Patent Document ID: 9950160
Application ID: 14201659
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A system for improving a patient's anorectal function, comprising: at least one electrode configured to contact a region comprising an internal anal sphincter of the patient; a microcontroller comprising a non-transitory programmable memory for storing stimulation parameters; and a waveform generator coupled to the electrodes, wherein the waveform generator is configured to be directed by the microcontroller to generate electrical pulses and wherein said electrical pulses are defined by said stimulation parameters, including a pulse width, a pulse amplitude, a pulse frequency, and a duty cycle, wherein said pulse width, pulse amplitude, pulse frequency and duty cycle, as stored in the programmable memory, are defined such that the pulse width is in a range of 10 μsec to 500 msec, the pulse amplitude is in a range of 1 μAmp to 100 mAmp, the pulse frequency is in a range of 0.02 Hz to 100 Hz, and the duty cycle is in a range of 1 to 100% and a stimulation defined by said pulse width, pulse amplitude, pulse frequency, and duty cycle does not inhibit voluntary defecation by the patient when said stimulation is occurring, and wherein the electrical pulses are applied to the internal anal sphincter without sensing for defecation.