System and method for programming an implantable pulse generator

• US 7,738,963 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2006
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Neuromodulation Systems Incorporated (Abbott Laboratories Incorporated)
• Inventors: Engstrom, Erik D., Erickson, John H., Brock, Matthew J., Hickman, Thomas K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno; Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NATASHA
• Application Number:
  US11/359,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20060259097A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,575 Days
• Field of Search: 607/117, 607/60, 607/63, 607/59, 607/32, 607/27
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36192 Amplitude modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of programming an IPG comprises providing one or several GUI screens on the programmer device, the GUI screens comprising a master amplitude GUI control for controlling amplitudes for stimsets of a stimulation program and one or several balancing GUI controls for controlling amplitudes of each stimset of the stimulation program; communicating one or several commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitude of all stimsets of the stimulation program in response to manipulation of the master amplitude GUI control, wherein the amplitude of each stimulation set is automatically calculated by a level selected through the master amplitude GUI control and one or several calibration parameters for the respective stimulation set; and automatically recalculating the one or several calibration parameters for a respective stimulation set in response to manipulation of one of the balancing GUI controls and storing the recalculated calibration parameters.

Claims

1. A method of programming an implantable pulse generator (IPG), comprising:

providing a graphical user interface (GUI) screen on a programmer device, the GUI screen comprising (i) a master amplitude GUI control for selecting a master amplitude value from a plurality of amplitude values for a stimulation program comprising multiple stimsets, wherein each stimset comprises first, second, and third amplitude calibration parameters and an electrode configuration and (ii) multiple balancing GUI controls where each balancing GUI control directly controls the first amplitude calibration parameter for a corresponding stimset of the stimulation program;

communicating one or more commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitudes of generated pulses for all stimsets of the stimulation program in response to manipulation of the master amplitude GUI control by a user of the programmer device, wherein the amplitude of each stimulation set is automatically calculated by a selected master amplitude value from the plurality of amplitude values and the first, second, and third amplitude calibration parameters of the respective stimulation set;

automatically recalculating amplitude calibration parameters of a stimset corresponding to a manipulated balancing GUI control, the first amplitude calibration parameter of the stimset being assigned a value in direct relation to a level of the manipulated balancing GUI control, the second amplitude calibration parameter of the stimset being assigned a value as a function of the recalculated first amplitude calibration parameter and the third amplitude calibration parameter; and

communicating one or more commands from the programmer device to the IPG to change the amplitude for pulses generated for a respective stimset of the stimulation program in response to recalculation of amplitude calibration parameters for the respective stimset.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the IPG substantially continuously applies stimulation by generating and delivering pulses in sequence and in a repeating manner according to the stimsets of the stimulation program over multiple modifications of the master amplitude GUI control and of one or more of the multiple balancing GUI controls.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein during the ramp-up procedure, the amplitude for pulses for each stimset is gradually increased to the amplitude value corresponding to a stimulation level at which a patient initially experiences a stimulation effect for the electrode configuration in the respective stimset.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the GUI screen depicts a respective, distinct bodily region affected by the corresponding stimset for each of the balancing GUI controls.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein during the ramp-up procedure, the amplitude for pulses for each stimset is gradually increased to the amplitude value corresponding to a stimulation level at which a patient experiences a comfortable stimulation effect for the electrode configuration in the respective stimset.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically ramping amplitudes of pulses generated by the IPG for all stimsets of the stimulation program.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude calibration parameter of a respective stimset stores an amplitude value corresponding to a stimulation level at which a patient initially experiences a stimulation effect for the electrode configuration in the respective stimset.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the amplitude calibration parameter of a respective stimset stores an amplitude value corresponding to a stimulation level at which a patient experiences a comfortable stimulation effect for the electrode configuration in the respective stimset.

9. A method of programming an implantable pulse generator (IPG), comprising:

(i) operating a programming device to provide a graphical user interface (GUI) screen, the GUI screen comprising (i) a master amplitude GUI control for controlling a single master amplitude of a stimulation program, the stimulation program comprising multiple stimsets that each comprise a respective electrode configuration and an amplitude calibration parameter and (ii) multiple balancing GUI controls where each balancing GUI control controls the respective amplitude calibration parameter of a corresponding individual stimset of the stimulation program;

(ii) initiating a ramp-up procedure on the programmer device including communicating one or several commands from the programmer device to the IPG, wherein during the ramp-up procedure;

(A) the IPG generates stimulation pulses in sequence in a repeating manner for each stimset of the stimulation program, wherein the amplitude for pulses for each stimset is determined using at least the amplitude calibration parameter of each stimset, and wherein the stimulation program is adapted to treat pain of the patient in at least two separate bodily regions, and (B) the amplitude of pulses for each stimset of the stimulation program is gradually increased;

(iii) receiving feedback from the patient regarding whether the patient experienced a stimulation sensation first in one of the at least two separate bodily regions during the ramp-up procedure;

(iv) manipulating one of the balancing GUI controls on the GUI to modify the respective amplitude calibration parameter of the stimset corresponding to the manipulated balancing GUI control;

(v) automatically, by the programmer device, recalculating the amplitude calibration parameter of the manipulated balancing GUI control in response to (iv) and storing the recalculated amplitude calibration parameter in the stimset of the stimulation program corresponding to the manipulated balancing control; and

(vi) repeating (ii)-(v) until the patient indicates that the patient experienced the stimulation sensation simultaneously during a ramp-up procedure in the at least two separate bodily regions.