Automated impedance measurement of an implantable medical device

• US 20060036186A1
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Published: 02/16/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M., Hartmann, James M., Barnhorst, Jordan A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,036,737 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3614 based on impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention relate to automatic impedance measurements between one or more electrodes in a set of electrodes that may be associated with a lead of an implanted device. A voltage measurement that is associated with a stimulation pulse between the two electrodes may be made. The voltage measurement may be used to determine the impedance between the two electrodes. The impedance measurement may be made for each possible pair of electrodes in the set of electrodes. The impedance measurements may be displayed to a clinician on a user interface.

Claims

1. A method for automating impedance measurements associated with an implanted device, the method comprising:

(a) configuring a parameter of a stimulation pulse of the implanted device;

(b) performing a plurality of measurement processes with the stimulation pulse in order to determine a plurality of impedance values corresponding to substantially all pairs of an electrode set, wherein the electrode set comprises at least 4 electrodes; and

(c) automatically processing the plurality of impedance values.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the set comprises at least 5 electrodes.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) restoring an original value of the parameter.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

(d) determining an indicator that is indicative of a consistency between the value of the impedance and a corresponding measured current associated with substantially all pairs of the set of at least 4 electrodes.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein the first set of electrodes comprises at least 5 electrodes.

5. A method for automating impedance measurements associated with an implanted device having a first set of electrodes and a second set of electrodes, the method comprising:

(a) measuring a plurality of impedance values with a stimulation pulse for substantially all the pairs of electrodes in the first set of electrodes;

(b) processing the plurality of impedance values; and

(c) repeating steps (a) and (b) for the second set of electrodes.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the processing in (b) comprises:

(i) storing the plurality of impedance values; and

(ii) determining an indicator that is indicative of a consistency between the plurality of impedance values and a corresponding measured current value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the measuring in (a) includes:

(i) determining the service type and settings of the implanted device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the measuring of (a) further includes:

(ii) turning off the electrodes not included in the pair of electrodes being measured.

10. The method of claim 5, wherein the first set of electrodes comprises an electrode on a first lead and the implanted device, wherein the measuring of (a) comprises:

(i) using the implanted device as an electrode; and

(ii) measuring the impedance between the electrode on the first lead and the implanted device.

11. A method for automating impedance measurements by an external device in communication with an implanted device, the method comprising:

(a) configuring a parameter of a stimulation pulse of the implanted device;

(b) performing a measurement process with the stimulation pulse in order to determine an impedance value associated with at least one electrode, wherein

(b) is repeated for each of the at least one electrodes associated with a lead;

(c) automatically processing the impedance value; and

(d) restoring an original value of the parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing in (c) comprises:

(i) displaying the impedance values on a user interface.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing in (c) comprises:

(i) storing the impedance values.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the measurement process in (b) comprises:

(i) instructing the implanted device to perform a measurement that is associated with the at least one electrode; and

(ii) calculating the impedance value utilizing the measurement.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the measurement process in (b) further comprises:

(iii) instructing the implanted device to activate a second lead; and

(iv) repeating (i) and (ii) for each pair of electrodes that is associated with the second lead.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(e) interrogating the implanted device to determine a device type.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

(e) instructing the implanted device to measure a value of current associated with the at least one electrodes; and

(f) processing the value of current.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein an amplitude of a stimulation pulse is essentially zero between a repetition of (b).

19. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for controlling a computer system to automate impedance measurements associated with an implanted device, the instructions performing the steps of:

(a) configuring a parameter of a stimulation pulse of the implanted device;

(b) performing a measurement process with the stimulation pulse in order to determine an impedance value corresponding to at least one electrode; and

(c) determining an indicator that is indicative of a consistency between the value of impedance and a corresponding measured current associated with the at least one electrode.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the at least one electrode comprises at least eight electrodes.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the performing in (b) comprises:

(i) instructing the implanted device to perform a measurement that is associated with the at least one electrode, the at least one electrode contained on a lead; and

(ii) calculating the impedance value utilizing the measurement.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the determining in (c) comprises:

(i) instructing the implanted device to measure at least one value of current of the at least one electrode; and

(ii) processing the at least one value of current.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the at least one electrode comprises at least eight electrodes.

24. A method in a computer system for displaying information in order to automate impedance measurements associated with an implanted device, the method comprising:

(a) displaying an identification of at least one electrode;

(b) displaying a value of impedance that is associated with the at least one electrode; and

(c) displaying an indicator that is indicative of a consistency between the value of impedance and a corresponding measured current associated with the at least one electrode.

25. Apparatus for automating impedance measurements associated with an implanted device, the apparatus comprising:

a communications module; and

a processor that communicates with the implanted device through the communications module, the processor configured to perform the steps of;

(a) configuring a parameter of a stimulation pulse of the implanted device;

(b) performing a measurement process with the stimulation pulse in order to determine an impedance value corresponding to at least one electrode; and

(c) automatically processing the impedance value.

26. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the at least one electrode comprises at least 8 electrodes.

27. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the performing the measurement process in (b) comprises:

(i) instructing the implanted device to perform a measurement that is associated with the at least one electrode, the at least one electrode contained on a lead; and

(ii) calculating the impedance value utilizing the measurement.

28. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the steps of:

(d) instructing the implanted device to measure at least one value of current of the at least one electrode; and

(e) processing the at least one value of current.

29. The apparatus of claim 25, wherein the processing in (c) comprises:

(i) displaying the impedance value on a user interface.