Method and apparatus for programming neuromodulation devices

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10518093-B2
Application number	US-201715691277-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 30, 2017
Priority date	Apr 22, 2015
Publication date	Dec 31, 2019
Grant date	Dec 31, 2019

Abstract

An example of a system for delivering neurostimulation pulses to a patient using a plurality of electrodes and controlling the delivery of the neurostimulation pulses by a user may include a programming control circuit and a user interface. The programming control circuit may be configured to generate a plurality of stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses according to one or more stimulation waveforms. The interface may include a display screen and an interface control circuit. The interface control circuit may be configured to define the one or more stimulation waveforms, and may include an impedance presentation module. The impedance presentation module may be configured to determine values of impedances each between two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes for all of combinations of two electrodes available from the plurality of electrodes and display the determined values of impedances on the display screen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for delivering neurostimulation pulses to a patient using a plurality of electrodes and controlling the delivery of the neurostimulation pulses by a user, the system comprising:
a programming control circuit configured to generate a plurality of stimulation parameters controlling delivery of neurostimulation pulses according to one or more stimulation waveforms;
a user interface including:
a display screen; and
an interface control circuit configured to define the one or more stimulation waveforms, the interface control circuit including an impedance presentation module configured to determine values of impedances each between two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes for all combinations of two electrodes available from the plurality of electrodes and to display all the determined values of impedances on the display screen;

an implantable stimulator including:
a stimulation output circuit configured to deliver the neurostimulation pulses; and
a stimulation control circuit configured to control the delivery of the neurostimulation pulses using the plurality of stimulation parameters; and

an implantable lead configured to be connected to the implantable stimulator and including a plurality of lead electrodes of the plurality of electrodes,
wherein the stimulation output circuit includes a plurality of timing channels each configured to deliver pulses of the neurostimulation pulses when being programmed to be active and not to deliver pulses of the neurostimulation pulses when being programmed to be inactive, and the interface control circuit includes a channel timing module configured to identify one or more transition points in the one or more stimulation waveforms at which a timing channel of the plurality of timing channels becomes active or becomes inactive and apply a turn-off period during which none of the neurostimulation pulse is delivered from any active channel of the plurality of timing channels to each point of the identified one or more transition points, so that relative timing between the pulses delivered from channels that remain active before and after a point of the identified one or more transition points remain unchanged.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implantable stimulator further comprises a reference electrode of the plurality of electrodes, and the impedance presentation module is configured to determine and display values of monopolar impedances each between an electrode of the plurality of lead electrodes and the reference electrode and values of bipolar impedances each between two electrodes of the plurality of lead electrodes.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the impedance presentation module is configured display the determined values of impedances on the display screen in a matrix showing all the monopolar impedances and bipolar impedances with the monopolar impedances shown along a diagonal of the matrix.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising an external programming device configured to be communicatively coupled to the implantable stimulator via telemetry, the external programming device including the programming control circuit and the user interface.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external programming device is configured to be communicatively coupled to the implantable stimulator via a wireless communication link using far-field radio frequency telemetry.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the external programming device is configured to transmit patient information to the implantable stimulator via the wireless communication link, and the implantable stimulator further comprises an implant storage device configured to receive and store the transmitted patient information, the patient information including portions of the patient's electronic medical records.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the interface control circuit comprises a patient data module configured to allow the user to retrieve the patient information from the implantable stimulator using the user interface, the patient data module configured to allow the user to select portions of the patient information for presentation using the display screen.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface control circuit comprises an amplitude assignment module configured to assign pulse amplitudes each to an electrode of a set of electrodes selected from the plurality of electrodes for delivering a pulse of the neurostimulation pulses in terms of absolute values.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the interface control circuit comprises a clinical effects map configuration module configured to configure a clinic effects map indicative of therapeutic effects and side effects estimated for the one or more stimulation waveforms.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the clinical effects map configuration module is configured to receive a selection of an indication for neurostimulation and automatically update the therapeutic effects based on the selected indication.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the clinical effects map configuration module is configured to receive a selection of a target for neurostimulation or a selection of an indication for the neurostimulation and automatically update the side effects based on the selected target or the selected indication.

12. A method for programming an implantable stimulator to deliver neurostimulation pulses to a patient using a plurality of electrodes, the method comprising:
programming the implantable stimulator for delivering electrical pulses through a plurality of electrodes using an external programming device;
presenting information for the programming using a user interface of the external programming device, including displaying values of impedances each between two electrodes of the plurality of electrodes for all combinations of two electrodes available from the plurality of electrodes and displaying all the determined values of impedances, on a display screen of the user interface;
delivering the electrical pulses using a plurality of timing channels of the implantable stimulator, the plurality of timing channels each configured to deliver one or more of the electrical pulses when being programmed to be active and none of the electrical pulses when being programmed to be inactive;
identifying one or more transition points in the one or more stimulation waveforms at which a timing channel of the plurality of timing channels becomes active or becomes inactive; and
applying a turn-off period during which none of the electrical pulse is delivered from any active channel of the plurality of timing channels to each point of the identified one or more transition points, so that relative timing between the pulses delivered from channels that remain active before and after a point of the identified one or more transition points remain unchanged.

13. The method of claim 12 , comprising providing for wireless communication between the implantable stimulation and the external programming device using far-field radio frequency telemetry.

14. The method of claim 12 , comprising:
transmitting patient information to the implantable stimulator via the wireless communication link; and
storing the patient information in a storage device in the implantable stimulator,
wherein the patient information includes portions of the patient's electronic medical records including information specific to indications for neurostimulation.

15. The method of claim 12 , comprising assigning pulse amplitudes each to an electrode of a set of electrodes selected from the plurality of electrodes for delivering a pulse of the electrical pu

Assignees

• Boston Scient Neuromodulation Corp

Inventors

• Carcieri Stephen
• Moffitt Michael A
• Yoo Peter J
• Vansickle Dennis Allen
• Kothandaraman Sridhar
• Caruso Michael Andrew
• Chen Dean

Classifications

• G16H20/40

  relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture · CPC title

• A61N1/36171 Primary

  Frequency · CPC title

• A61N1/36146

  specified by the stimulation parameters · CPC title

• A61N1/0551

  Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes · CPC title

• G16H40/63

  for local operation · CPC title