Method and apparatus for integrating implantable medical device data

• US 8,086,311 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2007
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LivaNova USA, Inc. (LivaNova Plc)
• Original Assignee: Cyberonics, Inc
• Inventors: Armstrong, Randolph K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): PORTER, JR, GARY A
• Application Number:
  US11/656,105
• Publication Number:
  US 20080177346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,800 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/30, 607/31, 607/32, 607/59, 607/60, 607/63, 705/2, 705/3
• US Class Current: 607/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3706 Pacemaker parameters stimulation threshold A61N1/371
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37264 Changing the program; Upgrading firmware
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

Methods and systems for constructing a comprehensive history for an IMD are disclosed. The method includes interrogating an implantable medical device (IMD) with an interrogating external programmer device (EPD), and comparing a unique signature associated with the interrogating EPD to a stored signature, associated with a particular programmer device that most immediately previously programmed the IMD, in memory of the IMD. If the unique signature of the interrogating programmer device is not the same as the stored signature, the method includes recording the stored signature in the interrogating EPD. The method may optionally include replacing the stored signature in the IMD memory with the unique signature of the interrogating EPD if the interrogating EPD programs the IMD. A comprehensive history for the IMD may be constructed by tracing the values in the IMD and the programmer databases.

Claims

1. A method for obtaining a programming history for an implantable medical device (IMD) for a patient, comprising:

interrogating the IMD with an interrogating external programmer device (EPD);

retrieving a stored signature from memory of the IMD;

comparing a unique signature associated with the interrogating EPD to the retrieved signature from the IMD;

when the retrieved signature from the IMD is different than the unique signature associated with the EPD, replacing the stored signature in the memory of the IMD with the unique signature of the interrogating EPD and storing the retrieved signature from the IMD into the EPD;

wherein the retrieved signature is associated with a particular EPD that most immediately previously established communications with the IMD, said retrieved signature is part of the programming history for the IMD;

communicating the retrieved signature from the interrogating EPD to a display device; and

displaying, with the display device, the retrieved signature to a user.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising storing the retrieved signature in a memory of the interrogating EPD.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein storing the retrieved signature in a memory of the EPD further comprises writing the retrieved signature to a local database of the interrogating EPD.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the stored signature is stored in a programmer history memory module of the IMD.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique signature comprises a serial number of the programmer device.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising reconstructing a comprehensive history for the IMD including the signature for each EPD that has programmed the IMD.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein reconstructing the comprehensive history comprises retrieving the stored signature from the IMD to determine which EPD most immediately previously programmed the IMD.

8. The method according to claim 6, wherein reconstructing the comprehensive history comprises retrieving a second signature from the EPD.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving from the IMD a timestamp associated with a retrieved stored signature, said timestamp indicating when the EPD identified by the retrieved stored signature programmed said IMD.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising generating an indicator when the interrogating EPD detects previous programming by a programmer having a different signature.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein the unique signature comprises an alphanumeric value assigned to the programmer device.

12. The method according to claim 1 further comprising reconstructing a comprehensive history for the IMD, wherein reconstructing the comprehensive history comprises:

retrieving the stored signature from the IMD to determine which EPD most immediately previously programmed the IMD;

retrieving a second signature from the EPD identified by the stored signature; and

storing the both signatures to a comprehensive IMD history in a computer.

13. A method, comprising:

interrogating an implantable medical device (IMD) with an interrogating external programmer device (EPD);

comparing a unique signature associated with the interrogating EPD to a stored signature in memory of the IMD;

when the stored signature from the memory of the IMD is different than the unique signature associated with the interrogating EPD, retrieving the stored signature from the memory of the IMD; and

reconstructing a comprehensive history for the IMD including the signature for each EPD that has programmed the IMD;

wherein reconstructing the comprehensive history comprises retrieving the stored signature from the IMD to determine which EPD most immediately previously programmed the IMD, retrieving a second signature stored in a local database of the EPD identified by the stored signature and storing the stored signature and the second signature to a comprehensive IMD; and

wherein the retrieved signature is associated with a particular EPD that most immediately previously established communications with the IMD;

communicating the comprehensive IMD history to a display device; and

displaying, with the display device, the comprehensive IMD history to a user.

14. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving data associated with programming activity performed by at least one of the interrogating EPD and the EPD identified by the second signature; and

storing the retrieved data associated with programming activity in the comprehensive IMD history.

15. The method according to claim 13, further comprising:

if the comprehensive IMD history contains a signature for which data associated with programming activity has not yet been retrieved, retrieving the data associated with programming activity from the EPD programmer identified by that signature, and adding the retrieved data to the comprehensive IMD history.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising replacing the stored signature in the memory of the IMD with the unique signature of the current interrogating EPD.

17. The method according to claim 13, further comprising storing the retrieved signature in a memory of the interrogating EPD.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein storing the retrieved signature in a memory of the EPD further comprises writing the retrieved signature to a local database of the interrogating EPD.

19. The method according to claim 13, wherein the stored signature is stored in a programmer history memory module of the IMD.

20. The method according to claim 13, wherein the unique signature comprises a serial number of the programmer device.