Gastric stimulator apparatus and method for installing

Abstract

Apparatus for stimulating neuromuscular tissue of the gastrointestinal tract and methods for installing the apparatus to the neuromuscular tissue. The pulse generator is provided with a switching matrix, and may stimulate the tissue in a time-varying manner by selecting pairs of electrodes and altering the polarities thereof while stimulating the tissue. In addition, a real-time clock allowing a trigger for on and off modes, the time clock could also allow for a trigger to change parameters. Such parameters that could be changed are pulse width, amplitude, duty cycle (amount of time of pulse and time between pulses, or series of pulses), frequency, polarity, choice of unipolar versus bi-polar, and electrode on-off. The electrical stimulation utilizes a plurality of electrodes connected to at least one organ in the gastrointestinal tract of a patient along a peristaltic flow path with each of the electrodes being connected at a different location along the peristaltic flow path. Electrical pulses are provided to the organ from a first set of the plurality of electrodes and second electrical pulses are provided to the organ from a second set of electrodes. The electrical pulses provided are in an independent non-phased relationship for maintaining therapeutic regulation of peristaltic flow through the at least one organ in the gastrointestinal tract while defeating the body's natural tendency for adaption.