INPLANTABLE SYSTEM WITH INPUTS

• US 20090099624A1
• Filed: 10/12/2007
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: IntElect Medical, Inc. (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Carlton, Keith, Kokones, Scott, Greszler, Alan
• Granted Patent: US 8,260,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1121 Determining geometric values, e.g. centre of rotation or angular range of movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1127 using markers
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/16 Devices for psychotechnics using teaching or educational appliances G09B1/00 - G09B7/00; Testing reaction times ; Devices for evaluating the psychological state
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/37 Intracranial electroencephalography [IC-EEG], e.g. electrocorticography [ECoG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/384 Recording apparatus or displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/386 Accessories or supplementary instruments therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4094 Diagnosing or monitoring seizure diseases, e.g. epilepsy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6885 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36082 Cognitive or psychiatric applications, e.g. dementia or Alzheimer's disease
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• 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 stimulation system can have a first sensor to generate a first reading and a second sensor to generate a second reading. An analysis module of a programmer such as a patient programmer, which programs a stimulation signal to be delivered to a patient, conducts an evaluation of the patient based on the first and second readings. Evaluations may include determinations such as range of motion determinations, posture determinations, physical task-specific brain activity determinations, cognitive task-specific brain activity determinations, and brain activity-specific movement determinations.

Claims

1. A stimulation system comprising:

a first sensor to generate a first reading;

a second sensor to generate a second reading; and

an analysis module to conduct an evaluation of a patient based on the first reading and the second reading, wherein the patient receives a stimulation signal from the stimulation system.

2. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the evaluation includes a determination of at least one of a range of motion of the patient, a posture of the patient, a physical task-specific brain activity of the patient, a cognitive task-specific brain activity of the patient, and a brain activity-specific movement of the patient.

3. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation system is to modify a parameter of the stimulation signal based on the evaluation.

4. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation system is to select at least one of a progress input question and a task instruction for presentation to the patient based on the evaluation.

5. The stimulation system of claim 1, further including a signal delivery component to facilitate delivery of the stimulation signal to the patient, the first sensor being coupled to the signal delivery component.

6. The stimulation system of claim 5, wherein the signal delivery component includes at least one of an implantable pulse generator, an external pulse generator, a stimulation lead and a stimulation extension.

7. The stimulation system of claim 5, wherein the signal delivery component includes a burr hole cap of a stimulation lead, the stimulation system to detect a migration of the stimulation lead from a treatment site based on the first reading and the second reading.

8. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is to be coupled to the patient'"'"'s skin.

9. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the analysis module is disposed within at least one of a patient programmer, a clinician programmer, an implantable pulse generator and an external pulse generator.

10. The stimulation system of claim 9, wherein the second sensor is coupled to the patient programmer.

11. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are selected from a group consisting of electroencephalogram sensors, accelerometers, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, heart rate sensors, pH sensors, touch screens, microphones and keypads.

12. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the analysis module is to store data relating to the evaluation to a memory of the stimulation system.

13. The stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the analysis module is to compare the first reading to the second reading to obtain a relative measurement, and conduct the evaluation based on the relative measurement.

14. The stimulation system of claim 1, further including a peripheral sensor to generate a third reading, the analysis module to further conduct the evaluation of the patient based on the third reading.

15. A deep brain stimulation system comprising:

an implantable pulse generator including a first accelerometer to generate a first reading, the implantable pulse generator to generate a stimulation signal;

a stimulation extension to receive the stimulation signal from the implantable pulse generator;

a brain stimulation lead to receive the stimulation signal from the stimulation extension and deliver the stimulation signal to a patient at a brain treatment site; and

a patient programmer including a second accelerometer to generate a second reading, the patient programmer to compare the first reading to the second reading to obtain a relative measurement and determine a range of motion for the patient based on the relative measurement.

16. The stimulation system of claim 15, wherein the patient programmer is to select a progress input question for presentation to the patient based on the relative measurement.

17. The stimulation system of claim 15, wherein the patient programmer is to select a task instruction for presentation to the patient based on the relative measurement.

18. The stimulation system of claim 15, wherein the patient programmer is to select a set of parameters for the stimulation signal and modify at least one parameter in the set of parameters based on the relative measurement.

19. The stimulation system of claim 15, wherein the brain stimulation lead includes the burr hole cap with a third accelerometer to generate a third reading, the patient programmer to detect a migration of the stimulation lead from the brain treatment site based on the third reading.

20. A method of operating a stimulation system comprising:

transmitting a first reading from a first sensor to an analysis module of the stimulation system;

transmitting a second reading from a second sensor to the analysis module; and

conducting an evaluation of the patient based on the first reading and the second reading, wherein the patient receives a stimulation signal from the stimulation system.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the evaluation includes determining at least one of a range of motion of the patient, a posture of the patient, a physical task-specific brain activity of the patient, a cognitive task-specific brain activity of the patient, a brain activity-specific movement of the patient, and a migration of a stimulation lead from a treatment site within the patient.

22. The method of claim 20, further including modifying a parameter of the stimulation signal based on the evaluation.

23. The method of claim 20, further including selecting at least one of a progress input question and a task instruction for presentation to the patient based on the evaluation.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first and second sensors are selected from a group consisting of electroencephalogram sensors, accelerometers, pH sensors, touch screens, microphones and keypads.

25. The method of claim 20, further including comparing the first reading to the second reading to obtain a relative measurement, wherein the evaluation is conducted based on the relative measurement.