Implantable medical device crosstalk evaluation and mitigation

• US 8,249,708 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2009
• Issued: 08/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Krause, Paul G., Burnes, John E., Donofrio, William T., Peichel, David J., Arne, Gerald P., Zhou, Xiaohong, Reinke, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Niketa
• Assistant Examiner(s): EL-KAISSI, HIBA CARINE
• Application Number:
  US12/362,822
• Publication Number:
  US 20100114224A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 607/9, 607/14, 607/17, 607/18, 607/23, 607/27, 607/30, 607/32, 600/547
• US Class Current: 607/28
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36521 the parameter being derived from measurement of an electrical impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37258 Alerting the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient

Abstract

Electrical crosstalk between two implantable medical devices or two different therapy modules of a common implantable medical device may be evaluated, and, in some examples, mitigated. In some examples, one of the implantable medical devices or therapy modules delivers electrical stimulation to a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site, and the other implantable medical device or therapy module delivers cardiac rhythm management therapy to a heart of the patient.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining with a first implantable medical device (IMD) a first electrical parameter value indicative of an impedance of an electrical path coupled to the first IMD, wherein determining the first electrical parameter value comprises;

controlling the first IMD to deliver a first electrical signal between at least two electrodes electrically connected to the first IMD;

controlling the first IMD to sense a second electrical signal subsequent to initiation of the delivery of the first electrical signal; and

determining the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal;

activating delivery of electrical stimulation to a patient by a second IMD after determining the first electrical parameter value;

determining with the first IMD a second electrical parameter value indicative of the impedance of the electrical path while the second IMD delivers electrical stimulation;

determining whether the first and second electrical parameter values are within a threshold range of each other; and

generating an interference indication in response to determining the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising, if the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other, modifying at least one stimulation parameter with which the second implantable medical device generates the electrical stimulation.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the at least one stimulation parameter comprises at least one of a current amplitude, a voltage amplitude, a pulse width, a pulse rate, a frequency, a duty cycle or an electrode combination.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first implantable medical device (IMD) delivers at least one of pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation therapy to a heart of the patient, and the second IMD delivers the electrical stimulation to a tissue site within the patient.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of an extravascular tissue site or the tissue site proximate to a nerve of the patient.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first implantable medical device (IMD) delivers the electrical stimulation to a tissue site within the patient and the second IMD delivers at least one of pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation signal to a heart of the patient.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising suspending delivery of electrical stimulation by the second implantable medical device (IMD), wherein determining the first electrical parameter value comprises determining the first electrical parameter value while the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second IMD is suspended.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising adjusting the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second implantable medical device if the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein adjusting the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second implantable medical device (IMD) comprises suspending the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second IMD.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the threshold range comprises about five percent to about 20 percent.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the indication comprises generating at least one of an auditory, visual or somatosensory notification.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the indication comprises a first indication, the method further comprising:

determining a difference between the first and the second electrical parameter values;

determining a trend in the difference between the first and the second electrical parameter values over time; and

generating a second indication based on the trend.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the second indication based on the trend comprises generating the second indication if the difference between the first and the second electrical parameter values increases over time.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal has a constant voltage.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the determining the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal comprises determining a current of the second electrical signal, the first electrical parameter value comprising at least one of the current of the second electrical signal or a resistance determined based on the constant voltage of the first electrical signal and the current of the second electrical current.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first electrical signal has a constant current.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the determining the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal comprises determining a voltage of the second electrical signal, the first electrical parameter value comprising at least one of the voltage of the second electrical signal or a resistance determined based on the constant current of the first electrical signal and the voltage of the second electrical signal.

