External presentation of electrical stimulation parameters

• US 20070055322A1
• Filed: 09/08/2005
• Published: 03/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/08/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Forsberg, John, Michaels, Matthew, Palm, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,059 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders

Abstract

The invention is directed to a trial stimulation system and, more particularly, an indicator device within the trial stimulation system that measures and indicates energy amplitude levels for electrical stimulation therapy delivered to a patient. Specifically, the indicator device simultaneously indicates energy amplitude levels, such as electrical voltage, current, power, and electrical charge, as well as the polarity for each electrode in real-time without affecting the therapy delivered to the patient. For example, the indicator device may activate a number of lights in an array of lights in proportion to the measured energy amplitude level for each electrode and may activate a green LED or a red LED when a corresponding electrodes acts as a source or sink, respectively. In this manner, the indicator device allows a clinician to visualize the electrical fields produced by each electrode and, therefore, may assist stimulation steering, trouble shooting, and lead placement.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

measuring energy amplitude levels delivered to an array of implanted stimulation electrodes; and

indicating the measured energy amplitude levels delivered to one or more electrodes within the array.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the energy amplitude levels includes at least one of electrical voltage levels, electrical current levels, power levels, and electrical charge levels.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating a direction of flow of electrical current applied to respective electrodes within the array.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying electrodes in the array as cathodes or anodes.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising updating the measured energy amplitude levels and indicating the updated energy amplitude levels on a periodic basis.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating includes, for each of the electrodes, activating a number of indicator lights within an array of indicator lights in proportion to the measured energy amplitude levels in real-time.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating includes, for each of the electrodes, graphically representing the measured energy amplitude level via a pixelized display device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein measuring includes measuring the energy amplitude level via a measurement circuit placed in series with an electrical stimulation generator and the array of stimulation electrodes.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes one of an external neurostimulation pulse generator, and an implantable neurostimulation pulse generator.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes a first electrical connector, the array of stimulation electrodes includes a second electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector, and the measurement circuit includes a third electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector that mates with the second electrical connector, the measurement circuit being placed in series between the third and fourth electrical connectors.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein indicating the measured energy amplitude levels includes simultaneously indicating the measured energy amplitude levels for each of the electrodes within the array.

12. A device comprising:

a measurement circuit that measures energy amplitude levels delivered to an array of implantable stimulation electrodes; and

an indicator that indicates the measured energy amplitude levels delivered to respective electrodes within the array.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the energy amplitude levels include at least one of electrical voltage levels, electrical current levels, power levels, and electrical charge levels.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator indicates a direction of flow of electrical current applied to respective electrodes within the array.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator identifies electrodes in the array as cathodes or anodes.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the measurement circuit updates the measured energy amplitude levels, and the indicator indicates the updated energy amplitude levels on a periodic basis.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator includes an array of indicator lights, and the indicator activates a number of indicator lights within the array of indicator lights in proportion to the measured energy amplitude level in real-time.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator includes a pixelized display device that graphically represents the measured energy amplitude level.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the measurement circuit is placed in series with an electrical stimulation generator and the array of stimulation electrodes.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes one of an external neurostimulation pulse generator, and an implantable neurostimulation pulse generator.

21. The device of claim 18, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes a first electrical connector, the array of stimulation electrodes includes a second electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector, and the measurement circuit includes a third electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector that mates with the second electrical connector, the measurement circuit being placed in series between the third and fourth electrical connectors.

22. The device of claim 12, wherein the indicator simultaneously indicates the measured energy amplitude levels for each of the electrodes within the array.

23. A system comprising:

an electrical stimulation generator that generates stimulation energy;

an array of stimulation electrodes coupled to the electrical stimulation generator;

a switching circuit to apply the stimulation energy to selected electrodes within the array of electrodes;

a measurement circuit that measures energy amplitude levels delivered to the electrodes; and

an indicator that indicates the measured energy amplitude levels delivered to respective electrodes within the array.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the energy amplitude levels include at least one of electrical voltage levels, electrical current levels, power levels, and electrical charge levels.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator indicates a direction of flow of electrical current applied to respective electrodes within the array.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator identifies electrodes in the array as cathodes or anodes.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the measurement circuit updates the measured energy amplitude levels, and the indicator indicates the updated energy amplitude levels on a periodic basis.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator includes an array of indicator lights, and the indicator activates a number of indicator lights within the array of indicator lights in proportion to the measured energy amplitude level in real-time.

29. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator includes a pixelized display device that graphically represents the measured energy amplitude level.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the measurement circuit is placed in series with an electrical stimulation generator and the array of stimulation electrodes.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes one of an external neurostimulation pulse generator, and an implantable neurostimulation pulse generator.

32. The system of claim 30, wherein the electrical stimulation generator includes a first electrical connector, the array of stimulation electrodes includes a second electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector, and the measurement circuit includes a third electrical connector that mates with the first electrical connector and a fourth electrical connector that mates with the second electrical connector, the measurement circuit being placed in series between the third and fourth electrical connectors.

33. The system of claim 23, wherein the indicator simultaneously indicates the measured energy amplitude levels for each of the electrodes within the array.