TESTING COMMUNICATION DURING IMPLANTATION

• US 20110160557A1
• Filed: 03/26/2010
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cinbis, Can, Markowitz, H. Toby
• Granted Patent: US 8,983,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/374
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2053 Tracking an applied voltage gradient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0271 using a remote monitoring unit
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0028 Body tissue as transmission medium, i.e. transmission systems where the medium is the human body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37205 Microstimulators, e.g. implantable through a cannula
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37217 characterised by the communication link, e.g. acoustic or tactile
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3756 Casings with electrodes thereon, e.g. leadless stimulators

Abstract

A system and method are described for testing communication through a patient during implantation using telemetry coupling electrodes on a delivery catheter. In one example, at least two telemetry coupling electrodes may be placed on or within a delivery catheter to test conductive communication with external body electrodes during implantation. In some instances, the telemetry coupling electrodes of the delivery catheter may approximate the spacing of telemetry electrodes on an IMD. In this manner, testing conductively coupled communication with telemetry coupling electrodes of the catheter may be used to mimic the telemetry electrodes on the IMD and determine a target position and/or orientation of an electrode or electrodes of the IMD for successful conductive communication through the body.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device delivery system comprising:

a catheter located at least partially within a patient, the catheter comprising;

an elongate catheter body having a proximal end and a distal end;

at least two telemetry coupling electrodes located on the distal end of the catheter body; and

a feed line coupled to the telemetry coupling electrode;

at least one body electrode on the patient; and

an external device coupled to the feed line at the proximal end of the catheter and to the body electrode,

wherein the external device generates and receives a communication signal that is communicated through the patient between the body electrode and the telemetry coupling electrodes.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external device measures the quality of the communication signal between the body electrode and the telemetry coupling electrodes.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the external device reports the communication signal quality to a user of the external device.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the external device predicts a communication signal quality between an implanted medical device and the external device based on the measured signal quality.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the body electrode is one of a plurality of body electrodes on the patient, each of which is coupled to the external device, the system further comprising:

a localization module that generates position information defining positions of the telemetry coupling electrodes within the patient using signals communicated between the plurality of body electrodes and the telemetry coupling electrode,

wherein the external device measures the quality of the communication signal between the body electrode and the telemetry coupling electrodes at various positions of the coupling electrodes and stores the position information generated by the localization module and communication signal quality information at the various positions.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the localization module generates position information using signals communicated:

between the plurality of body electrodes and the telemetry coupling electrode, or

between the plurality of body electrodes and the implantable electrode on the implantable medical device, or

between a sensor at the distal end of the catheter and the localization module.

7. The system of claim 5, wherein the external device predicts the communication signal quality through the patient between the external device and the implantable medical device, once implanted such that the telemetry electrodes on the implantable medical device are in substantially the same positions as the telemetry coupling electrodes at the time of the position measurements, as a function of the position information.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the external device recommends a suitable position and associated orientation for permanent implant of the implantable medical device.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the external device recommends a body electrode position for successful communication with the implanted medical device, were the device implanted such that the telemetry electrodes on the implantable medical device are in substantially the same positions as the telemetry coupling electrodes.

10. A method for testing communication through a patient between at least two telemetry coupling electrodes and a body electrode on a patient comprising:

communicating a signal between at least one body electrode on a patient and at least two telemetry coupling electrodes on a distal end of a catheter within the patient,

measuring a signal quality of the communication through the patient between the telemetry coupling electrodes and the body electrode.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising detachably coupling an implantable medical device in the distal end of the catheter, wherein:

the implantable medical device incorporating at least two implantable electrodes;

the external device communicating with the implantable medical device through the body electrode, and

the external device or the implantable medical device measuring the communication signal quality through the body between the body electrode and the implantable electrodes.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising predicting a communication signal quality between the body electrode and the implantable medical device, once implanted, based on the measured communication signal quality.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the body electrode is one of a plurality of electrodes on the patient, further comprising:

generating position information defining the positions of the telemetry coupling electrodes within the patient using signals communicated between the plurality of body electrodes and the telemetry coupling electrodes; and

measuring the quality of the communication signal between the body electrode and the telemetry coupling electrodes at various positions of the telemetry coupling electrodes.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising recommending a position at which to implant the implantable medical device based on the position information and measured signal qualities.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising recommending an orientation of the implantable medical device based on the position information and the measured signal qualities.

16. A system for testing communication through a patient comprising:

means for conductively coupling to the patient noninvasively;

means for conductively coupling to the patient invasively;

means for generating and receiving a communication signal;

means for coupling the signal means with the invasive means and the noninvasive means;

means for communicating through the patient between the noninvasive means and the invasive means via the signal means;

means for measuring a quality of the communication through the patient between the noninvasive means and the invasive means.

17. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

means for predicting a quality of a communication through the patient between the noninvasive means and the invasive means based on the measuring means.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising:

means for generating position information defining the positions of the invasive means via the communication means, the noninvasive means and the invasive means; and

means for measuring the quality of the communication signal between the noninvasive means and the invasive means at various positions of the invasive means.

19. The system of claim 18, further comprising:

means for delivering the invasive means and the communication means in the patient; and

means for recommending a position at which to deliver the invasive means based on the position means and the measuring means.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for recommending an orientation at which to deliver the invasive means and the signal means, based on the position means and the measuring means.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

means for guiding delivery of the invasive means based on the recommended position and the recommended orientation.

22. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for recommending placement of the noninvasive means for successful communication through the patient between the noninvasive means and the invasive means, once delivered.