System and method of stimulation for treating gastro-esophageal reflux disease

摘要

There is provided a system for directly stimulating the LES of a patient in order to normally maintain it in a closed state, thereby preventing reflux and treating the symptoms of GERD. The stimulation is inhibited in response to patient swallowing, by monitoring esophageal motility and timing out an inhibition period following detection of motility representative of swallowing. The system utilises an implanted stimulator 30, which is programmed to deliver a train of stimulus pulses to one or more electrodes 34 fixed around the gastro-esophageal junction and connected to the stimulator by one or more leads. The motility sensing is done by a sensor 37 for sensing mechanical wave movement or electrical signals representative of high motility following swallowing. The motility sensor and stimulating electrodes are attached laproscopically, and are preferably carried by a common stent carrier 49 which is sutured around the lower esophagus.