| 摘要 |
Stimulation of the facial nerve system (e.g., electrically, electromagnetically, etc.) in ischemic stroke patients will cause dilation of occluded arteries and dilation of surrounding arteries, allowing for blood flow to circumvent the obstruction and reach previously-deprived tissue. The device approaches the facial nerve and its branches in the vicinity of the ear. In use, the device can be inserted into the ear canal and/or placed in proximity to the ear in order to stimulate the facial nerve system non-invasively (e.g., using an electromagnetic field). The device can be used in the emergency treatment of acute stroke or chronically variations for long-term maintenance of blood flow to the brain and stroke prevention. Additional embodiments of the device may be adapted for use on different regions of the body. |
| 主权项 |
1. A method of stimulating a portion of a neural system of a subject through an ear of the subject, via a stimulator apparatus having a stimulus generator, one or more electrically-conductive elements, and an energy regulating housing adapted to contain and to electrically insulate the electrically-conductive elements and to dissipate heat, the method comprising:
delivering, via the stimulus generator, stimulus energy to the electrically-conductive elements for a specified period of time to stimulate the portion of the neural system of the subject through an ear of the subject; after lapse of the specified period of time, assessing whether criteria for ceasing stimulation are satisfied; and based on the assessing:
responsive to determining that the criteria for ceasing stimulation are satisfied, ceasing delivery of the stimulus energy via the stimulus generator, orresponsive to determining that the criteria for ceasing stimulation are not satisfied, adjusting delivery of the stimulation energy until the criteria are satisfied. |
