Patent ID: 9731123
Date: 2017-08-15
CPC Classifications: A61B,A61N

Claim:
1. A pacemaker system for a human subject having spasmodic dysphonia, the system comprising: a sensing electrode configured to detect voice activity of the subject and to generate a first signal; a processor, in communication with the sensing electrode, configured to receive the first signal and to generate at least one stimulation parameter based on the first signal in order to activate a glottic closure reflex and to stimulate a recurrent laryngeal nerve or vagus nerve of the subject; a mechanical actuator configured to receive the at least one stimulation parameter and to activate the glottic closure reflex of the subject based on the at least one stimulation parameter in order to selectively activate vocal cord adductor muscles of the subject; and a stimulating electrode configured to receive the at least one stimulation parameter and to activate the recurrent laryngeal nerve or the vagus nerve of the subject based on the at least one stimulation parameter in order to selectively activate vocal cord abductor muscle of the subject, selectively activate the vocal cord adductor muscles of the subject, or activate both the vocal cord abductor muscle and the adductor muscles of the subject.