Multi-application trial stimulator

• US 20070027501A1
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Published: 02/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Arnett, Christopher, Almendinger, Allen, Jensen, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,680,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3625 External stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an electrical trial stimulator that stores multiple applications to selectively emulate the operation of different chronically implanted stimulators. Each application corresponds to a different chronically implanted stimulator. Upon selection of a particular application, the stimulator executes a set of instructions to emulate the operation of a chronically implanted stimulator that corresponds to the application. The multi-application stimulator permits a physician to select an application for stimulation therapy, and evaluate efficacy of a particular chronically implanted stimulator. In addition, the physician may select any of the other stimulation applications to emulate other stimulators. The different stimulation applications may correspond to different stimulators that deliver a similar therapy, e.g., stimulators designed to deliver spinal cord stimulation for alleviation of chronic pain. Alternatively, the applications may correspond to stimulators that deliver different types of therapy, e.g., stimulators that deliver spinal cord, deep brain, gastrointestinal, or pelvic floor stimulation.

Claims

1. An electrical stimulation system comprising:

a trial stimulator that generates electrical stimulation pulses, the trial stimulator having a memory storing multiple sets of instructions, wherein each set of instructions corresponds to one of a plurality of different chronic stimulators; and

a programmer that programs the trial stimulator to select one of the sets of instructions for operation of the trial stimulator,

wherein the trial stimulator applies the selected set of instructions to emulate operation of a corresponding chronic stimulator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the trial stimulator includes a housing for external use.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for a substantially common therapy.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the substantially common therapy application is selected from the group consisting of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for different therapies.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the different therapies include at least two of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the trial stimulator applies the selected set of instructions as a software application running on an operating system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the trial stimulator loads the selected set of instructions as an operating system for the trial stimulator.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising one or more implantable leads electrically coupled to the trial stimulator, wherein each of the leads includes one or more electrodes.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising a percutaneous extension that electrically couples the implantable leads to the trial stimulator.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the trial stimulator is an external neurostimulator.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the programmer is a physician programmer used by a physician to program the trial stimulator.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a patient programmer used by the patient, wherein the patient programmer is compatible with a chronic stimulator that operates according to instructions similar to the selected set of instructions.

14. An electrical stimulator comprising:

a stimulation pulse generator that generates electrical stimulation pulses;

a memory storing multiple sets of instructions, wherein each set of instructions corresponds to one of a plurality of different chronic stimulators; and

a processor that selects one of the sets of instructions to control operation of the stimulation pulse generator, wherein the processor applies the selected set of instructions to emulate operation of a corresponding chronic stimulator.

16. The stimulator of claim 14, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for a substantially common therapy.

17. The stimulator of claim 16, wherein the common therapy application is selected from the group consisting of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

18. The stimulator of claim 14, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for different therapies.

19. The stimulator of claim 18, wherein the different therapies include at least two of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

20. The stimulator of claim 14, wherein the processor applies the selected set of instructions as a software application running on an operating system.

21. The stimulator of claim 14, wherein the processor loads the selected set of instructions as an operating system for the trial stimulator.

22. The stimulator of claim 14, further comprising one or more implantable leads coupled to the stimulation pulse generator, wherein each of the leads includes one or more electrodes.

23. The stimulator of claim 22, wherein the implantable leads are coupled to the stimulation pulse generator via a percutaneous extension.

24. The stimulator of claim 14, wherein the trial stimulator is an external neurostimulator.

15. The stimulator of 14, further comprising a housing for external use.

25. A method comprising:

storing multiple sets of instructions in a memory in a trial electrical stimulator, wherein each set of instructions corresponds to one of a plurality of different chronic stimulators; and

selecting one of the sets of instructions to control operation of a stimulation pulse generator within the trial electrical stimulator, wherein the processor applies the selected set of instructions to emulate operation of a corresponding chronic stimulator.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising generating electrical stimulation pulses based at least in part on the selected set of instructions.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for a substantially common therapy.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the common therapy application is selected from the group consisting of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein the sets of instructions correspond to different chronic stimulators configured for different therapies.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the different therapies include at least two of spinal cord stimulation, deep brain stimulation, gastrointestinal stimulation and pelvic floor stimulation.

31. The method of claim 25, further comprising applying the selected set of instructions as a software application running on an operating system.

32. The method of claim 25, further comprising loading the selected set of instructions as an operation system for the trial stimulator.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the trial stimulator is an external neurostimulator.