System and method of programming an implantable medical device

• US 6,351,675 B1
• Filed: 10/03/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Oort, Geeske Van, Tholen, Astrid M
• Primary Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US09/677,980
• Time in Patent Office: 511 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/59
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37235 Aspects of the external programmer
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A system and method of programming an implantable medical device is disclosed. The system includes a causal model coupled to an implantable medical device and capable of identifying at least one cause of an abnormal condition associated with the implantable medical device or the patient. An abductive inference engine is coupled to the causal model and is capable of identifying a suggested updated setting for the implantable medical device to alleviate the abnormal condition. A display is coupled to the causal model and displays the abnormal behavior and the suggested updated settings to the clinician such that the clinician may implement the suggested updated settings.

Claims

1. An implantable medical device system capable of providing diagnostic information to a clinician relating to optimal settings for a specific patient, the system comprising:

a causal model coupled to an implantable medical device and capable of identifying at least one cause of an abnormal condition;

an abductive inference engine coupled to the causal model and capable of identifying a suggested updated setting for the implantable medical device to alleviate the abnormal condition; and

a display coupled to the causal model for displaying the abnormal behavior and the suggested updated settings.

2. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, and further comprising:

a microprocessor coupled to the causal model and capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition.

3. The implantable medical device system of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is capable of identifying at least one abnormal implantable medical device setting condition.

4. The implantable medical device system of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is capable of identifying at least one abnormal counter condition.

5. The implantable medical device system of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is capable of identifying at least one abnormal histogram condition.

6. The implantable medical device system of claim 2, wherein the microprocessor is capable of identifying at least one abnormal holter condition.

7. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to the implantable medical device.

8. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to the patient.

9. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to an atrial event.

10. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a ventricle event.

11. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a pacing event.

12. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is capable of identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a sensing event.

13. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine utilizes an abductive diagnostic reasoning strategy as a basis for identifying the suggested updated setting.

14. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine evaluates at least one implantable medical device setting in identifying suggested updated setting for the implantable medical device.

15. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine evaluates information based upon test procedures completed after an initial identification of an abnormal behavior.

16. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine includes at least one assumption literal.

17. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is incorporated into a software program capable of being executed by an implantable medical device programmer.

18. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine is incorporated into a software program capable of being executed by an implantable medical device programmer.

19. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the causal model is incorporated into a software program capable of being executed by an implantable medical device.

20. The implantable medical device system of claim 1, wherein the abductive inference engine is incorporated into a software program capable of being executed by an implantable medical device.

21. A method of providing information to a clinician relating to settings of an implantable medical device for a specific patient, the method comprising:

identifying at least one abnormal condition associated with the implantable medical device;

identifying at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting;

identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting; and

displaying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal implantable medical device setting condition.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal counter condition.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal histogram condition.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal holter condition.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to an atrial event.

27. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a ventricle event.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a pacing event.

29. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a sensing event.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

utilizing an abductive diagnostic reasoning strategy.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

evaluating at least one implantable medical device setting.

32. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

evaluating information based upon test procedures completed after the step of identifying at least one abnormal behavior associated with the implantable medical device.

33. The method of claim 21, and further comprising:

performing at least one additional diagnosis test; and

identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting based upon the at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting in conjunction with the at least one additional diagnostic test.

34. A system for providing information to a clinician relating to optimal setting of an implantable medical device for a specific patient, the system comprising:

means for identifying at least one abnormal behavior associated with the implantable medical device;

means for identifying at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting;

means for identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting; and

means for displaying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal implantable medical device setting condition.

36. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal counter condition.

37. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal histogram condition.

38. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal holter condition.

39. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to the implantable medical device.

40. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to the patient.

41. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to an atrial event.

42. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a ventricle event.

43. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a pacing event.

44. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

means for identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a sensing event.

45. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

means for utilizing an abductive diagnostic reasoning strategy.

46. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

means for evaluating at least one implantable medical device setting.

47. The system of claim 34, wherein the means for identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

means for evaluating information based upon test procedures completed after the step of identifying at least one abnormal behavior associated with the implantable medical device.

48. The system of claim 34, and further comprising:

means for performing at least one additional diagnosis test; and

means for identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting based upon the at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting in conjunction with the at least one additional diagnostic test.

49. A method of providing information to a clinician relating to optimal settings of an implantable medical device for a specific patient, the method comprising:

identifying at least one abnormal condition associated with the patient;

identifying at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting;

identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting; and

displaying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal counter condition.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal histogram condition.

52. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal holter condition.

53. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to an atrial event.

54. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a ventricle event.

55. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a pacing event.

56. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying at least one abnormal condition further comprises:

identifying at least one abnormal condition relating to a sensing event.

57. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

utilizing an abductive diagnostic reasoning strategy.

58. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

evaluating at least one implantable medical device setting.

59. The method of claim 49, wherein the step of identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting further comprises:

evaluating information based upon test procedures completed after the step of identifying at least one abnormal behavior associated with the implantable medical device.

60. The method of claim 49, and further comprising:

performing at least one additional diagnosis test; and

identifying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting based upon the at least one possible revised implantable medical device setting in conjunction with the at least one additional diagnostic test.

61. A method of providing information to a clinician relating to optimal settings of an implantable medical device for a specific patient, the method comprising:

identifying at least one abnormal condition associated with the implantable medical device;

identifying evidence associated with at least one abnormal behavior;

categorizing the evidence into one of confirmed solution, rejected solution, or suspected solution;

performing addition diagnostics based upon a suspected solution to identify new evidence;

identifying an optimal revised implantable medical device setting based upon a confirmed solution; and

displaying the optimal revised implantable medical device setting.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein the step of categorizing the evidence further comprises:

categorizing the evidence into the confirmed solution if the identified evidence confirms a previous solution.

63. The method of claim 61, wherein the step of categorizing the evidence further comprises:

categorizing the evidence into the rejected solution if the identified evidence proves a previous solution false.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein the step of categorizing the evidence further comprises:

categorizing the evidence into the suspected solution if the identified evidence indicates that additional testing should be performed to further categorize the evidence.