CONFIGURING OPERATING PARAMETERS OF A MEDICAL DEVICE BASED ON EXPOSURE TO A DISRUPTIVE ENERGY FIELD

• US 20110160791A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 06/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Sheldon, Todd J., Ellingson, Michael L., Yoon, Hyun J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,919,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/27
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3688 configured for switching the pacing mode, e.g. from AAI to DDD
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3718 Monitoring of or protection against external electromagnetic fields or currents

Abstract

An implantable medical device (IMD) determines an effect of the disruptive energy field and adjusts one or more operating parameters of the IMD based on at least the determined effect. In some instances, the IMD may determine an actual effect of the disruptive energy field, such as a temperature change, impedance change, pacing or sensing threshold change, MRI-induced interference one pacing or sensing, or other actual effect. In other instances, the IMD may determine a predicted effect of the disruptive energy field based on one or more characteristics of the exposure. In any case, the IMD adjusts one or more parameters based on at least the determined effect.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device comprising:

an effect determination module to determine an effect of a disruptive energy field; and

a parameter adjustment module to adjust at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on at least the determined effect.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the effect determination module determines an actual effect of the disruptive energy field.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the effect determination module determines one of a temperature change, an impedance change, a pacing threshold change, a sensing threshold change, or MRI-induced interference on pacing or sensing.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the effect determination module determines a predicted effect of the disruptive energy field.

5. The device of claim 4,

further comprising an exposure characteristic determination module that determines one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field,

wherein the effect determination module determines the predicted effect based on at least the one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the exposure characteristic determination module determines one or more of a type of source of the disruptive energy field, a magnitude of the disruptive energy field, a frequency of the disruptive energy field, or a duty cycle of the disruptive energy field.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the effect determination module determines the predicted effect based on at least a lead type coupled to the implantable medical device.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the parameter adjustment module compares the effect to a threshold and adjusts the at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on the comparison.

9. The device of claim 8, further comprising an alarm module to generate an alert based on the comparison.

10. The device of claim 1,

further comprising a mode selection module that configures the implantable medical device from an exposure operating mode to a normal operating mode upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field,

wherein the parameter adjustment module adjusts at least one operating parameter of the normal operating mode to be used upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field based on the determined effect.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the parameter adjustment module includes a mode selection module that configures the implantable medical device from a normal operating mode to an exposure operating mode based on at least the effect.

12. The device of claim 11, further comprising an exposure characteristic determination module that detects the presence of a source of disruptive energy field, wherein:

the effect determination module determines the effect in response to detecting the presence of the source; and

the mode selection module configures the implantable medical device from the normal operating mode to the exposure operating mode when the effect compromises operation of the implantable medical device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the parameter adjustment module adjusts at least one of a pacing parameter and a sensing parameter based on the determined effect.

14. A method comprising:

determining, with an implantable medical device, an effect of a disruptive energy field; and

adjusting at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on at least the determined effect.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the effect comprises determining an actual effect of the disruptive energy field.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein determining the actual effect of the disruptive energy field comprises measuring one of a temperature change, an impedance change, a pacing threshold change, a sensing threshold change, or an MRI-induced interference on pacing or sensing.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein determining the effect comprises determining a predicted effect of the disruptive energy field.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field; and

determining the predicted effect based on at least the one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein determining the one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field comprises determining one or more of a type of source of the disruptive energy field, a magnitude of the disruptive energy field, a frequency of the disruptive energy field, or a duty cycle of the disruptive energy field.

20. The method of claim 17,

further comprising determining, with the implantable medical device, a type of lead coupled to the implantable medical device,

wherein determining the predicted effect comprises determining the predicted effect based on at least the type of lead.

21. The method of claim 14,

further comprising comparing the effect to a threshold;

and

adjusting the at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on the comparison.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising generating an alert based on the comparison.

23. The method of claim 14,

further comprising configuring the implantable medical device from an exposure operating mode to a normal operating mode upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field,

wherein adjusting the at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device includes adjusting at least one operating parameter of the normal operating mode to be used upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field based on the determined effect.

24. The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the at least one operating parameter comprises configuring the implantable medical device from a normal operating mode to an exposure operating mode based on at least the effect.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising detecting the presence of a source of disruptive energy field, wherein:

determining the effect comprises determining the effect in response to detecting the presence of the source; and

configuring the implantable medical device comprises configuring the implantable medical device from the normal operating mode to the exposure operating mode when the effect compromises operation of the implantable medical device.

26. The method of claim 14, wherein adjusting the at least one operating parameter comprises adjusting at least one of a pacing parameter and a sensing parameter based on the determined effect.

27. An implantable medical device comprising:

means for determining an effect of a disruptive energy field; and

means for adjusting at least one operating parameter of the implantable medical device based on at least the determined effect.

28. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for determining the effect determines an actual effect of the disruptive energy field.

29. The device of claim 28, wherein the means for determining the effect measures one of a temperature change, an impedance change, a pacing threshold change, a sensing threshold change, or an MRI-induced interference on pacing or sensing.

30. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for determining the effect determines a predicted effect of the disruptive energy field.

31. The device of claim 30,

further comprising means for determining one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field,

wherein the means for determining the effect determine the predicted effect based on at least the one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field.

32. The device of claim 31, wherein the one or more characteristics of the disruptive energy field include one or more of a type of source of the disruptive energy field, a magnitude of the disruptive energy field, a frequency of the disruptive energy field, or a duty cycle of the disruptive energy field.

33. The device of claim 27,

further comprising means for configuring the implantable medical device from an exposure operating mode to a normal operating mode upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field,

wherein the means for adjusting the at least one operating parameter adjust at least one operating parameter of the normal operating mode to be used upon no longer being exposed to the disruptive energy field based on the determined effect.

34. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for adjusting the at least one operating parameter configure the implantable medical device from a normal operating mode to an exposure operating mode based on at least the effect.

35. The device of claim 34, further comprising means for detecting the presence of a source of disruptive energy field, wherein:

the means for determining the effect determine the effect in response to detecting the presence of the source; and

the means for configuring the implantable medical device configure the implantable medical device from the normal operating mode to the exposure operating mode when the effect compromises operation of the implantable medical device.

36. The device of claim 27, wherein the means for adjusting the at least one operating parameter adjust at least one of a pacing parameter and a sensing parameter based on the determined effect.