SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY TRAINING A NEUROSTIMULATION SYSTEM

• US 20130150918A1
• Filed: 12/06/2012
• Published: 06/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Peterson, David K.L., Parramon, Jordi, Bradley, Kerry, Moffitt, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US13/707,376
• Publication Number:
  US 20130150918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations

Abstract

Neurostimulators, neurostimulation systems, and methods for providing therapy to a patient. A neurostimulation system stores reference measurements and reference stimulation parameter sets respectively associated with the reference measurements. A new measurement of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment is taken. Whether the new measurement matches one of the stored reference measurements is determined. If a match is determined, stimulation energy is conveyed from the neurostimulation system to the patient in accordance with the stimulation parameter set corresponding to the matching reference measurement. If a match is not determined, stimulation energy is conveyed from the neurostimulation system to the patient in accordance with a user-defined stimulation parameter set, another reference stimulation parameter set is defined based on the user-defined stimulation parameter set, and the new measurement is stored as an additional reference measurement in association with the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

Claims

1. A neurostimulator, comprising:

input/output circuitry configured for receiving a user-defined stimulation parameter set from an external control device;

stimulation output circuitry configured for conveying electrical stimulation energy;

monitoring circuitry configured for acquiring a new measurement of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment;

memory configured for storing a plurality of reference measurements and a plurality of reference stimulation parameter sets respectively associated with the reference measurements; and

a controller configured for determining whether the new measurement matches one of the stored reference measurements, if a match is determined, instructing the stimulation output circuitry to convey electrical stimulation energy in accordance with the stimulation parameter set corresponding to the matching reference measurement, and if a match is not determined, instructing the stimulation output circuitry to convey electrical stimulation energy in accordance with the user-defined stimulation parameter set, defining another reference stimulation parameter set based on the user-defined stimulation parameter set, and storing the new measurement as an additional reference measurement in the memory in association with the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

2. The neurostimulator of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured for defining the user-defined stimulation parameter set as the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

3. The neurostimulator of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured for comparing the user-defined stimulation parameter set to a threshold, and defining the user-defined stimulation parameter as the additional reference stimulation parameter set only if the user-defined stimulation parameter set does not exceed the threshold.

4. The neurostimulator of claim 1, wherein the monitoring circuitry is further configured for acquiring a plurality of new measurements, each of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment, wherein the controller is configured for storing the additional reference stimulation parameter set in the memory only if the plurality of new measurements are substantially the same during the conveyance of the electrical stimulation in accordance with the user-defined stimulation parameter set.

5. The neurostimulator of claim 4, wherein the plurality of new measurements is a predetermined number.

6. The neurostimulator of claim 1, wherein the at least one environmental parameter comprises at least one of an impedance, field potential, evoked potential, pressure, translucence, reflectance, pH, acceleration, chemical, neural recordings, and time of day.

7. The neurostimulator of claim 1, wherein each of the reference stimulation parameter sets comprises at least one of a stimulation energy intensity and an electrode combination.

8. The neurostimulator of claim 1, further comprising a housing containing the input/output circuitry, stimulation output circuitry, memory, and controller.

9. A neurostimulation system, comprising:

an external control device configured for allowing a user to define a stimulation parameter set; and

a neurostimulator configured for acquiring a new measurement of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment, storing a plurality of reference measurements and a plurality of reference stimulation parameter sets respectively associated with the reference measurements, and determining whether the new measurement matches one of the stored reference measurements, if a match is determined, conveying electrical stimulation energy in accordance with the stimulation parameter set corresponding to the matching reference measurement, and if a match is not determined, conveying electrical stimulation energy in accordance with the user-defined stimulation parameter set, defining another reference stimulation parameter set based on the user-defined stimulation parameter set, and storing the new measurement as an additional reference measurement in the memory in association with the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

10. The neurostimulation system of claim 9, wherein the neurostimulator is configured for defining the user-defined stimulation parameter set as the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

11. The neurostimulation system of claim 10, wherein the neurostimulator is further configured for comparing the user-defined stimulation parameter set to a threshold, and defining the user-defined stimulation parameter as the additional reference stimulation parameter set only if the user-defined stimulation parameter set does not exceed the threshold.

12. The neurostimulation system of claim 9, wherein the neurostimulator is further configured for receiving a plurality of new measurements, each of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment, and storing the additional reference stimulation parameter set only if the plurality of new measurements are substantially the same during the conveyance of the electrical stimulation in accordance with the user-defined stimulation parameter set.

13. The neurostimulation system of claim 12, wherein the plurality of new measurements is a predetermined number.

14. The neurostimulation system of claim 9, wherein the at least one environmental parameter comprises at least one of an impedance, field potential, evoked potential, pressure, translucence, reflectance, pH, acceleration, chemical, neural recordings, and time of day.

15. The neurostimulation system of claim 9, wherein each of the reference stimulation parameter sets comprises at least one of a stimulation energy intensity and an electrode combination.

16. A method of operating a neurostimulation system to provide therapy to a patient via electrical stimulation energy, the neurostimulation system configured for storing a plurality of reference measurements and a plurality of reference stimulation parameter sets respectively associated with the reference measurements, the method comprising:

taking a new measurement of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment;

determining whether the new measurement matches one of the stored reference measurements;

if a match is determined, conveying electrical stimulation energy from the neurostimulation system to the patient in accordance with the stimulation parameter set corresponding to the matching reference measurement; and

if a match is not determined, conveying electrical stimulation energy from the neurostimulation system to the patient in accordance with a user-defined stimulation parameter set, defining another reference stimulation parameter set based on the user-defined stimulation parameter set, and storing the new measurement as an additional reference measurement in association with the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the user-defined stimulation parameter set is defined as the additional reference stimulation parameter set.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising comparing the user-defined stimulation parameter set to a threshold, wherein the user-defined stimulation parameter is only defined as the additional reference stimulation parameter set if the user-defined stimulation parameter set does not exceed the threshold.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising taking a plurality of new measurements, each of least one environmental parameter indicative of a change in a therapeutic environment, wherein the additional reference stimulation parameter set is only stored if the plurality of new measurements are substantially the same during the conveyance of the electrical stimulation in accordance with the user-defined stimulation parameter set.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the plurality of new measurements is a predetermined number.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the at least one environmental parameter comprises at least one of an impedance, field potential, evoked potential, pressure, translucence, reflectance, pH, acceleration, chemical, neural recordings, and time of day.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein each of the reference stimulation parameter sets comprises at least one of a stimulation energy intensity and an electrode combination.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein the therapy is the treatment of chronic pain.