Electrical stimulation of the colon to treat chronic constipation

摘要

The invention is directed to techniques for stimulating a colon of a patient to relieve chronic constipation. Specifically, a colon stimulation system applies one or more electrical stimuli to the colon of the patient in order to induce peristaltic activity in the colon to relieve chronic constipation. In accordance with the invention, the colon stimulation system induces peristaltic activity in the colon by applying an electrical stimulus to the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax. While in the contracted state, the colon is substantially fully contracted.

主权项

1. A method of inducing peristaltic activity in a colon comprising:
applying an electrical stimulus to the colon with a pair of electrodes deployed diametrically opposite one another on the colon to cause a portion of the colon to contract to a contracted state, the portion of the colon being substantially fully contracted in the contracted state, each electrode of the pair of electrodes contacting slightly less than half of a circumference of the colon; and removing the electrical stimulus to cause the colon to relax.