Neurostimulator with reduced size

• US 20070016263A1
• Filed: 07/13/2005
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Armstrong, Randolph K., Armstrong, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,711,419 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings

Abstract

A method, system, and an apparatus for providing a therapy neurostimulation signal. The apparatus of the present invention includes a sealed housing being of a total volume of less than about 14.5 cc and a power supply contained within the sealed housing. The power supply includes a charge capacity of at least about 100 milliAmpHours. The apparatus also includes a controller to control an operation of the power supply and to provide an electrical neurostimulation signal for stimulating a portion of a neural tissue. The present invention also provides for implementing an interrupt-driven architecture into an implantable medical device.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device (IMD) for implantation in the body of a patient, comprising:

a sealed housing having a total volume of less than 14.5 cc;

a power supply contained within said sealed housing for generating a power signal,

said power supply comprising a charge capacity of at least about 100 milliAmpHours; and

a controller to control an operation of said power supply and to provide an electrical neurostimulation signal for stimulating neural tissue of the patient.

2. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said sealed housing comprises a total volume of less than about 10 cc.

3. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said sealed housing comprises a total volume of less than about 8 cc.

4. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said power source comprises a charge capacity of at least about 500 milliAmpHours.

5. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said power source comprises a charge capacity of at least about 1000 milliAmpHours.

6. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said neural tissue is at least one of a right vagus nerve and a left vagus nerve.

7. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said implantable medical device may be used to treat at least one of a neuromuscular, neuropsychiatric, cognitive, autonomic, and a sensory disorder.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 1 wherein implantable medical device may be used to treat a disorder from a group consisting of epilepsy, depression, and bulimia.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein the implantable medical device comprises a stimulating current consumption when said implantable medical device provides said electrical neurostimulation signal, and a non-stimulating current consumption, and said implantable medical device is characterized by a non-stimulating current consumption of less than about 5 micro-Amps.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 9, wherein the current consumption of said implantable medical device is characterized by a non-stimulating current consumption of less than about 1 micro-Amp.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a stimulation unit, said stimulation unit comprising a multi-function integrated circuit to perform a plurality of functions relating to providing said electrical neurostimulation signal.

12. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said stimulus current regulator provides a controlled current neurostimulation signal.

13. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit comprises:

a boost converter to provide a stimulating current for said electrical neurostimulation signal; and

a stimulus current regulator to regulate said stimulating current.

14. The implantable medical device of claim 13, wherein said boost converter and said stimulus current regulator provide for an efficiency in converting energy from said power supply to stimulation energy, from a range of about 70 percent to about 95 percent.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 13, further comprising a boost coil circuit for interfacing with said boost converter to provide said stimulation current.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit comprises a switching network operatively coupled to said stimulus current regulator and operating to switch said stimulating current to at least one stimulation electrode.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a sensor electrode switching network to switch data from at least one sensor electrode; and

at least one sense amplifier to condition said data from said sensor electrode.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a supply voltage regulator for regulating a voltage of the power signal from said power supply unit; and

an internal reference for providing a voltage reference signal for comparison selected from the group consisting a voltage regulator and a current regulator.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 11, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a telemetry transceiver for providing receiving and sending data from a source external to said multi-function integrated chip; and

a reset detector to receive a reset signal and cause a reset of at least a portion of said implantable medical device.

20. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising a reset detector to receive a reset signal and cause a reset of at least a portion of said implantable medical device.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 1, further comprising a magnet detector to determine the presence of a magnet proximate to said implantable medical device.

22. The implantable medical device of claim 1, wherein said controller comprises a processor being implemented in an interrupt driven architecture.

23. The implantable medical device of claim 22, wherein said processor requires an operating current of less than about 1 micro-Amp when not executing instructions.

24. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising a power supply for generating a power signal, and a multi-function integrated circuit for generating an electrical neurostimulation signal from said power signal, said multi-function integrated circuit comprising a boost converter to provide a current for generating said electrical neurostimulation signal and a stimulus current regulator to perform a regulation function of said current.

25. The implantable medical device of claim 24, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises a switching network operatively coupled to said stimulus current regulator and operating to switch said current to at least one stimulation electrode.

26. The implantable medical device of claim 24, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a sensor electrode switching network to switch data from at least one sensor electrode; and

at least one sense amplifier to condition said data from said sensor electrode.

27. The implantable medical device of claim 24, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a supply voltage regulator for regulating a voltage of the power signal from said power supply unit; and

an internal reference for providing at least one of a voltage and a current reference for comparison.

28. The implantable medical device of claim 24, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit further comprises:

a telemetry transceiver for receiving and sending data from a source external to said implantable medical device and

a reset detector to receive a reset signal and cause a reset of at least a portion of said implantable medical device.

29. The implantable medical device of claim 24, further comprising:

a sealed housing having a total volume of less than about 14.5 cc;

a power supply contained within said sealed housing, said power supply comprising a charge capacity of greater than about 100 milliAmpHours; and

a controller to control an operation of said power supply and to provide said electrical neurostimulation signal for stimulating a neural tissue of a patient.

30. An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising a power supply for generating a power signal, and a multi-function integrated circuit for generating an electrical neurostimulation signal, said multi-function integrated circuit comprising:

a boost converter to provide a current for generating said electrical neurostimulation signal;

a stimulus current regulator to regulate said current;

a switching network operatively coupled to said stimulus current regulator and operating to switch said current to at least one stimulation electrode;

a supply voltage regulator for regulating a voltage of said power signal from said power supply unit;

an internal voltage reference for providing a reference voltage signal for comparison;

a telemetry transceiver for receiving and sending data from a source external to said implantable medical device; and

a reset detector to receive a reset signal and cause a reset of at least a portion of said implantable medical device.

31. The implantable medical device of claim 30, further comprising:

a sensor electrode switching network to switch data from at least one sensor electrode;

at least one sense amplifier to condition said data from said sensor electrode; and

a register for registering data.

32. The implantable medical device of claim 30, further comprising ceramic capacitors.

33. The implantable medical device of claim 30, wherein said multi-function integrated circuit is coupled to a printed circuit board in a sealed housing of a total volume of less than about 14.5 cc.

34. A method for performing a neurostimulation using an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

providing a controller to perform a function relating to said neurostimulation;

providing a multi-function integrated circuit to perform a function relating to said neurostimulation;

placing said controller in a power save mode, said power save mode comprising said multi-function integrated circuit performing at least one function relating to said neurostimulation during at least a portion of a time period during said power save mode;

receiving an interrupt relating to a performing a task; and

exiting said power save operation mode to perform said task in response to said interrupt.

35. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

determining whether the performance of said task is substantially complete; and

entering said power save mode in response to a determination that said performance of said task is substantially complete.