System and method for patient-controlled relief of pain associated with electrical therapies

• US 20030078632A1
• Filed: 10/19/2001
• Published: 04/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ujhelyi, Michael R., Mehra, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 6,728,574 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3956 Implantable devices for applying electric shocks to the heart, e.g. for cardioversion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3987 characterised by the timing or triggering of the shock

Abstract

A pain management system that enables a patient to control pain associated with the application of electrical therapies by an implanted device that includes using a non-implanted drug delivery device. In an example embodiment, a pain management system includes an implanted medical device that detects an arrhythmia of a heart and telemetrically communicates from the implanted medical device an arrhythmia condition. The system also includes an external drug delivery arrangement that receives telemetric communications on the arrhythmia condition from the implanted device and provides an alert of the arrhythmia condition to the patient. The external drug delivery arrangement communicates to the implanted device that a drug is being administered to the patient. The implanted medical device includes a capacitive circuit that delivers the electrical therapy to the heart in response to the drug being administered.

Claims

1. A system for patient management of pain associated with an electrical therapy, the system comprising:

an implanted medical device adapted to detect arrhythmia of a heart and to telemetrically communicate from the implanted medical device an arrhythmia condition; and

an external drug-delivery arrangement adapted to;

receive telemetric communications on the arrhythmia condition in response to the implanted medical device,

provide an alert of the arrhythmia condition, and

communicate to the implanted device that a drug has been administered,

the implanted medical device including a capacitive circuit adapted to deliver an electrical therapy to the heart in response to the drug being administered.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a timing circuit adapted to trigger the electrical therapy at the end of a selected period in response to the drug administration.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a drug interaction verification circuit adapted to physiologically measure a drug concentration in a user and detect when the drug concentration has exceeded a selected threshold in response to the external drug-delivery arrangement.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the implanted device is selected from the group consisting of an implanted cardiac defibrillator and a pacing device.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising a drug interaction verification circuit adapted to interact with a user of the implanted device and alert the external drug delivery arrangement in response to the user having reacted to the drug.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the drug interaction verification circuit further comprises a mechanically actuated pressure switch adapted to be operated by the user in response to the drug administration, wherein the delivery of the electrical therapy is delivered in response to the release of the pressure switch.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the drug interaction verification circuit further comprises a physiologic measuring arrangement adapted to measure a drug concentration in the user and detect when the drug concentration has exceeded a selected threshold, wherein the delivery of the electrical therapy is delivered in response to exceeding the selected threshold of drug concentration.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the implanted medical device is adapted to detect the arrhythmia condition that includes fibrillation, tachyarrhythmia and bradycardia.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the external drug delivery arrangement is configured to physiologically deliver drugs via at least one mode selected from the group consisting of:

oral, inhalation, nasal and occular.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the external drug delivery arrangement is configured to transcutaneously deliver the drug.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the alert provided by the external drug delivery arrangement is selected from the group consisting of:

audible, vibration, visual display and light.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the implanted device is adapted to communicate telemetrically with the external drug delivery arrangement via radio frequency signals.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the implanted device is adapted to prevent activation of the external drug delivery arrangement until an arrhythmia has been detected via a programmable locking arrangement.

14. The system of claim 5, wherein the drug interaction verification circuit further comprises a physiologic monitoring arrangement that includes a relaxation monitor adapted to detect when a patient is in a relaxed mode.

15. A system for patient management of pain associated with an electrical defibrillation therapy, the system comprising:

an implanted cardiac defibrillator (ICD) device adapted to detect fibrillation of a heart and to telemetrically communicate from the ICD device a fibrillation condition;

an external drug delivery arrangement adapted to;

receive telemetric communications on the fibrillation condition in response to the implanted medical device,

provide an alert of the fibrillation condition, and

communicate to the ICD that a drug has been administered and that the drug has been reacted to; and

a drug interaction verification circuit adapted to provide an alert to the external drug delivery arrangement in response to reaction to the drug, the implanted medical device including a capacitive circuit adapted to deliver an electrical therapy to the heart in response to the drug interaction verification circuit.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the drug interaction verification circuit includes a timing circuit adapted to trigger the electrical therapy at the end of a selected period in response to the drug administration.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the drug verification circuit further comprises a mechanically actuated pressure switch adapted to be operated by a user in response to the drug administration, wherein the delivery of the electrical therapy is delivered in response to the release of the pressure switch.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the drug interaction verification circuit further comprises a physiologic measuring arrangement adapted to measure a drug concentration in the user and detect when the drug concentration has exceeded a selected threshold, wherein the delivery of the electrical therapy is delivered in response to exceeding the selected threshold of drug concentration.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the alert provided by the external drug delivery arrangement is selected from the group consisting of:

audible, vibration, visual display and light.

20. A system for patient management of pain associated with an electrical therapy, the system comprising:

an implanted medical device adapted to detect arrhythmia of a heart and to telemetrically communicate from the implanted medical device an arrhythmia condition; and

an external drug-delivery means, responsive to the implanted medical device, for;

receiving telemetric communications on the arrhythmia condition,

providing an alert of the arrhythmia condition, and

communicating to the implanted device that a drug has been administered,

the implanted medical device including means for delivering an electrical therapy to the heart in response to the drug being administered.

21. A system for patient management of pain associated with an electrical therapy, the system comprising:

an implanted medical device adapted to detect an irregular bodily function of a selected portion of a user'"'"'s body and to telemetrically communicate from the implanted medical device an irregular bodily function condition; and

an external drug delivery arrangement adapted to;

receive telemetric communications on the irregular bodily function condition in response to the implanted medical device,

provide an alert of the irregular bodily function condition to the user, and

communicate to the implanted device that a drug has been administered,

the implanted medical device including a stimulator circuit adapted to deliver an electrical therapy to the selected portion of the user'"'"'s body in response the drug being administered.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the implanted device is selected from the group consisting of a neurological implant and a nerve stimulator.