Clustering with combined physiological signals

• US 20060195039A1
• Filed: 04/26/2006
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Werder, Jonathan C., Drew, Touby A., Giftakis, Jonathon E., Panken, Eric J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,768,446 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/523
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0006 ECG or EEG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/316 Modalities, i.e. specific diagnostic methods
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7232 involving compression of the physiological signal, e.g. to extend the signal recording period
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3614 based on impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36521 the parameter being derived from measurement of an electrical impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36585 controlled by two or more physical parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371
• 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: A61N 1/3925 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/70 for mining of medical data, e.g. analysing previous cases of other patients

Abstract

Methods of generating an extended cluster are disclosed. A first cluster including data representative of a first signal indicative of an abnormal physiological symptom is generated. A second signal is detected as representing a second abnormal physiological symptom and the second abnormal physiological symptom continues after the first abnormal physiological symptom ends. An extended cluster including the data from the first signal and the second signal is generated that extends from the time when the first abnormal physiological symptom occurs to the time when the second abnormal physiological symptom ends. The first and the extended cluster may include data of both the first and second signals the entire period of the clusters. If desired, the first signal or the second signal may be provided from a sensor implanted in a patient'"'"'s brain tissue.

Claims

1. A method of generating an expanded cluster by an implanted medical device, comprising:

(A) recording data based on a first signal that exceeds a first threshold, the first signal comprising a signal received from a first monitoring element in a first anatomical location, wherein the exceeding of the first threshold by the first signal indicates a first abnormal physiological symptom;

(B) determining that a second signal from a second monitoring element located in a second anatomical location continues to exceeds a second threshold once the first signal ceases to exceed the first threshold; and

(C) generating a cluster that includes a section of the first signal that exceeds the first threshold and a section of the second signal that exceeds the second threshold.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first monitoring element is selected from the list consisting of an EEG sensor, an ECG sensor, a pressure sensor, an acoustic sensor, an oxygen sensor;

a temperature sensor, a Doppler ultrasound sensor, a blood parameter sensor and a strain gauge sensor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first threshold and the second threshold comprises a level of a parameter of a processed signal and a duration of time.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the first and second anatomical locations is a patient'"'"'s head and the other of the first and second anatomical locations is the patient'"'"'s chest.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the recording of the data in (A) comprises:

(i) sensing that the first signal from the first monitoring element has an elevated level;

(ii) loop recording at least the first signal; and

(iii) ending the loop recording when the first signal ceases to be at the elevated level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining in (B) comprises:

(i) determining that the loop recording is complete; and

(ii) sensing that the second signal received the from second monitoring element is indicative of an abnormal physiological symptom associated with the first signal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating in (C) comprises:

(i) ending the recording of the first signal once the first signal ceases to exceed the first threshold level;

(ii) recording the second signal from the second monitoring element from when the second signal exceed the second threshold until when the second signal ceases to exceed the second threshold; and

(iii) combining the recording of the first and second signal to form the cluster.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the generating in (C) comprises:

(i) continuing the recording of the first signal from the first monitoring element;

(ii) recording the signal from the second monitoring element once the second signal exceeds the second threshold; and

(ii) ending the recording of the first and second signal after the second signal ceases to exceed the second threshold.

9. A method of generating an extended seizure cluster, comprising:

(A) detecting a characteristic of a first signal from a first sensor implanted in a patient'"'"'s brain as exceeding a threshold level;

(B) generating a first cluster including data representative of the first signal received from first sensor, the data representative of a seizure;

(C) determining that a second signal from a second sensor exceeds a second threshold after the first cluster is complete, the second sensor configured to detect a different physiological symptom than the first sensor; and

(D) generating an extended cluster, the extend cluster including the first cluster and data representative of a section of the second signal that exceeded the second threshold after the first cluster was complete.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the characteristic of the first signal is selected from the group consisting of peak amplitude, rate of change in peak amplitude;

energy level, energy level in a frequency band, and wave shape.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the first signal from the first sensor is a plurality of signals from a plurality of sensors and the first threshold level is a percentage of the plurality of signals having an signal parameter level above a predetermined level.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the determining in (C) comprises:

(i) sensing the second signal exceeds the second threshold, the second threshold being indicative of a cardiac symptom; and

(ii) determining that the cardiac symptom is representative of an cardiac abnormality associated with the first signal.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the generating in (D) comprises:

(i) recording the second signal until the second signal level ceases to exceed the second threshold; and

(ii) combining the recording of the first signal and the second signal to form the extended cluster.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first cluster includes data representative of the first and second signals.

15. A method of generating an extended cluster, comprising:

(A) recording a first signal from a first sensor while the first signal indicates a first abnormal physiological symptom;

(B) detecting a second signal from a second sensor indicating a second abnormal physiological symptom;

(C) after the first signal ceases to indicate the first abnormal physiological symptom, recording at least the second signal while the second signal indicates the second abnormal symptom; and

(D) combining the recording of the first and second signal to create the extended cluster.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first abnormal symptom is representative of a seizure.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second abnormal symptom is representative of a seizure.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the detecting in (B) comprises:

(i) determining that the first signal is no longer indicating that the first abnormal physiological symptom is ongoing; and

(ii) determining that the second signal is beginning to indicate the second abnormal physiological symptom.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the recording of the first signal in (A) comprises:

(i) starting the recording of data representative of the first signal; and

(ii) starting the recording of data representative of the second signal substantially simultaneously with the starting of the recording of the first signal.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the recording of the second signals begins after the recording of the first signal begins.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the combining in (D) comprises:

(i) combining the data from the first signal and the second signal into a record; and

(ii) saving the record in a memory.