Stimulation control for brain stimulation

• US 7,295,880 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2002
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Gielen, Frans L. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): MANUEL, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US10/133,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 607/45, 607/46, 607 72- 74, 607/1, 607/2, 607 62- 64, 128/898
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36067 Movement disorders, e.g. tremor or Parkinson disease stimulating motor muscle A61N1/36003
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/378 Electrical supply

Abstract

System and method for end of battery life operation of an implantable bilateral brain stimulator. The present system and method automatically measures one or more levels of electrical parameters in a battery system of the implantable stimulator. The measurement can be compared to threshold values. The implantable bilateral brain stimulator can then make automatic adjustments to the therapy when the levels of the electrical parameters in the battery system reach the threshold values. Adjustments to the therapy are made such that the patient is provided with an adjusted, but sufficiently safe, amount of therapy so as to extend the life of the battery and also to allow some physical symptoms alleviated by the system to return, thereby signaling the patient that medical attention needs to be sought.

Claims

1. An electrical stimulation system comprising:

a first stimulation lead comprising an electrode;

a second stimulation lead comprising an electrode; and

an implantable stimulation pulse generator unit, wherein the electrode on the first stimulation lead and the electrode on the second stimulation lead are operatively coupled to the implantable pulse generator unit, the implantable pulse generator unit comprising;

an electrical power supply;

a stimulation unit coupled to the electrical power supply, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses to the electrode on the first stimulation lead and the electrode on the second stimulation lead; and

a power monitor operatively coupled to the stimulation unit, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure a level of an electrical energy parameter for the electrical power supply and is operable to cause the stimulation unit to cycle the electrical pulses generated by the stimulation unit between the electrode on the first stimulation lead and the electrode on the stimulation lead when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches a preselected threshold.

2. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust one or more parameters of the electrical pulses to the electrode on the second stimulation lead when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected threshold.

3. The electrical stimulation system of claim 2, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust a voltage level of electrical pulses.

4. The electrical stimulation system of claim 2, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust a current level of electrical pulses.

5. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the power monitor measures a voltage of the electrical power supply as the electrical energy parameter.

6. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the power monitor measures a current of the electrical power supply as the electrical energy parameter.

7. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the preselected threshold comprises a preselected percentage of an initial value of the electrical energy parameter, and the power monitor is operable to cause the stimulation unit to adjust electrical pulses when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected percentage of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

8. The electrical stimulation system of claim 7, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure voltage as the electrical energy parameter, and the preselected percentage is ten (10) percent or less of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

9. The electrical stimulation system of claim 7, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure current as the electrical energy parameter, and the preselected percentage is ten (10) percent or less of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

10. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a pulse duration of at least 30 microseconds.

11. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a frequency of at least 10 Hz.

12. The electrical stimulation system of claim 11, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a negative square wave profile and an amplitude of at least 0.1 volts.

13. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the first stimulation lead and the second stimulation lead each comprise two or more electrodes, where the two or more electrodes are electrically separated and spaced apart along the first stimulation lead and the second stimulation lead.

14. The electrical stimulation system of claim 1, wherein the power monitor measures the level of the electrical energy parameter for the electrical power supply at least once every thirty (30) days.

15. An implantable stimulation pulse generator unit comprising:

an electrical power supply;

a stimulation unit coupled to the electrical power supply, wherein the stimulation unit comprises a first channel and a second channel operable for providing electrical pulses through the first channel and the second channel; and

a power monitor coupled to the stimulation unit, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure a level of an electrical energy parameter for the electrical power supply and is operable to cause the stimulation unit to cycle the electrical pulses generated by the stimulation unit between the first channel and the second channel when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches a preselected threshold.

16. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust one or more parameters of the electrical pulses from the second channel when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected threshold.

17. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 16, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust a voltage level of electrical pulses.

18. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 16, wherein the power monitor is operable to adjust a current level of electrical pulses.

19. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure a voltage of the electrical power supply as the electrical energy parameter.

20. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure a current of the electrical power supply as the electrical energy parameter.

21. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the preselected threshold comprises a preselected percentage of an initial value of the electrical energy parameter, and the power monitor is operable to cause the stimulation unit to adjust electrical pulses when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected percentage of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

22. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 21, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure voltage as the electrical energy parameter, and the preselected percentage is ten (10) percent or less of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

23. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 21, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure current as the electrical energy parameter, and the preselected percentage is ten (10) percent or less of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

24. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a pulse duration of at least 30 microseconds.

25. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a frequency of at least 10 Hz.

26. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 25, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses having a negative square wave profile and an amplitude of at least 0.1 volts.

27. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 22, wherein the first channel is adapted to be releasably coupled to two or more electrodes, and the second channel is adapted to be releasably coupled to two or more electrodes.

28. The implantable stimulation pulse generator unit of claim 15, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure the level of the electrical energy parameter for the electrical power supply at least once every thirty (30) days.

29. A method of stimulation comprising:

providing electrical pulses to a first brain location and a second brain location using a battery;

measuring a level of an electrical energy parameter of the battery;

comparing the level of the electrical energy parameter to a preselected threshold; and

cycling the electrical pulses between the first brain location and the second brain location when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected threshold.

30. The method of stimulation of claim 29, wherein the preselected threshold comprises a preselected percentage of an initial value of the electrical energy parameter, and wherein comparing the level of the electrical energy parameter to the preselected threshold comprises determining a percentage of the electrical energy parameter from the level of the electrical energy parameter measured and the initial value of the electrical energy parameter, and wherein cycling the electrical pulses is initiated when the percentage of the electrical energy parameter reaches the preselected percentage of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

31. The method of brain stimulation of claim 30, comprising setting the preselected percentage as ten (10) percent or less of the initial value of the electrical energy parameter.

32. The method of stimulation of claim 29, wherein providing electrical pulses comprises providing electrical pulses to a first half of a brain structure for the first location and providing electrical pulses to a second half of the brain structure for the second location.

33. A brain electrical stimulation system comprising:

a first brain stimulation lead comprising an electrode;

a second brain stimulation lead comprising an electrode; and

an implantable brain stimulation pulse generator unit, wherein the electrode on the first brain stimulation lead and the electrode on the second brain stimulation lead are operatively coupled to the implantable pulse generator unit, the implantable pulse generator unit comprising;

an electrical power supply;

a stimulation unit coupled to the electrical power supply, wherein the stimulation unit is operable to provide electrical pulses to the electrode on the first brain stimulation lead and the electrode on the second brain stimulation lead; and

a power monitor operatively coupled to the stimulation unit, wherein the power monitor is operable to measure a level of an electrical energy parameter for the electrical power supply and is operable to cause the stimulation unit to withhold electrical pulses to the electrode on the first brain stimulation lead and adjust the electrical pulses to the electrode on the second brain stimulation lead when the level of the electrical energy parameter reaches a preselected threshold.