ELECTRICAL STIMULATION THERAPY BASED ON HEAD POSITION

• US 20120277833A1
• Filed: 04/26/2012
• Published: 11/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gerber, Martin T., Poletto, Christopher, Goetz, Steven M.
• Granted Patent: US 9,649,494 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/62
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0526 Head electrodes A61N1/0551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36128 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment

Abstract

Techniques and systems for determining a head position of a patient and controlling delivery of electrical stimulation to a target stimulation site based on the determined head position are described. In some examples, movement of the head of the patient may result in movement of a lead, through which the electrical stimulation may be delivered, relative to the target stimulation site. Thus, controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation based on the head position may improve the efficiency and efficacy of the electrical stimulation therapy.

Claims

1. A method for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a medical patient, the method comprising:

determining, in a processor, a parameter indicative of head position of the patient; and

controlling delivery of electrical stimulation by an electrical stimulation device to the patient based on the determined parameter.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation comprises adjusting an intensity of the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation comprises adjusting an electrode configuration defining the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises determining the head position of the patient.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a signal indicative of impedance of tissue of the patient between a sensing element and an electrode, wherein determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the sensed signal.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a signal indicative of at least one parameter defining an electromagnetic field generated by an inductive coil, wherein determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field, and wherein the inductive coil is configured such that the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field is modulated based on a distance between a ferromagnetic sensing element and the inductive coil.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising sensing a signal indicative of at least one of motion or position of a portion of the patient, wherein determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the sensed signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sensing the signal indicative of at least one of motion or position of a portion of the patient comprises sensing a signal indicative of motion of a portion of the patient via an accelerometer.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises detecting a change in head position of the patient and wherein controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises adjusting at least one parameter defining the electrical stimulation based on detecting the change in head position.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling delivery of the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position of the patient comprises selecting a therapy program associated with the determined parameter indicative of head position of the patient and delivering the selected therapy program to the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prior to determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient, receiving data indicative of head motion of the patient;

prior to determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient, receiving data indicative of torso motion of the patient; and

prior to determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient, detecting a change in head position relative to torso position of the patient based on the data indicative of head motion of the patient and the data indicative of torso motion of the patient.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the stimulation to a target stimulation site, wherein the target stimulation site comprises a target stimulation site proximate to an occipital nerve of the patient.

13. An electrical stimulation system for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a medical patient, the system comprising:

a processor configured to;

determine a parameter indicative of head position of the patient, and

control delivery of electrical stimulation to the patient based on the determined parameter.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of electrical stimulation by at least controlling the stimulation generator to adjust an intensity defining the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position.

15. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of electrical stimulation by at least controlling the stimulation generator to adjust an electrode combination of the electrical stimulation.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter indicative of head position of the patient by at least determining the head position of the patient.

17. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a sensing element configured to be coupled to a portion of the body of the patient;

an electrode; and

a sensing module coupled to the sensing element and the electrode,

wherein the sensing module is configured to sense a signal indicative of impedance of tissue of the patient between the sensing element and the electrode and wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the signal sensed by the sensing module.

18. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a ferromagnetic sensing element coupled to a portion of the body of the patient;

an inductive coil; and

a sensing module,

wherein the sensing module is configured to sense a signal indicative of at least one parameter defining an electromagnetic field generated by the inductive coil and wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field, wherein the inductive coil is configured such that the at least one parameter defining the electromagnetic field is modulated based on a distance between the ferromagnetic sensing element and the inductive coil.

19. The system of claim 13, further comprising a sensing element configured to sense a signal indicative of at least one of motion or position of a portion of the patient, wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter indicative of head position of the patient based on the sensed signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensing element comprises an accelerometer configured to sense the signal indicative of motion of a portion of the patient.

21. The system of claim 13, further comprising a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the processor is configured to determine the parameter indicative of head position of the patient by at least detecting a change in head position of the patient, and wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position of the patient by at least controlling the stimulation generator to adjust at least one parameter defining the electrical stimulation based on detecting the change in head position.

22. The system of claim 13, further comprising a stimulation generator configured to deliver electrical stimulation, wherein the processor is configured to control delivery of the electrical stimulation by at least selecting a therapy program associated with the determined head position and controlling the stimulation generator to deliver the selected therapy program to the patient.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive data indicative of head motion of the patient, prior to determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient,

receive data indicative of torso motion of the patient, prior to determining the parameter indicative of head position of the patient, and

detect a change in head position relative to torso position of the patient based on the data indicative of head motion of the patient and the data indicative of torso motion of the patient.

24. An electrical stimulation system for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to a medical patient, the system comprising:

means for determining a parameter indicative of head position of the patient; and

means for controlling delivery of electrical stimulation to the patient based on the determined parameter.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for controlling controls delivery of the electrical stimulation by at least adjusting an electrode configuration of the electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position.

26. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

determine a parameter indicative of head position of a patient; and

control delivery of electrical stimulation to the patient based on the determined parameter.

27. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 26, wherein the instructions cause the processor to control delivery of the electrical stimulation by at least adjusting an electrode configuration of electrical stimulation based on the determined parameter indicative of head position.