Patent ID: 8073543

Claim:
A method of treating gastroparesis, comprising: implanting at least one electrical lead of an electrical spinal cord stimulation system by inserting at least one electrode contact of the electrical lead between the T5 and T6 thoracic vertebral segments and into the epidural space of the T5/T6 thoracic vertebral segments of the spine of a patient having gastroparesis symptoms such that the at least one electrode contact of the electrical lead is disposed adjacent to spinal nervous tissue of the dorsal column of the patient's spinal cord within the epidural space within the T5/T6 thoracic vertebral segments; selecting a plurality of operating parameters for the electrical spinal cord stimulation system that are effective for treating the gastroparesis programming the electrical spinal cord stimulation system according to the plurality of operating parameters; and treating the patient's gastroparesis by activating the electrical spinal cord stimulation system to deliver the electrical pulses from the electrode contact to the spinal nervous tissue of the dorsal column within the epidural space within the T5/T6 thoracic induce normal gastric emptying and bowel function in the patient.