Management of neurostimulation therapy using parameter sets

• US 7,489,970 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2003
• Issued: 02/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Vinup, Daniel K., Goetz, Steven M., Lee, Michael T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Evanisko; George R
• Application Number:
  US10/406,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20040199217A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,141 Days
• Field of Search: 607/43, 607/46, 607/117
• US Class Current: 607/46
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

An implantable medical device delivers neurostimulation therapy to a patient according to a parameter set. A parameter set may consist of a number of programs that are delivered substantially simultaneously. When programming the implantable medical device for the patient, a clinician programmer may maintain a session log for the patient that includes a listing of programs delivered to the patient and rating information provided by a clinician and the patient for programs of the list. The listing may be ordered according to the rating information in order to facilitate the selection of programs for a parameter set. A program library that may include particularly effective programs organized according to a directory structure may be stored in a memory. One or both of the implantable medical device and a patient programmer may store usage information that provides an objective and accurate record of therapy use by the patient, and allows a clinician to later improve the therapy based on the usage information.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing a plurality of parameter sets within a memory of an implantable medical device, each of the parameter sets including a plurality of programs, and each of the programs including a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

delivering neurostimulation therapy to a patient via the implantable medical device according to one of the parameter sets;

receiving a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for one of the parameter sets via an external programmer; and

applying the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the one of the parameter sets in response to the single global adjustment request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering neurostimulation therapy comprises delivering electrical pulses via selected electrodes of an electrode set, and the neurostimulation therapy parameters include at least one of pulse amplitudes, pulse widths, pulse rates, selected electrodes, or polarities of selected electrodes.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein delivering neurostimulation therapy according to one of the parameter sets comprises:

delivering each of the electrical pulses according to one of the programs associated with the one of the plurality of parameter sets according to which therapy is delivered; and

cycling through the programs by selecting a different one of the programs for each of the pulses delivered.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the programmer comprises a patient programmer associated with the patient, and delivering neurostimulation therapy comprises:

receiving a parameter set selection from the patient via the patient programmer; and

delivering neurostimulation therapy according to the selected parameter set.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein receiving a parameter set selection comprises:

providing a list of the stored parameter sets for display to the patient via the patient programmer; and

receiving a selection from the list made by the patient via the patient programmer.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising scaling the adjustment for each of the programs in order to maintain a radiometric balance between each of the programs

7. An implantable medical device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of parameter sets, each of the parameter sets including a plurality of programs, and each of the programs including a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters; and

a processor that controls delivery of neurostimulation therapy to a patient according to one of the parameter sets, receives a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for one of the parameter sets via an external programmer, and applies the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the one of the parameter sets in response to the single global adjustment request.

8. The implantable medical device of claim 7, wherein the processor controls delivery of neurostimulation therapy by controlling delivery of electrical pulses via selected electrodes of an electrode set, and wherein the neurostimulation therapy parameters include at least one of pulse amplitudes, pulse widths, pulse rates, selected electrodes, or polarities of the selected electrodes.

9. The implantable medical device of claim 8, wherein the processor controls delivery of each of the electrical pulses according to one of the programs associated with the one of the plurality of parameter sets according to which the processor controls delivery of therapy, and cycles through the programs by selecting a different one of the programs for each of the pulses delivered.

10. The implantable medical device of claim 7,

wherein the programmer comprises a patient programmer associated with the patient, and

wherein the processor is adapted to receive a parameter set selection from the patient via the patient programmer, and controls delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the selected parameter set.

11. The implantable medical device of claim 10, wherein the processor provides a list of the stored parameter sets for display to a patient via the patient programmer, and is adapted to receive a selection from the list made by the patient via the programmer.

12. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

store a plurality of parameter sets within a memory of an implantable medical device, each of the parameter sets including a plurality of programs, and each of the programs including a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

control delivery of neurostimulation therapy to a patient via the implantable medical device according to one of the parameter sets

receive a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for one of the parameter sets via an external programmer;

apply the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the one of the parameter sets in response to the single global adjustment request.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the instructions cause a processor to control delivery of electrical pulses, and the neurostimulation therapy parameters include at least one of pulse amplitudes, pulse widths, pulse rates, electrodes, or electrode polarities.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to control delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to one of the parameter sets comprise instructions that cause a processor to:

control delivery of each of the electrical pulses according to one of the programs associated with the one of the plurality of parameter sets according to which delivery of neurostimulation therapy is controlled; and

cycle through the programs by selecting a different one of the programs for each of the pulses delivered.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the programmer comprises a patient programmer associated with patient, and the instructions cause a processor to:

receive a parameter set selection from the patient via the patient programmer; and

control delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the selected parameter set.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the instructions cause a processor to:

provide a list of the stored parameter sets for display to a patient via the patient programmer; and

receive a selection from the list made by the patient via the patient programmer.

17. A method comprising:

displaying a list of parameter sets stored in a memory of an implantable medical device to a patient;

providing a selection made from the list by the patient to the implantable medical device for delivery of neurostimulation therapy by the implantable medical device according to the selected parameter set, wherein each of the parameter sets stored in the memory of the implantable medical device includes a plurality of programs, and each of the programs includes a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

receiving a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for the selected parameter set from the patient; and

applying the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the selected parameter set in response to the single global adjustment request from the patient.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing a shortcut to a parameter set selected from the list of parameter sets.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein providing a shortcut comprises associating at least one of a an icon provided via a display and a button of a user input device with the parameter set.

20. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device comprising;

a processor, and

a memory that stores a plurality of parameter sets, each of the parameter sets including a plurality of programs, and each of the programs including a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters; and

a programming device comprising;

a display that provides information to a patient; and

a processor that displays a list of the parameter sets stored in the memory of the implantable medical device via the display, provides a selection made from the list by the patient to the implantable medical device for delivery of neurostimulation therapy by the implantable medical device according to the selected parameter set, receives a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for the selected parameter set from the patient, and provides the single request for the global adjustment to the implantable medical device.

wherein the processor of the implantable medical device applies the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the selected parameter set in response to the single global adjustment request.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor provides a shortcut to a parameter set selected from the list of parameter sets.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the processor provides a shortcut by displaying an icon associated with the selected parameter set via the display.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the programming device further comprises user input buttons, wherein the processor associates the selected parameter set with one of the buttons.

24. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to:

display a list of parameter sets stored in a memory of an implantable medical device to a patient via a display;

provide a selection made from the list by the patient to the implantable medical device for delivery of neurostimulation therapy by the implantable medical device according to the selected parameter set, wherein each of the parameter sets stored in the memory of the implantable medical device includes a plurality of programs, and each of the programs includes a different set of values for a common group of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

receive a single request for a global adjustment to one of the neurostimulation therapy parameters for the selected parameter set from the patient; and

apply the adjustment to the value of the neurostimulation therapy parameter for each of the programs in the selected parameter set in response to the single global adjustment request from the patient.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, further comprising instructions that cause a processor to provide a shortcut to a parameter set selected from the list of parameter sets.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to provide a shortcut comprise instructions that cause a processor to display an icon associated with the selected parameter set via the display.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25, wherein the instructions that cause a processor to provide a shortcut comprise instructions that cause a processor to associate the selected parameter set with a button of a user input device.