Pre-implant detection

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9764139-B2
Application number	US-201414162869-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 24, 2014
Priority date	Jan 24, 2014
Publication date	Sep 19, 2017
Grant date	Sep 19, 2017

Abstract

A medical device system and associated method determine an implantable medical device state prior to implantation. An impedance monitoring module monitors for a change in impedance between a pair of electrodes coupled to the impedance monitoring circuit. The system includes an enclosure for carrying the implantable medical device. The enclosure has a surface having an electrical impedance. A control module is configured to detect one of a first pre-implant state and a second pre-implant state of the implantable medical device in response to the impedance monitoring module detecting a change in impedance between the electrodes and adjust operation of the implantable medical device in response to detecting the impedance change.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A medical device system, comprising:
an implantable medical device comprising:
a first electrode;
a second electrode;
an impedance monitoring module coupled to the first electrode and the second electrode and configured to measure an impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
a control module configured to control operation of the implantable medical device based on the measured impedance; and

an enclosure for carrying the implantable medical device, the enclosure comprising a surface having an electrical impedance and configured to contact the first electrode and the second electrode when the implantable medical device is placed within the enclosure,
wherein the control module is configured to detect one of a first pre-implant state and a second pre-implant state of the implantable medical device in response to the impedance monitoring module detecting a change in impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode and adjust operation of the implantable medical device in response to detecting the impedance change.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the implantable medical device further comprises a telemetry module configured to transmit wireless communications,
wherein the control module is configured to control the telemetry module to transmit a signal in response to the detection of the change in impedance.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the telemetry module comprises a transmitter without a receiver such that the implantable medical device is configured for uni-directional, transmission communication only.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises:
a first pair of contacts having a first electrical impedance, wherein a first contact of the first pair of contacts is configured to contact the first electrode of the implantable medical device and a second contact of the first pair of contacts is configured to contact the second electrode of the implantable medical device when the implantable medical device is placed in a first position within the enclosure; and
a second pair of contacts having a second electrical impedance different than the first electrical impedance, wherein a first contact of the second pair of contacts is configured to contact the first electrode of the implantable medical device and a second contact of the second pair of contacts is configured to contact the second electrode of the implantable medical device when the implantable medical device is placed in a second position within the enclosure.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure comprises an advancement member configured to advance the implantable medical device from the first position to the second position.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure comprises a stopping member for controlling advancement of the implantable medical device from the first position to the second position.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the enclosure comprises:
an outer body, the surface defining an inner lumen of the outer body, the inner lumen configured to receive the implantable medical device; and
wherein the advancement member comprises a plunger configured to advance within the inner lumen to advance the implantable medical device from the first position to the second position.

8. The system of claim 4 , wherein:
the first contact of the first pair of contacts extends along a portion of the enclosure;
the second contact of the first pair of contacts being spaced apart from the first contact;
the first contact of the second pair of contacts being the first contact of the first pair of contacts; and
the second contact of the second pair of contacts being spaced apart from the second contact of the first pair of contacts.

9. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first contact of the first pair of contacts has a first longitudinal length along the enclosure, the second contact of the first pair of contacts has a second longitudinal length along the enclosure, and the second contact of the second pair of contacts has a third longitudinal length along the enclosure, the first longitudinal length being greater than the second and third longitudinal lengths.

10. The system of claim 4 , wherein the enclosure comprises a locking mechanism adjustable between a first locking position to maintain the implantable medical device in a first position coupled to the first pair of contacts and a second locking position to maintain the implantable medical device in a second position coupled to the second pair of contacts.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a conductive polymer.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the surface comprises a conductive ink.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure comprises a first component for retaining the implantable medical device in a first position along a portion of the surface having a first impedance and a second component for retaining the implantable medical device in a second position along a portion of the surface having a second impedance.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to detect the one of the first pre-implant state and the second pre-implant state in response to the impedance monitoring module detecting a change between the impedance of the surface and an open circuit impedance.

15. A method for verifying an implantable medical device status prior to implantation, comprising:
monitoring an impedance between a pair of electrodes of the implantable medical device;
detecting a change in the impedance between the pair of electrodes when a position of the implantable medical device is changed relative to a surface of an enclosure for carrying the implantable medical device, the enclosure comprising a surface having an electrical impedance and configured to contact the first electrode and the second electrode when the implantable medical device is placed within the enclosure;
detecting one of a first pre-implant state and a second pre-implant state of the implantable medical device in response to detecting the change in impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode; and
adjusting operation of the implantable medical device in response to detecting the change in impedance.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, responsive to detecting the impedance change transmitting a wireless communication signal from the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein transmitting the wireless communication signal comprises only uni-directional, transmission communication.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein detecting the change in impedance between the first electrode and the second electrode comprises detecting a change from a first impedance of the enclosure to a second impedance of the enclosure,
the first impedance defined by a first pair of contacts along the surface of the enclosure, a first contact of the first pair of contacts configured to contact the first electrode of the implantable medical device and a second contact of the first pair of contacts configured to contact the second electrode of the implantable medical device when the implantable medical device is placed in a first position within the enclosure,
the second impedance defined by a second pair of contacts along the surface of the enclosure and different than the first impedance, a first contact of the second pair of contacts configured to contact the first electrode of the implantable medical device and a second contact of the second pair of contacts configured to contact the

Assignees

• Medtronic Inc

Inventors

• Christensen Eric M

Classifications

• A61N1/372 Primary

  Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators · CPC title

• A61N2001/37294

  Means for testing medical devices within the package prior to implantation · CPC title

• A61N1/37211

  Means for communicating with stimulators · CPC title

• A61N1/37252

  Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data · CPC title

• A61N1/36128 Primary

  Control systems · CPC title