Electronic Identification of External Cables for External Medical Devices

• US 20100228324A1
• Filed: 03/09/2009
• Published: 09/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stouffer, Thomas, Lamont, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 9,724,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/63
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0476 Array electrodes (including any electrode arrangement with more than one electrode for at least one of the polarities)
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0534 Electrodes for deep brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/056 Transvascular endocardial electrode systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/086 Magnetic resonance imaging [MRI] compatible leads
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/37294 Means for testing medical devices within the package prior to implantation

Abstract

Disclosed is an improved external cable box assembly and external trial stimulator (ETS) for use with an implantable medical device. The improved external cable box assembly has memory and logic circuitry embedded in it which allows the cable box to be identified. Associated logic circuitry in the improved ETS allows the ETS to read and write characteristics—such as electronic identifiers or cable addresses—of the external cable box assemblies and to store the values of those characteristics in its memory, associating characteristic values with each of its ports. If the external cable box assemblies become unplugged from the ETS and then are reconnected to incorrect ports on the ETS, logic in the ETS will either alert the patient to swap the port locations of the external stimulation cables, or the ETS will automatically reroute the correct therapy through each port.

Claims

1. A cable assembly for use with an implantable medical device, comprising:

a first connector coupleable to an electrode lead;

a second connector coupleable to an external stimulator for providing stimulation to the electrodes; and

a memory circuit for providing an address of the cable assembly to the external stimulator.

2. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the memory circuit comprises a fuse or antifuse.

3. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the memory circuit comprises a non-volatile memory circuit.

4. The cable assembly of claim 1, further comprising a cable box, and wherein the memory circuit is within the cable box.

5. The cable assembly of claim 4, wherein the first connector is formed on the cable box.

6. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the memory circuit provides the address of the cable assembly to the external stimulator when queried by the external stimulator.

7. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the address is programmable into the memory circuit by the external stimulator.

8. The cable assembly of claim 1, wherein the memory circuit is powerable by the external stimulator.

9. A system, comprising:

at least one cable assembly coupleable to an electrode lead, wherein the at least one cable assembly comprises memory circuitry for providing an address of the cable to an external stimulator; and

an external stimulator for providing stimulation to the electrodes, comprising;

at least one port coupled to the at least one cable assembly, each at least one port associated with a port address;

cable address circuitry for determining if the cable address of the at least one cable assembly matches the port address of the port to which it is coupled, and for taking a predetermined action if there is no match.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory circuitry comprises a fuse or antifuse.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory circuitry comprises a non-volatile memory circuit.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator alerting the user.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator routing a predefined stimulation therapy program to another port of the external trial stimulator.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the address is programmable into the memory circuit by the external stimulator.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the memory circuit is powerable by the external stimulator.

16. An system, comprising:

a cable box, electrically connectable to an implantable medical device; and

an external trial stimulator, electrically connectable to the cable box, comprising;

a port, configured to connect the cable box to the external trial stimulator;

a first circuit, configured to read a characteristic associated with the cable box;

and

a second circuit, configured to perform a predetermined action if the characteristic read by the first circuit fails to match a stored characteristic.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the characteristic comprises the status of a fuse circuit or an antifuse circuit.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the characteristic comprises an electronic identifier.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the electronic identifier comprises a unique identifier.

20. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a first wire, connectable to the external trial stimulator, wherein the first circuit reads the characteristic via the first wire, and wherein the external trial stimulator provides power to the cable box via the first wire.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a second wire, connectable to the external trial stimulator, wherein the external trial stimulator signals the implantable medical device via the second wire.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator alerting the user.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator generating a visual alert.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator generating an auditory alert.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator routing a predefined stimulation therapy program to another port of the external trial stimulator.

26. An apparatus, comprising:

a port, configured to connect the apparatus to an implantable medical device;

an external stimulation cable, configured to connect the apparatus to an external trial stimulator; and

a circuit, configured to store a characteristic associated with the apparatus.

27. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device, comprising;

a stimulation lead;

an electrode, electrically connected to the stimulation lead;

a cable box, comprising;

a port, configured to connect the cable box to the implantable medical device;

an external stimulation cable, configured to connect the cable box to an external trial stimulator; and

a circuit, configured to store a characteristic associated with the cable box; and

an external trial stimulator, comprising;

a port, configured to connect the cable box to the external trial stimulator;

a first circuit, configured to read the characteristic associated with the cable box; and

a second circuit, configured to perform a predetermined action if the characteristic read by the first circuit fails to match a stored characteristic.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the characteristic comprises an address.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the address is programmable.

30. The system of claim 27, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator alerting the user.

31. The system of claim 27, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator routing a predefined stimulation therapy program to another port of the external trial stimulator.

32. A method, comprising:

receiving a signal at a port of an external trial stimulator corresponding to a medical device;

reading a characteristic associated with the medical device;

comparing the characteristic with a stored characteristic; and

performing a predetermined action responsive to the comparison.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the characteristic comprises an address.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator alerting the user.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the predetermined action comprises the external trial stimulator routing a predefined stimulation therapy program to another port of the external trial stimulator.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

determining that the characteristic has not been assigned a value;

generating a value for the characteristic;

storing the generated value in a memory circuit of the external trial stimulator; and

sending the generated value to the medical device.