Patent ID: 8565867
Filing Date: 2013-10-22
Classification: A61N

Abstract:
1. A method of treating one or more medical conditions in a patient, the method comprising: applying a first electrical signal in a first stimulation mode to a cranial nerve of the patient, via at least first and second electrodes coupled to an electrical signal generator of an implantable medical device and to the cranial nerve, wherein the first electrode operates as a cathode and is proximal to a brain relative to the second electrode that operates as an anode and is distal to the brain, wherein the first stimulation mode performs single polarity stimulation; receiving an output from a sensor configured to detect one or more bodily parameters of the patient; entering a second stimulation mode based on the output received from the sensor, wherein the second stimulation mode performs changeable electrode polarity stimulation; applying a second electrical signal in the second stimulation mode to the cranial nerve of the patient, via the first and second electrodes, wherein the first and second electrodes are configured to switch between a first electrode configuration and a second electrode configuration in the second stimulation mode, wherein the first electrode operates as the cathode and the second electrode operates as the anode in the first electrode configuration, wherein the first electrode operates as the anode and the second electrode operates as the cathode in the second electrode configuration.