Stimulation templates for configuring stimulation therapy

• US 20070203543A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Goetz, Steven M., Stone, Richard T., Otten, Lynn M., Wahlstrand, Carl D., Ball, Warren W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,543,217 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

The disclosure describes a method and system that generates stimulation parameters by selecting one or more stimulation parameters according to a stimulation field defined by a user. The system includes a memory that stores a plurality of stimulation templates for multiple electrode configurations of an electrical lead. A processor selects one or more volumetric stimulation templates that best match, e.g., fill, the three-dimensional stimulation field defined by the clinician. Each stimulation template is associated with a set of stimulation parameters that can be used to deliver stimulation therapy to a patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving stimulation input from a user defining at least one stimulation field within a visual representation of an anatomical region of a patient;

selecting at least one volumetric stimulation template from a memory based on the at least one stimulation field; and

selecting an electrical stimulation parameter set associated with the selected volumetric stimulation template in the memory.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to the selected electrical stimulation parameter set.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating at least one volumetric stimulation template for each electrode of an electrical stimulation lead based upon at least one of modeled data, experimental data, and analytical calculations; and

storing the generated volumetric stimulation template in the memory for selection based on the stimulation field.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one volumetric stimulation template comprises selecting the volumetric stimulation template based on a comparison of at least one of the volumes and shapes of the volumetric stimulation template and the user-defined stimulation field.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one volumetric stimulation template comprises selecting a volumetric stimulation template that fills at least a portion of the stimulation field without covering any portion of the anatomical region not included in the stimulation field.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one volumetric stimulation template comprises selecting a volumetric stimulation template that fills at least the entire stimulation field.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting at least one volumetric stimulation template comprises selecting a volumetric stimulation template that maximizes the portion of the stimulation filled by the volumetric stimulation template while minimizing covering any portion of the anatomical region not include in the stimulation field.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the anatomical region of the patient as plurality of different two-dimensional, cross-sectional views of the anatomical region, wherein receiving stimulation input comprises receiving stimulation field input that defines a cross-section of the stimulation field in each of the cross-sectional views, the method further comprising estimating the stimulation field in three dimensions based on the cross-sections of the stimulation field.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying the volumetric stimulation template over the visual representation of the anatomical region of the patient.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a message to the user when the stimulation template set fails to match the stimulation area by an error that is greater than a predetermined error threshold.

11. A system comprising:

a user interface that receives stimulation input from a user defining at least one stimulation field within a visual representation of an anatomical region of a patient;

a memory that stores a plurality of volumetric stimulation templates; and

a processor that selects at least one of the plurality of stimulation templates based on the at least one user-defined stimulation field, and selects an electrical stimulation parameter set associated with the selected volumetric stimulation template in the memory.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a medical device, wherein the processor controls the medical device to deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to the selected electrical stimulation parameter set.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor selects the volumetric stimulation template based on a comparison of at least one of the volumes and shapes of the volumetric stimulation template and the user-defined stimulation field.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor selects the volumetric stimulation template based on a determination that the template fills at least a portion of the stimulation field without covering any portion of the anatomical region not included in the stimulation field.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor selects the one or more volumetric stimulation templates based on a determination that the templates fill at least the entire stimulation field.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor selects at least one volumetric stimulation template that maximizes the portion of the stimulation filled by the volumetric stimulation template while minimizing covering any portion of the anatomical region not include in the stimulation field.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface displays the anatomical region of the patient as plurality of different two-dimensional, cross-sectional views of the anatomical region, and the processor receives stimulation input that defines a cross-section of the stimulation field in each of the cross-sectional views and estimates the stimulation field in three dimensions based on the cross-sections of the stimulation field.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the user interface displays the volumetric stimulation template over the visual representation of the anatomical region of the patient.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor presents a message to the user via the user interface when the stimulation template set fails to match the stimulation area by an error that is greater than a predetermined error threshold.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising a programmer for programming an implantable medical device that includes the user interface, the memory and the processor.

21. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

receive stimulation input from a user defining at least one stimulation field within a visual representation of an anatomical region of a patient;

select at least one volumetric stimulation template from a memory based on the at least one stimulation field; and

select an electrical stimulation parameter set associated with the selected volumetric stimulation template in the memory.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to control delivery of electrical stimulation therapy to the patient according to the selected electrical stimulation parameter set.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

generate at least one volumetric stimulation template for each electrode of an electrical stimulation lead based upon at least one of modeled data, experimental data, and analytical calculations; and

store the generated volumetric stimulation template in the memory for selection based on the stimulation field.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to select at least one volumetric stimulation template comprise instructions that cause a processor to select the volumetric stimulation template based on a comparison of at least one of the volumes and shapes of the volumetric stimulation template and the user-defined stimulation field.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to select at least one volumetric stimulation template comprise instructions that cause a processor to select a volumetric stimulation template that fills at least a portion of the stimulation field without covering any portion of the anatomical region not included in the stimulation field.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to select at least one volumetric stimulation template comprise instructions that cause a processor to select a volumetric stimulation template that fills at least the entire stimulation field.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to select at least one volumetric stimulation template comprise instructions that cause a processor to select a volumetric stimulation template that maximizes the portion of the stimulation filled by the volumetric stimulation template while minimizing covering any portion of the anatomical region not include in the stimulation field.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to display the anatomical region of the patient as plurality of different two-dimensional, cross-sectional views of the anatomical region, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to receive stimulation input comprises receiving stimulation field input that defines a cross-section of the stimulation field in each of the cross-sectional views, the medium further comprising instructions that cause a processor to estimate the stimulation field in three dimensions based on the cross-sections of the stimulation field.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to display the volumetric stimulation template over the visual representation of the anatomical region of the patient.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to present a message to the user when the stimulation template set fails to match the stimulation area by an error that is greater than a predetermined error threshold.