingestion of food.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A medical method, comprising:
 electronically detecting a condition of food ingestion by a patient;   changing one or more preset parameter values of an electrical stimulation based on the detection of the condition; and   applying the electrical stimulation to tissue of the patient, the electrical stimulation being applied according to the one or more changed preset parameter values.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein changing one or more of the preset parameter values includes changing at least one of voltage of the electrical stimulation, frequency of the electrical stimulation, pulse duration of the electrical stimulation, charge of the electrical stimulation, and place of application of the electrical stimulus at a tissue in a gastrointestinal lumen of the patient. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising, after the electronic detection of the condition, classifying a type of the food;
 wherein the preset parameter values are changed based on the classified food type.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic detecting of the condition includes a sensor implanted in the patient monitoring a mechanical characteristic of the patient; and
 the mechanical characteristic is at least one of pressure, acceleration, lumen deformation, a drag force of a flow inside an intestine of the patient, and lumen extension.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic detecting of the condition includes a sensor implanted in the patient monitoring an electrical characteristic of the patient; and
 the electrical characteristic is at least one of pH inside a stomach of the patient, electrical currents in a tissue of a gastrointestinal tract of the patient, and electrical intraluminal impedance in a lumen of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.   
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the parameters include at least one of voltage, frequency, pulse duration, charge, and place of application of the electrical stimulation in a gastrointestinal lumen. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising generating an electrical signal having the one or more changed preset parameter values;
 wherein applying the electrical stimulation includes an electrode attached to the patient delivering the electrical signal to the tissue.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the electronic detection of the condition includes a sensor implanted in the patient monitoring at least one of a mechanical characteristic of the patient and an electrical characteristic of the patient;
 the mechanical characteristic is at least one of pressure, acceleration, lumen deformation, a drag force of a flow inside an intestine of the patient, and lumen extension; and   the electrical characteristic is at least one of pH inside a stomach of the patient, electrical currents in a tissue of a gastrointestinal tract of the patient, and electrical intraluminal impedance in a lumen of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.   
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein applying the electrical stimulation includes a generator generating an electrical signal and delivering the electrical signal to the tissue using an electrode attached the patient. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein a detection device implanted in the patient continuously monitors the patient for the condition of food ingestion. 
     
     
         31 . A medical method, comprising:
 activating a sensor implanted in a patient to continuously monitor the patient to identify a condition of food ingestion by the patient; and   the identification of the condition of food ingestion triggering
 calculating at least one of voltage of an electrical signal, frequency of the electrical signal, pulse duration of the electrical signal, charge of the electrical signal, and place of application of the electrical signal at a gastrointestinal tract of the patient, 
 generating the electrical signal using the calculated at least one of the voltage, the frequency, the pulse duration of the electrical signal, the charge, and the place of application, and 
 delivering the generated electrical signal to tissue of the patient. 
   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein parameter values of the electrical signal are preset; and
 the generating includes changing the preset parameter values.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the calculating is based on a type of the food. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a generator generates the electrical signal, and an electrode attached to the tissue of the patient delivers the generated electrical signal. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the sensor continuously monitors a mechanical characteristic of the patient; and
 the mechanical characteristic is at least one of pressure, acceleration, lumen deformation, a drag force of a flow inside an intestine of the patient, and lumen extension.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the sensor continuously monitors an electrical characteristic of the patient; and
 the electrical characteristic is at least one of pH inside a stomach of the patient, electrical currents in a tissue of a gastrointestinal tract of the patient, and electrical intraluminal impedance in a lumen of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein a control unit receives signals from the sensor and identifies the condition of food ingestion by the patient using the signals received from the sensor. 
     
     
         38 . A medical system, comprising:
 a generator configured to generate an electrical signal, at least one of voltage of the electrical signal, frequency of the electrical signal, pulse duration of the electrical signal, charge of the electrical signal, and place of application of the electrical signal at a gastrointestinal tract of the patient being based on a type of meal ingested by a patient; and   an electrode configured to deliver the generated electrical signal to tissue of the patient.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a sensor configured to detect a condition of food ingestion by a patient; and
 a control unit configured to classify the type of meal based on a signal received from the sensor.   
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 38 , further comprising a sensor configured to be implanted in the patient and configured to monitor at least one of a mechanical characteristic of the patient and an electrical characteristic of the patient;
 the mechanical characteristic is at least one of pressure, acceleration, lumen deformation, a drag force of a flow inside an intestine of the patient, and lumen extension; and   the electrical characteristic is at least one of pH inside a stomach of the patient, electrical currents in a tissue of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient, and electrical intraluminal impedance in a lumen of the gastrointestinal tract of the patient.