Minimally invasive surgery placement of stimulation leads in mediastinal structures

摘要

A method for placement of electrostimulation leads in the mediastinum is provided. More particularly, this invention relates to placement of electrostimulation leads in the mediastinum using minimally invasive surgical techniques. Leads so placed may be used to stimulate specific mediastinal organs including, for example, the esophagus, neural structures such as the vagus and phrenic nerves, and cardiovascular organs such as the heart and other vessels in order to provide therapeutic, physiological, and/or patho-physiological effects on the mediastinal organs and/or target organs to which such mediastinal organs or structures are attached