Automatic parameter status on an implantable medical device system

• US 20070060797A1
• Filed: 08/31/2005
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Ball, James, House, Chris, McAdams, Sean
• Granted Patent: US 8,827,904 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/300
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4875 Hydration status, fluid retention of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6869 Heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3702 Physiological parameters A61N1/365 takes precedence; evoked response A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37254 Pacemaker or defibrillator security, e.g. to prevent or inhibit programming alterations by hackers or unauthorised individuals
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/0211 Combination with medical sensor, e.g. for measuring heart rate, temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/30 for calculating health indices; for individual health risk assessment

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing status of a parameter that includes detecting an alert level of a parameter monitored by an implanted medical device, transmitting data corresponding to the detected alert level from the implanted medical device to an external monitor, scheduling a follow-up interrogation session after receiving transmitted data corresponding to the detected alert level, and retrieving updated data from the implanted medical device corresponding to the monitored parameter during the follow-up interrogation session.

Claims

1. A method for providing status of a parameter in an implantable medical device system, comprising:

monitoring the parameter;

detecting an alert level of the monitored parameter;

transmitting data corresponding to the detected alert level from the implanted medical device to an external monitor;

scheduling a follow-up interrogation session in response to the alert level data transmission; and

retrieving updated data from the implanted medical device corresponding to the monitored parameter during the follow-up interrogation session.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying information corresponding to the retrieved updated data on the external monitor.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising transferring the retrieved updated data to a remote patient management database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein scheduling a follow-up interrogation session comprises transferring a scheduling request from the remote patient management database to the external monitor.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the retrieved updated data corresponding to the monitored parameter corresponds to a non-alert level.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising scheduling a second follow-up interrogation session in response to the retrieved updated data not corresponding to a non-alert level.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying information indicating that the monitored parameter no longer corresponds to the alert level in response to the retrieved updated data being determined to correspond to a non-alert level.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising determining if the updated data corresponding to the monitored parameter corresponds to a non-alert level for a predetermined interval of time.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein scheduling the follow-up interrogation session further comprises scheduling a series of follow-up interrogation sessions.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

determining if the retrieved updated data corresponding to the monitored parameter corresponds to a non-alert level; and

canceling any pending scheduled interrogation sessions of the scheduled series in response to the retrieved updated data being determined to correspond to a non-alert level.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameter monitored by the implanted medical device includes a physiological parameter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the physiological parameter monitored by the implanted medical device includes a fluid status.

13. An implantable medical device system, comprising:

an implantable sensor for sensing a signal corresponding to a physiological parameter;

a processor coupled to the sensor for receiving the sensor signal and detecting an alert level of the physiological parameter based on the sensor signal;

a device telemetry circuit coupled to the processor for transmitting data corresponding to the physiological parameter in response to the processor detecting the alert level;

an external telemetry circuit adapted for communication with the device telemetry circuit for receiving the transmitted data; and

an external control system, coupled to the external telemetry circuit, for scheduling a follow-up interrogation session for retrieving an updated value from the processor corresponding to the physiological parameter via communication between the external telemetry circuit and the device telemetry circuit.

14. The implantable medical device system of claim 13, further comprising an external display for displaying information corresponding to the physiological parameter.

15. The implantable medical device system of claim 13, further comprising:

a remote patient management database;

a communication network; and

an external communication module coupled to the communication network for transferring information received by the external telemetry circuit corresponding to the monitored physiological parameter to the remote patient management database.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the sensor comprises an impedance sensor for monitoring a fluid status.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method for providing status of a parameter in an implantable medical device system, comprising:

transmitting a physiological parameter alert signal from an implantable medical device to an external monitor;

scheduling a follow-up interrogation session to be initiated by the external monitor to retrieve updated physiological parameter data after the physiological parameter alert signal is received; and

retrieving an updated physiological parameter value during the scheduled follow-up interrogation session.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising displaying data corresponding to the updated physiological parameter value.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, further comprising determining if the updated physiological parameter value corresponds to a non-alert level.