Patent ID: 8620440

Claim:
A method of treating a fragile bone disorder in a patient comprising: surgically implanting a stimulation lead subcutaneously with one or more electrodes in subcutaneous tissue underneath skin of the patient and above an occipital region of the skull of the patient identified as having a fragile bone disorder; coupling the stimulation lead to a pulse generator; programming the pulse generator to generate stimulating pulses at a frequency that is effective in modifying sympathetic or parasympathetic response in the subject; operating the pulse generator according to the programming to generate stimulation pulses for delivery to nerve fibers of the occipital nerve using one or more electrodes of the stimulation lead to treat the fragile bone disorder, wherein the generation of stimulation pulses further includes performing heart rate variability recordings; and examining the patient to determine whether the stimulation pulses are effective in affecting bone density in the patient.