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

• US 20160367827A1
• Filed: 08/31/2016
• Published: 12/22/2016
• 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 10,004,909 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 system, comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD); and

a machine-readable medium configured to be executed on an external device in wireless communication with the IMD and storing instructions to cause control circuitry in the external device to;

associate values of one or more therapy parameters of the IMD with an activity of a user;

determine an optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters from the values associated with the activity; and

transmit the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters to the IMD when it is determined that the user is engaging in the activity.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes one or more selectable activities.

3. The system of claim 2,wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to associate the values of the one or more therapy parameters with the activity comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to receive an input of a selection of the activity via the GUI.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to associate the values of the one or more therapy parameters with the activity comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to:

record a time period during which the user engaged in the activity;

receive data logged in the IMD, wherein the logged data comprises time-stamped values of the one or more therapy parameters; and

associate the values of the one or more therapy parameters that occurred during the time period with the activity.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to associate the values of the one or more therapy parameters with the activity comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to record the values as entered on the external device.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more therapy parameters comprise at least one of intensity, frequency, pulse width, and active electrodes for stimulation delivered by the IMD.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to determine the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to determine an average of the values of the one or more therapy parameters associated with the activity.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to transmit the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to:

provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that includes one or more selectable activities; and

transmit the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters when the user selects the activity via the GUI.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to receive data logged in the IMD, wherein the logged data comprises time-stamped values of the one or more therapy parameters and values of patient activity parameters.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the values of the patient activity parameters comprise measurements from an accelerometer in the IMD.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the values of the patient activity parameters comprise electrode impedance measurements.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to associate the values of the one or more therapy parameters associated with the activity with corresponding patient activity parameters.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to transmit the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to transmit the optimal value for each of the one or more therapy parameters automatically when it is determined from the patient activity parameters that the user is engaging in the activity.

14. A system, comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD); and

a machine-readable medium configured to be executed on an external device in wireless communication with the IMD and storing instructions to cause control circuitry in the external device to;

receive dosage data indicative of a dosage of a medication taken by a user; and

correlate the dosage data with stimulation intensity provided by the IMD.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) that enables entry of the dosage data.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the instructions to cause the control circuitry to correlate the dosage data with the stimulation intensity comprise instructions to cause the control circuitry to correlate a first time corresponding to the dosage data with a second time corresponding to the stimulation intensity.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein there is an offset between the first time and the second time that is related to a time period required for the medication to become therapeutically effective after it is taken by the user.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to display the correlation between the dosage data and the stimulation intensity.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to estimate a baseline stimulation intensity that will be appropriate for the user when the medication is no longer taken by the user based on the correlation.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the machine-readable medium further comprises instructions to cause the control circuitry to transmit an adjusted stimulation intensity value to the IMD based on the receipt of dosage data using the correlation.