Sequenced therapy protocols for an implantable medical device

• US 20070100391A1
• Filed: 10/27/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Armstrong, Randolph
• Granted Patent: US 8,428,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/45
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware

Abstract

In one embodiment of the invention, a method comprises (a) implementing a first therapy in an implantable medical device (IMD) from a programmed sequence of therapies for a first time period, (b) implementing a second therapy from the sequence in the IMD for a second time period following the first time period, and repeating (a) and (b).

Claims

1. A method of operating an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

(a) programming a plurality of therapy programs in a therapy sequence;

(b) operating a first therapy program from the therapy sequence for a first therapy program time;

(c) operating a second therapy from the therapy sequence in the IMD for a second therapy time following the first therapy time; and

repeating the therapy programs in said therapy sequence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first therapy time and the second therapy time are substantially the same.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first therapy time and the second therapy time are different.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first and second therapy times are determined by one or more of an elapsed time, an indication from outside the IMD, and combinations thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein programming a plurality of therapy programs comprises programming a plurality of parameters to define each therapy program in the program sequence, and wherein the plurality of parameters comprises at least two parameters selected from the group consisting of current amplitude, pulse width, frequency, on time, off time, therapy program time, total therapy sequence time, and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of operating a first therapy program and said step of operating a second therapy program are performed automatically by the IMD.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an external system for wireless and noninvasive communication with the IMD; and

receiving a signal from the external system instructing the IMD to continue operating the therapy program operating when the signal was received, and to discontinue repeating (a) and (b).

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing an external system for wireless and noninvasive communication with the IMD; and

receiving an signal from the external system instructing the IMD to discontinue repeating steps and (a) and (b), and to begin operating and continue operating the therapy program that was operating immediately preceding the therapy operating when the signal was received.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(d) operating a third therapy from the therapy sequence in the IMD for a third therapy time following the second therapy time.

10. A method, comprising:

(a) operating a first therapy program in an implantable medical device (IMD);

(b) causing the IMD to sequence through a plurality of therapy programs in a therapy sequence and

(c) after the therapy sequence, operating and continuing the first therapy in the IMD and not automatically repeating (b).

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the therapy sequence comprises the first therapy.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising programming the plurality of therapy programs into the IMD.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the first therapy program and each of the plurality of therapy programs comprise a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of current amplitude, pulse width, frequency, on time, off time, therapy program time, total therapy sequence time, and combinations thereof.

14. An implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

an electrical signal generator that provides an electrical signal to stimulate a neural structure of a patient; and

a controller coupled to the electrical signal generator that causes a plurality of therapy programs to be operated by said electrical signal generator in a cyclically-repeated sequence.

15. The implantable medical device of claim 14 wherein the controller automatically sequences through the plurality of therapies, each therapy program being operated for a therapy sequence time.

16. The implantable medical device of claim 15 wherein the therapy sequence time is the same for each therapy program.

17. The implantable medical device of claim 14 further comprising a user-input sense device and wherein the controller sequences from one therapy program to the next when dictated by a user input.

18. The implantable medical device of claim 14 wherein the controller implements each of the plurality of therapy programs for an amount of time that is a programmed time for each therapy.

19. The implantable medical device of claim 14 wherein each of the plurality of therapy programs comprise a plurality of parameters selected from the group consisting of current amplitude, pulse width, frequency, on time, off time, therapy program time, total therapy sequence time, and combinations thereof.

20. An implantable medical device, comprising:

an electrical signal generator that provides an electrical signal to stimulate a neural structure of a patient; and

a controller coupled to the electrical signal generator that causes a first therapy program operated by said electrical signal generator to be interrupted, a plurality of therapy programs to then be implemented in programmed sequence by said electrical signal generator, and the first therapy program to again be operated.

21. The implantable medical device of claim 20 wherein the controller automatically sequences through the plurality of therapy programs.

22. A method of operating an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:

(a) programming a plurality of therapy programs in a therapy sequence;

(b) programming said IMD to automatically sequence through the therapy programs in said therapy sequence;

(c) initiating said automatic sequencing of said therapy programs;

(d) interrupting said automatic sequencing; and

(e) operating a desired therapy program from said therapy sequence.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the desired therapy program is a therapy program selected from the group consisting of the first therapy program in the therapy sequence, the therapy program operating at the time of the interrupting of the automatic sequencing;

the therapy program operating immediately prior to the therapy program operating at the time of the interrupting of the therapy sequencing, and the last therapy program in the therapy sequence.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein subsequent therapy programs in the therapy sequence comprise a greater current magnitude than the preceding therapy program.