Medical Device Application for an External Device Using Data Logged at an Implantable Medical Device

• US 20150066110A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Published: 03/05/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Tahmasian, Samuel
• Granted Patent: US 9,433,796 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36157 Current A61N1/3616 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3708 for power depletion
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/3835 involving only voltage measurements
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/392 Determining battery ageing or deterioration, e.g. state of health
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 6/505 Cells combined with indicating means for external visualization of the condition, e.g. by change of colour or of light intensity

Abstract

A Medical Device Application (MDA) is disclosed for an external device (e.g., a cell phone) that can communicate with an Implantable Medical Device (IMD). The MDA receives data logged in the IMD, processes that data in manners reviewable by an IMD patient, and that can control the IMD based on such processed data. The MDA can use the logged data to adjust IMD therapy based on patient activity or posture, and allows a patient to learn optimal therapy settings for particular activities. The MDA can also use the logged data to allow a patient to review details about IMD battery performance, whether such battery is primary or rechargeable, and to control stimulation parameters based on that performance. The MDA also allows a patient to enter medicine dose information, to review the relationship between medicinal therapy and IMD therapy, and to adjust IMD therapy based on the dosing information.

Claims

1. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions for a medical device application that when executed on an external device will:

receive data logged in the IMD, wherein the logged data comprises at least one therapy parameter previously provided by the IMD to the patient and a voltage of a primary battery in the IMD;

assess the received data to estimate a first end of life of the primary battery;

provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the external device, wherein the GUI displays the estimated first end of life of the primary battery;

provide an option on the GUI to allow the patient to set a second end of life for the primary battery;

adjust at least one therapy parameter to extend the end of life of the primary battery from the first end of life to the second end of life; and

transmit the adjusted at least one therapy parameter from the external device to the IMD to control the therapy the IMD provides to the patient.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the GUI further allows the patient to adjust at least one therapy parameter to control the therapy the IMD provides to the patient.

3. The medium of claim 1, wherein assessing the received data to estimate a first end of life of the primary battery comprises determining a correlation between the voltage of the primary battery and time.

4. The medium of claim 1, wherein assessing the received data to estimate a first end of life of the primary battery comprises determining a time at which a remaining charge in the primary battery will be exhausted in light of the at least one therapy parameter previously provided by the IMD.

5. The medium of claim 1, wherein the medical device application when executed on the external device will further:

determine a scalar between a time to the first end of life and a time to the second end of life; and

adjust at least one therapy parameter in accordance with the scalar.

6. The medium of claim 1, wherein the at least one therapy parameter comprises an intensity of a therapeutic current.

7. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions for a medical device application that when executed on an external device will:

receive data logged in the IMD, wherein the logged data comprises at least one therapy parameter previously provided by the IMD to the patient and historical values of a charge current provided to a rechargeable battery in the IMD during charging sessions;

assess the received data to estimate a frequency and duration of future charging sessions; and

provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the external device, wherein the GUI displays the estimated frequency and duration of future charging sessions.

8. The medium of claim 7, wherein the GUI further allows the patient to adjust at least one therapy parameter to control the therapy the IMD provides to the patient.

9. The medium of claim 7, wherein the medical device application when executed on the external device will further:

assess the received data to estimate a first time to a next charging session for the rechargeable battery; and

display the estimated first time to the next charging session on the GUI.

10. The medium of claim 9, wherein the medical device application when executed on the external device will further:

provide an option on the GUI to allow the patient to set a second time to the next charging session for the rechargeable battery;

adjust at least one therapy parameter to extend the next charging session from the first time to the second time; and

transmit the adjusted at least one therapy parameter from the external device to the IMD to control the therapy the IMD provides to the patient.

11. The medium of claim 7, wherein assessing the received data to estimate a frequency and duration of future charging sessions further comprises assessing values for at least one therapy parameter presently provided by the IMD.

12. The medium of claim 11, wherein the medical device application when executed on the external device will further receive from the IMD the values for the at least one therapy parameter presently provided by the IMD.

13. The medium of claim 11, wherein the logged data received at the external device further comprises the values for the at least one therapy parameter presently provided by the IMD.

14. The medium of claim 7, wherein assessing the received data to estimate the frequency and duration of future charging sessions comprises using the at least one therapy parameter previously provided by the IMD to determine a charge rate.

15. The medium of claim 7, wherein the at least one therapy parameter comprises an intensity of a therapeutic current.

16. A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing instructions for a medical device application that when executed on an external device will:

receive data logged in the IMD, wherein the logged data comprises historical values of a charge current provided to a rechargeable battery in the IMD during charging sessions;

assess the received data to estimate an efficiency of each charging session; and

provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) on the external device, wherein the GUI displays the estimated efficiency of each charging session.

17. The medium of claim 16, wherein the GUI further allows the patient to adjust at least one therapy parameter to control the therapy the IMD provides to the patient.

18. The medium of claim 16, wherein the charge current provided to the rechargeable battery during charging sessions is provided by an external charger, and wherein the efficiency of each charging session indicates relative alignment between the external charger and the IMD during each charging session.

19. The medium of claim 16, wherein the efficiency of each charging session comprises a comparison of the charge current during each charging session to a baseline charging current.

20. The medium of claim 16, wherein the charge current provided to the rechargeable battery during charging sessions is provided by an external charger, and wherein the baseline charging current is indicative of an ideal coupling between the external charger and the IMD.