METHOD OF MAINTAINING INTENSITY OUTPUT WHILE ADJUSTING PULSE WIDTH OR AMPLITUDE

• US 20080103559A1
• Filed: 10/26/2006
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Bionics Corporation (Sonova Holding AG)
• Inventors: Nathan, Robert, Haut, Harold, Thacker, James R., Bradley, Kerry, Peterson, David K.L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,352,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36175 Pulse width or duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

Tissue stimulation systems generally include a pulse generating device for generating electrical stimulation pulses, at least one implanted electrode for delivering the electrical stimulation pulses generated by the pulse generating device, and a programmer capable of communicating with the pulse generating device. Stimulation pulses may be defined by several parameters, such as pulse width and amplitude. In methods of stimulating the tissue with the stimulation system, a user may adjust one of the parameters such as pulse width. The programmer may automatically adjust the pulse amplitude in response to the change in pulse width in order to maintain a substantially constant effect of the stimulation pulses.

Claims

1. A method of operating a tissue stimulation system, comprising:

placing at least one electrode in contact with the tissue of a patient;

applying an electrical stimulus to the at least one electrode to provide an effect, the applied electrical stimulus comprising a plurality of pulses defined by a pulse width value and an amplitude value;

adjusting one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value; and

automatically adjusting the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value in response to adjusting the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value, such that the effect of the electrical stimulus remains substantially constant.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the effect of the electrical stimulus is a perceived stimulation intensity of the electrical stimulus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is the amplitude value, and the other of the amplitude and the pulse width value is the pulse width value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is the pulse width value, and the other of the amplitude and the pulse width value is the amplitude value.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is automatically adjusted in accordance with a relationship to maintain the electrical stimulus at a substantially constant intensity level.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the relationship is a/(1+k/PW)=a_x/(1+k/PW_x), wherein k is a constant of pulse frequency, wherein a_x is the adjusted amplitude value, a is the amplitude value, PW_x is the adjusted pulse width value, and PW is the pulse width value.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is increased if the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is decreased, and wherein the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is decreased if the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is increased.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulus is applied by a pulse generating device, and the adjustment of the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is automatically calculated by a programmer and communicated to the pulse generating device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is adjusted manually.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising implanting the at least one electrode within the patient in contact with the tissue.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrical stimulus is applied to the at least one electrode during a fitting procedure.

12. A tissue stimulation system, comprising:

a pulse generating device for generating an electrical stimulus to provide an effect in a patient, the electrical stimulus comprising a plurality of pulses defined by a pulse width value and an amplitude value;

at least one electrode for delivering the electrical stimulus generated by the pulse generating device;

an interface device capable of allowing a user to adjust one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value; and

a programmer capable of programming the pulse generating device to control the generation of the electrical stimulus, the programmer further capable of calculating an adjustment in the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value in response to adjusting the one of the amplitude value and pulse width value, such that the effect of the electrical stimulus remains substantially constant.

13. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the effect of the electrical stimulus is a perceived stimulation intensity of the electrical stimulus.

14. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is the amplitude value, and the other of the amplitude and the pulse width value is the pulse width value.

15. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is the pulse width value, and the other of the amplitude and the pulse width value is the amplitude value.

16. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the programmer is capable of calculating the adjustment of the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value according in accordance with a relationship to maintain the electrical stimulus at a substantially constant intensity level.

17. The tissue stimulation system of claim 16, wherein the relationship is a/(1+k/PW)=a_x/(1+k/PW_x), wherein k is a constant of pulse frequency, wherein a_x is the adjusted amplitude value, a is the amplitude value, PW_x is the adjusted pulse width value, and PW is the pulse width value.

18. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the programmer is capable of increasing the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value if the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is decreased, and decreasing the other of the amplitude value and the pulse width value if the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value is increased.

19. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the interface device is capable of allowing the user to manually adjust the one of the amplitude value and the pulse width value.

20. The tissue stimulation system of claim 12, wherein the pulse generating device is implantable.