Stimulation mode adjustment for an implantable medical device

• US 20070173890A1
• Filed: 01/24/2006
• Published: 07/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Armstrong, Randolph
• Application Number:
  US11/338,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20070173890A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/2
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37252 Details of algorithms or data aspects of communication system, e.g. handshaking, transmitting specific data or segmenting data

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing for altering a neurostimulation therapy provided by an implantable medical device (IMD). A presence of a magnetic field and/or a tap input is detected. A programmed time period for altering the neurostimulation therapy is determined based upon detecting the presence of the magnetic field and/or the tap input. An alteration of the neurostimulation therapy is performed for the duration of the time period.

Claims

1. A method for altering a neurostimulation therapy provided by an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

providing an implantable medical device capable of providing a neurostimulation therapy comprising at least a first electrical signal;

programming the implantable medical device with a time period for altering the neurostimulation therapy;

detecting the presence of at least one of a magnetic field and a tap input; and

altering said neurostimulation therapy for the duration of said programmed time period, wherein said alteration comprises at least one of inhibiting the first electrical signal and performing a background stimulation.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of a magnetic field comprises determining at least one of a duration of said magnetic field and a magnitude of said magnetic field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting the presence of a tap input comprises determining a number of tap inputs received.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein altering said neurostimulation therapy comprises performing a background stimulation, and wherein said background stimulation comprises a reduced stimulation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering said neurostimulation therapy comprises inhibiting said first electrical signal and performing a background stimulation, and wherein said background stimulation comprises a sub-side effect stimulation.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein programming the implantable medical device with a time period comprises programming a time period between zero seconds to about 64,000 seconds.

7. A method for altering a neurostimulation therapy provided by an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

programmably defining a time period for altering a neurostimulation therapy;

receiving an input from a source external to said IMD; and

inhibiting said neurostimulation therapy for the programmably defined time period in response to receiving said input.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein receiving said input from said external source comprises receiving at least one of a tap input and a magnetic input.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising programmably defining a plurality of time periods for altering said neurostimulation therapy, and wherein inhibiting said neurostimulation therapy comprises selecting one of said plurality of time periods for altering said neurostimulation therapy based upon a characteristic of said input, and inhibiting said neurostimulation therapy comprises inhibiting said neurostimulation therapy for said selected time period.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving a magnetic field and determining at least one of a duration of said magnetic field and a magnitude of said magnetic field, and wherein selecting one of said plurality of time periods comprises selecting one of said time periods based upon one of a duration of said magnetic field and a magnitude of said magnetic field.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein receiving an input comprises receiving a tap input and determining a number of tap inputs received, and wherein selecting one of said plurality of time periods comprises selecting one of said time periods based upon the number of tap inputs received.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein programmably defining a time period comprises defining a time period of a duration of an integer value between zero seconds and about 64,000 seconds.

13. A method for altering a neurostimulation therapy provided by an implantable medical device (IMD), comprising:

providing an implantable medical device capable of providing a neurostimulation therapy comprising a first electrical signal;

determining at least one programmed alteration time period exceeding 60 seconds;

detecting the presence of at least one of a magnetic field and a tap input; and

altering said neurostimulation therapy for said programmed alteration time period, wherein said alteration comprises at least one of inhibiting the first electrical signal, performing a background stimulation, performing a reduced stimulation, performing a sub-side effect stimulation, and performing an imperceptible stimulation.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining at least one programmed alteration time period comprises determining a plurality of alteration time periods, and wherein altering said neurostimulation therapy for said alteration time period comprises selecting one of said plurality of alteration time periods based upon a characteristic of said input.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein said altering comprises inhibiting the first electrical signal and performing a reduced stimulation.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the reduced stimulation comprises a sub-side effect stimulation.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the reduced stimulation comprises an imperceptible stimulation.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein said altering comprises performing a background stimulation.