Follow-up monitoring method and system for implantable medical devices

• US 20020072783A1
• Filed: 12/08/2000
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goedeke, Steven D., Thompson, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 6,650,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37223 Circuits for electromagnetic coupling
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/903 Radio telemetry

Abstract

A method and a system for retrieving information from an IMD so that a physician may better use the time allotted to a patient. In an example embodiment, a method for communicating between an implanted device and a medical data processing system occurs via a communications module coupled to an antenna member and to the medical data processing system. The communication module and the antenna are arranged to transmit and receive radio frequency signals within a given range or space such as in a room. The method includes broadcasting interrogation requests in the range via the communications module and antenna arrangement and establishing a communications link between the implanted device present in the range and the communications module. A set of patient diagnostic data is then transmitted from the implanted device to the communications module in response to an encoded radio frequency signal from the communications module. The set of diagnostic data is then processed and reported via the medical data processing system for use during a patient examination.

Claims

1. A method for communicating between an implanted device and a medical data processing system via a communications module coupled to an antenna member and to the medical data processing system, the communication module and antenna arrangement arranged to transmit and receive radio frequency signals within a range, the method comprising:

broadcasting interrogation requests throughout the range via the communications module and antenna arrangement;

establishing a communications link between the implanted device in the range and the communications module;

transmitting a set of diagnostic data from the implanted device to the communications module in response to an encoded radio frequency signal from the communications module; and

processing and reporting the set of diagnostic data via the medical data processing system for use during a patient examination.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing a communications link includes the step of eliciting a response signal from the implanted device upon receipt of the encoded signal when the implanted device is in the range.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting data to the implanted device for programming the implanted device after the step of eliciting a response from the implanted device.

4. The method of claim 2, further comprising the step of transmitting data to the implanted device for testing the implanted device after the step of eliciting a response from the implanted device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing and reporting the set of diagnostic data for display includes the steps of formatting the diagnostic data in graphical form and reviewing the diagnostic data for non-physiologic data after receipt of the diagnostic data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein processing the diagnostic data set includes the step of searching the diagnostic data for an anomalous implanted device function.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of transmitting the diagnostic data to a location remote from the range for review by a medical professional after the diagnostic data is reported.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of placing the antenna member on a seating arrangement before broadcasting the interrogation requests.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling a plurality of antennas to the communications module before broadcasting the interrogation requests.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the diagnostic data to the remote location includes the step of transmitting the data from the medical data processing system to a second medical data processing system via a communications network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein transmitting the diagnostic data to the remote location includes the step of transmitting the data from the medical data processing system to a second medical data processing system via a wireless communications network.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing and reporting the diagnostic data includes the step of distinguishing between a plurality of sets of diagnostic data received from a plurality of implanted devices.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of re-establishing the communications link with the implanted device for transmitting a second set of diagnostic data after the step of reporting the diagnostic data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the antenna arrangement includes a plurality of antenna members placed in the range that are coupled to a plurality of receivers.

16. The system of claim 14, further including a second medical data processing system remotely located from the range and coupled to the medical data processing system, the second data processing system being used by a medical professional to evaluate diagnostic data from a patient.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is configured to receive a serial number and a model number corresponding to the diagnostic data for distinguishing between a plurality of sets of diagnostic data received from a plurality of implanted devices.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is configured to arrange the diagnostic data in graphical form.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is configured to alert a medical professional of detection of an anomalous implanted device function from the diagnostic data.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is located remote from the range and is configured to monitor the data communications with the implanted device.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the implanted device is adapted to communicate the diagnostic data in at least one block transmission with a CRC code.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is configured to search the diagnostic data for non-physiologic data.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the medical data processing system is configured to transmit data via the antenna arrangement for programming the implanted device.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the second data processing system and the medical data processing system are coupled via a wireless communications network for the transmission of diagnostic data.

26. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the data processing system is configured to automatically interrogate at least one implanted device that is proximate to the seating structure.

27. The arrangement of claim 25, further including a second antenna member arranged to communicate with the communications module and the data processing system.

28. The arrangement of claim 27, further comprising a second data processing system remotely located from the structure and coupled to the second antenna member and the data processing system, the second data processing system being used by a medical professional to evaluate diagnostic data from a patient in the structure.

29. The arrangement of claim 28, wherein the remotely located second data processing system and the data processing system are coupled via a wireless communications network for the transmission of diagnostic data.

30. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the data processing system is configured to receive a serial number and model number corresponding to the diagnostic data to distinguish between diagnostic data sets received from a plurality of implanted devices.

31. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the data processing system is configured to arrange the diagnostic data in graphical form.

32. The arrangement of claim 25, wherein the data processing system is configured to search the diagnostic data for an anomalous implanted device function.

14. A system for communicating between an implanted device and a medical data processing system via a communications module coupled to an antenna member and to the medical data processing system, the communication module and antenna arrangement arranged to transmit and receive radio frequency signals within a range, the system comprising:

means for broadcasting interrogation requests throughout the range via the communications module and antenna arrangement;

means for establishing a communications link between the implanted device present in the range and the communications module;

means for transmitting a set of diagnostic patient data from the implanted device to the communications module in response to an encoded radio frequency signal from the communications module; and

means for processing and reporting the set of diagnostic data via the medical data processing system for use during a patient examination.

25. A system for interfacing with an implanted medical device, the system comprising:

a data processing system configured and arranged to generate a control signal to initiate communication with an implanted medical device in a patient;

an antenna member placed on a structure proximate to the patient; and

a communications module coupled to the antenna member and to the data processing system, the communications module configured and arranged to generate a first encoded radio frequency signal via the antenna member in response to the control signal, the encoded radio frequency signal causing an implanted medical device that is proximate to the seating arrangement to generate a set of diagnostic data and transmit the set of diagnostic data via a second encoded radio frequency signal, the communications module further configured and arranged to receive the set of diagnostic data and send the data to the data processing system for use during an examination of the patient.