Electrical stimulation therapy based on head position

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649494-B2
Application number	US-201213457063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2012
Priority date	Apr 29, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

Techniques and systems for determining a head position of a patient and controlling delivery of electrical stimulation to a target stimulation site based on the determined head position are described. In some examples, movement of the head of the patient may result in movement of a lead, through which the electrical stimulation may be delivered, relative to the target stimulation site. Thus, controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation based on the head position may improve the efficiency and efficacy of the electrical stimulation therapy.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a medical patient, the method comprising:
receiving, by one or more processors, a value for a sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient;
selecting, by the one or more processors, at least one therapy parameter that at least partially defines electrical stimulation and is mapped to the value for the sensed parameter, the at least one therapy parameter selected from a plurality of therapy parameters previously mapped to respective values for the sensed parameter; and
controlling, by one or more processors, delivery of the electrical stimulation to the patient based at least partially on the selected therapy parameter.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one therapy parameter comprises adjusting an intensity of the electrical stimulation based on the value for the sensed parameter indicative of head position.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one therapy parameter comprises adjusting an electrode configuration that at least partially defines the electrical stimulation based on the value for the sensed parameter indicative of head position.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the value for the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises determining the head position of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing a signal indicative of impedance of tissue of the patient between a sensing element and an electrode, wherein the method further comprises determining the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the sensed signal.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing a signal indicative of at least one parameter defining an electromagnetic field generated by an inductive coil, wherein the method further comprises determining the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field, and wherein the inductive coil is configured such that the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field is modulated based on a distance between a ferromagnetic sensing element and the inductive coil.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sensing a signal indicative of at least one of motion or position of a portion of the patient, and determining the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the sensed signal.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein sensing the signal indicative of at least one of motion or position of a portion of the patient comprises sensing a signal indicative of motion of a portion of the patient via an accelerometer.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting a change in head position of the patient, and wherein selecting the at least one therapy parameter based on the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises adjusting the at least one therapy parameter defining the electrical stimulation based on detecting the change in head position.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one therapy parameter based on the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises selecting a stimulation therapy program associated with the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient, and controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation comprises delivering electrical stimulation according to the selected therapy program to the patient.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, prior to receiving the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position:
receiving data indicative of head motion of the patient;
receiving data indicative of torso motion of the patient; and
detecting a change in head position relative to torso position of the patient based on the data indicative of head motion of the patient and the data indicative of torso motion of the patient.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering the electrical stimulation to a target stimulation site, wherein the target stimulation site comprises a target stimulation site proximate to an occipital nerve of the patient.

13. An electrical stimulation system for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a medical patient, the system comprising:
one or more processors configured to:
receive a value for a sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient,
select at least on therapy parameter that at least partially defines electrical stimulation and is mapped to the value of the sensed parameter, the at least one therapy parameter selected from a plurality of therapy parameters previously mapped to respective values for the sensed parameter and
control delivery of the electrical stimulation to the patient based at least partially on the selected therapy parameter.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the at least on therapy parameter by at least adjusting an intensity defining the electrical stimulation based on the received value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position, and to control delivery of the electrical stimulation by at least controlling the stimulation generator to deliver the electrical stimulation with the adjusted intensity.

15. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the one or more processors are configured to select the at least on therapy parameter by at least adjusting an electrode combination of the electrical stimulation based on the received value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position, and to control delivery of the electrical stimulation by at least controlling the simulation generator to deliver the electrical stimulation according to the adjusted electrode combination.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the value of the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient by at least determining the head position of the patient.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a sensing element configured to be coupled to a portion of a body of the patient;
an electrode; and
a sensing module coupled to the sensing element and the electrode,
wherein the sensing module is configured to sense a signal indicative of impedance of tissue of the patient between the sensing element and the electrode and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the value for the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the signal sensed by the sensing module.

18. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a ferromagnetic sensing element coupled to a portion of a body of the patient;
an inductive coil; and
a sensing module,
wherein the sensing module is configured to sense a signal indicative of at least one parameter defining an electromagnetic field generated by the inductive coil and wherein the one or more processors are configured to determine the value for the sensed parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field, wherein the inductive coil is configured such that the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field is modulated based on a distance between the ferromagnetic sensing element and the indu

Assignees

• Gerber Martin T
• Poletto Christopher
• Goetz Steven M
• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Gerber Martin T
• Poletto Christopher
• Goetz Steven M

Classifications

• A61N1/36139 Primary

  with automatic adjustment · CPC title

• A61N1/36128

  Control systems · CPC title

• A61N1/0551

  Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes · CPC title

• A61N1/0526

  Head electrodes (A61N1/0551 takes precedence) · CPC title