Multimodal neurostimulation systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9452288-B2
Application number	US-95198707-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 6, 2007
Priority date	Dec 6, 2007
Publication date	Sep 27, 2016
Grant date	Sep 27, 2016

Abstract

A system for performing a neurostimulation trial comprises an external trial stimulator capable of delivering stimulation energy to a plurality of electrodes carried by one or more stimulation leads. The external trial stimulator is configurable to operate in a plurality of stimulation energy delivery modes to respectively emulate one of different neurostimulator types. The system may further comprise a programmer capable of configuring the external trial stimulator to operate in one of the stimulation energy delivery modes. The programmer may be capable of generating a first programming screen capable of allowing a first set of stimulation parameters to be defined for the first neurostimulator type, and a second programming screen capable of allowing a second set of stimulation parameters to be defined for a second neurostimulator type.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A programmer for multimodal neurostimulator, comprising:
a user interface having a monitor and an input device;
a processor capable of generating a first programming screen for a first neurostimulator type for display on the monitor, and generating a second programming screen for a second neurostimulator type for display on the monitor;
wherein the first programming screen is capable of allowing a first set of stimulation parameters to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen is capable of allowing a second set of stimulation parameters to be defined for the second neurostimulator type; and
output circuitry for transmitting the first and second stimulation parameter sets.

2. A system for performing a neurostimulation trial, comprising:
one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes; and
an external trial stimulator capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes carried by the one or more stimulation leads, wherein the external trial stimulator is configurable to operate in a plurality of stimulation energy delivery modes to respectively emulate one of different neurostimulator types; and
the programmer of claim 1 .

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant voltage when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant current when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

4. The system of claim 2 , wherein external trial stimulator is capable of independently delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of uniformly delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over multiple channels when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over a single channel when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a multipolar manner when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a monopolar manner when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

7. The system of claim 2 , wherein the programmer is capable of reconfiguring the external trial stimulator to operate in one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the external trial stimulator is capable of modifying the stimulation energy delivered to the plurality of electrodes during emulation of each of the different implantable neurostimulator types, and wherein the programmer is capable of controlling the modification of the stimulation energy.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the programmer is capable of performing a therapeutic comparative analysis between the different neurostimulator types based on the emulation of the different neurostimulator types by the external trial stimulator.

10. The system of claim 7 , wherein the programmer is capable of wirelessly reconfiguring the external trial stimulator.

11. The system of claim 7 , wherein the programmer is capable of reconfiguring the external trial stimulator in response to a user entry.

12. The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more stimulation leads are not directly matable to the external trial stimulator, the system further comprising a lead adapter capable of mating the one or more stimulation leads to the external trial stimulator.

13. The system of claim 2 , wherein the external trial stimulator is capable of delivering ablation energy to the plurality of electrodes, and wherein the programmer is capable of initiating delivery of the ablation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes.

14. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the first programming screen only allows a stimulation current value to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a stimulation voltage value to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

15. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the first programming screen allows stimulation amplitude values to be independently defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a stimulation amplitude value to be uniformly defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

16. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the first programming screen allows multiple channels to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a single channel to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

17. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the first programming screen allows a multipolar configuration to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a monopolar configuration to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

18. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the processor is capable of generating a therapeutic ablation screen for display on the monitor, and wherein the therapeutic ablation screen allows a set of ablation parameters to be defined via the input device for an ablation device.

19. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the processor is capable of generating a drug delivery programming screen for display on the monitor, and wherein drug delivery programming screen allows a set of drug delivery parameters to be defined via the input device for a drug delivery device.

20. The programmer of claim 1 , wherein the output circuitry comprises telemetry circuitry.

21. A method of performing a neurostimulation trial using the programmer of claim 1 , comprising:
introducing one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes into a patient;
coupling an external trial stimulator to the one or more stimulation leads;
configuring the external trial stimulator to emulate a first neurostimulator type using the programmer while delivering stimulation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes; and
configuring the external trial stimulator to emulate a second neurostimulator type using the programmer while delivering stimulation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the external trial stimulator is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant voltage to emulate the first neurostimulator type, and is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant current to emulate the second neurostimulator type.

Assignees

• Whitehurst Todd
• Carbunaru Rafael
• Jaax Kristen
• Digiore Andrew
• Schleicher Brett D
• Boston Scient Neuromodulation Corp

Inventors

• Whitehurst Todd
• Carbunaru Rafael
• Jaax Kristen
• Digiore Andrew
• Schleicher Brett D

Classifications

• A61B18/12

  by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current · CPC title

• A61N1/37241 Primary

  providing test stimulations · CPC title

• A61N1/36017 Primary

  with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin · CPC title

• A61N1/37247

  User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means · CPC title

• A61N1/37211

  Means for communicating with stimulators · CPC title