Center for Innovative Technology

Uva Patents Foundation

Richard W McCallum

Robert A Ross

Ronald D Williams

Ravinder K Mittal

Jerzy Sarosiek

Jonathan Tillack

Zhiyue Lin

Jian Dez Chen

A portable or implantable gastric pacemaker includes multiple electrodes that are positionable on the inner or outer surface of an organ in the gastro-intestinal tract and which are individually programmed to deliver a phased electrical stimulation to pace peristaltic movement of material through the GI tract. The pacemaker will accommodate variations in pulse amplitudes, pulse durations, pulse periods, and relative pulse phasing among the electrodes. Computer control can be used to adjust and vary all stimulation parameters delivered by the electrodes to achieve effective treatment and re-training of an organ for natural pacing. The pacemaker can be programmed with parameters to enhance or accelerate peristaltic movement through the gastric tract or to attenuate the peristaltic movement to treat such conditions eating disorders or diarrhea.

Gastro-intestinal pacemaker having phased multi-point stimulation

An esophageal perfusion catheter, having an outer housing, a plurality of flexible, tubular channel members within said outer housing, and at least two spaced balloon members encompassing said catheter. Two of the channel members are in fluid communication with each of two balloons. One of the balloons is about 150 millimeters from the distal end of said catheter and about 75 millimeters from the other balloon. A third of the tubular channel members is an esophageal perfusion aspirating channel and is in communication with a port at the distal end of the catheter. A fourth of the tubular channel members serves as a gastric aspirating channel. A fifth of the tubular channel members serves as an aspirating channel. The sixth channel member, serves as an air vent. The esophageal perfusion aspirating channel has a ID of about 3 millimeters. The gastric aspirating channel has a ID of about 2 millimeters. The two channel members which communicate with the balloons have a ID of about 1 millimeter. The interior space between the outer housing and the channel members can be filled with silicone.

Catheter for esophageal perfusion

Growing community of inventors

Charlottesville, VA, United States of America

Richard W McCallum