19. A system comprising:

a first implantable medical device (IMD) configured to be implanted within a patient;

a second IMD configured to be implanted within the patient; and

a processor configured to determine a first electrical parameter value indicative of an impedance of an electrical path coupled to the first IMD, determine a second electrical parameter value indicative of the impedance of the electrical path while the second IMD delivers electrical stimulation to the patient, determine whether the first and second electrical parameter values are within a threshold range of each other, and generate an interference indication in response to determining the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other,

wherein the processor is configured to control the first IMD to deliver a first electrical signal and sense a second electrical signal subsequent to initiation of delivery of the first electrical signal, and wherein the processor is configured to determine the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein, if the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other, the processor is configured to initiate a modification to at least one stimulation parameter with which the second implantable medical device is configured to generate the electrical stimulation.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to initiate the modification to the at least one stimulation parameter by at least providing a control signal to the second implantable medical device (IMD), wherein the second IMD is configured to modify the at least one stimulation parameter in response to receiving the control signal.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the processor is configured to initiate the modification to the at least one stimulation parameter by at least providing the modified at least one stimulation parameter to the second implantable medical device.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the first implantable medical device (IMD) is configured to deliver at least one of pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation therapy to a heart of the patient, and the second IMD is configured to deliver the electrical stimulation to a tissue site within the patient.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of a nonmyocardial tissue site or a nonvascular cardiac tissue site.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the tissue site comprises at least one of an extravascular tissue site or the tissue site proximate to a nerve of the patient.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the first implantable medical device (IMD) is configured to deliver the electrical stimulation to a tissue site within the patient and the second IMD is configured to deliver at least one of pacing, cardioversion or defibrillation therapy to a heart of the patient.

27. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to control the second implantable medical device to suspend the delivery of electrical stimulation if the first and second electrical parameter values are not within a threshold range of each other.

28. The system of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to control the second implantable medical device (IMD) to suspend the delivery of electrical stimulation and determine the first electrical parameter value while the delivery of electrical stimulation by the second IMD is suspended.

29. The system of claim 19, wherein the threshold range comprises about five percent to about 20 percent.

30. The system of claim 19, wherein the indication comprises a first indication, and the processor is configured to determine a difference between the first and electrical parameter values, determine a trend in the difference between the first and electrical parameter values over time, and generate a second indication based on the trend.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the processor is configured to generate the second indication based on the trend by at least generating the second indication if the difference between the first and electrical parameter values increases over time.

32. The system of claim 19, further comprising a medical device programmer, wherein the processor is configured to present the indication via a user interface of the medical device programmer.

33. A system comprising:

means for determining a first electrical parameter value indicative of an impedance of an electrical path coupled to a first implantable medical device (IMD), wherein the means for determining the first electrical parameter value is configured to determine the first electrical parameter value by at least;

controlling the first IMD to deliver a first electrical signal between at least two electrodes electrically connected to the first IMD;

controlling the first IMD to sense a second electrical signal subsequent to initiation of the delivery of the first electrical signal; and

determining the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal;

means for activating delivery of electrical stimulation to a patient by a second IMD after determining the first electrical parameter value;

means for determining a second electrical parameter value indicative of the impedance of the electrical path while the second IMD delivers electrical stimulation;

means for determining whether the first and second electrical parameter values are within a threshold range of each other; and

means for generating an interference indication in response to the means for determining, determining that the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other.

34. The system of claim 33, further comprising means for modifying at least one stimulation parameter with which the second implantable medical device generates the electrical stimulation if the first and second electrical parameter values are not within the threshold range of each other.

35. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a programmable processor to:

determine, with a first implantable medical device (IMD), a first electrical parameter value indicative of an impedance of an electrical path coupled to the first IMD, wherein the instructions cause the programmable processor to determine the first electrical parameter value by at least;

controlling the first IMD to deliver a first electrical signal between at least two electrodes electrically connected to the first IMD;

controlling the first IMD to sense a second electrical signal subsequent to initiation of the delivery of the first electrical signal; and

determining the first electrical parameter value based on the first electrical signal and the second electrical signal;

activate delivery of electrical stimulation to a patient by a second IMD after determining the first electrical parameter value;

determine, with the first IMD, a second electrical parameter value indicative of the impedance of the electrical path while the second IMD delivers electrical stimulation;

determine whether the first and second electrical parameter values are within a threshold range of each other; and

generate an interference indication in response to determining the first and second electrical parameter values are not with in the threshold range of each other.