Wireless Vagal Nerve Stimulation System for Treating Atrial Fibrillation

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and is associated with substantial risk of morbidity and mortality. AF currently affects more than 2.5 million Americans and the affected population is steadily growing with our aging society. AF independently increases the risk of stroke by 4- to 5-fold, is an independent risk factor for stroke recurrence, and is responsible for at least 15-20% of all ischemic strokes. In addition to its associated health risks and diminished quality of life, AF is a financial burden on the US Healthcare system, with annual Medicare costs currently estimated at 16 billion. Over the past decade, neuromodulator emerged as an alternative to antiarrhythmic medications and ablative procedures for the treatment of some forms of AF. Applying low levels of electrical stimulation to the vagus nerves inhibits AF inducibility. This innovative form of neural cardiac control is a non-pharmacological, non- ablative modality for the