Automated integrity tests
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- monitoring a signal from a sensor that detects a physiological parameter of a patient;
determining whether an event is detected based on the signal; and
automatically testing integrity of a therapeutic substance delivery element with another sensor based on the determination of whether the event is detected,wherein automatically testing integrity of the therapeutic substance delivery element with another sensor comprises at least one of measuring a pressure within the therapeutic substance delivery element, or measuring a flow of a therapeutic substance within the therapeutic substance delivery element,wherein the therapeutic substance delivery element delivers the therapeutic substance from an implantable medical device to a target therapy delivery site in the patient, andwherein the therapeutic substance delivery element comprises at least one of a pump within the implantable medical device or an implantable catheter coupled to the pump.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques for testing integrity of various elements of implantable medical device systems are described. Some embodiments automatically test the integrity of one or more system elements in response to detecting an event. Examples of events in response to which an integrity test may be performed include the patient being within a target activity state, a symptomatic event experienced by a patient, an external impact on the patient that exceeds a damage threshold, or an indication that the patient is receiving inappropriate therapy. Some embodiments automatically test integrity in response to failure to autonomously detect an event, which may be indicated by input from a patient. An implantable lead carrying electrodes or a therapeutic substance delivery element, such as a catheter, are examples of system elements for which integrity may be tested in some embodiments.
-
Citations
43 Claims
-
1. A method comprising:
-
monitoring a signal from a sensor that detects a physiological parameter of a patient; determining whether an event is detected based on the signal; and automatically testing integrity of a therapeutic substance delivery element with another sensor based on the determination of whether the event is detected, wherein automatically testing integrity of the therapeutic substance delivery element with another sensor comprises at least one of measuring a pressure within the therapeutic substance delivery element, or measuring a flow of a therapeutic substance within the therapeutic substance delivery element, wherein the therapeutic substance delivery element delivers the therapeutic substance from an implantable medical device to a target therapy delivery site in the patient, and wherein the therapeutic substance delivery element comprises at least one of a pump within the implantable medical device or an implantable catheter coupled to the pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An implantable medical device comprising:
-
an integrity measurement module configured to test integrity of a therapeutic substance delivery element that delivers a therapeutic substance from the implantable medical device to a target therapy delivery site in a patient; and a processor that monitors a signal from a sensor that detects a physiological parameter of the patient, determines whether an event is detected based on the signal, and automatically controls the integrity measurement module to test integrity of the therapeutic substance delivery element with another sensor based on the determination, wherein the processor controls the integrity measurement module to at least one of measure a pressure within the therapeutic substance delivery element, or measure flow of the therapeutic substance within the therapeutic substance delivery element to test the integrity of the therapeutic substance delivery element, wherein the therapeutic substance delivery element comprises at least one of a pump within the implantable medical device or an implantable catheter coupled to the pump. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. A method comprising:
-
monitoring a first signal from a first sensor of an implantable medical device system, wherein the first signal from the first sensor varies as a function of a first physiological parameter of a patient; detecting an abnormality in the first monitored signal, wherein the abnormality includes values outside of an expected physiological range; in response to detection of the abnormality, determining whether the first sensor is functioning properly based on the first monitored signal that includes the abnormality and based on signals from one or more additional sensors; determining that the patient is not receiving appropriate therapy if the first sensor is determined to be functioning properly; and automatically testing integrity of at least one other element of the implantable medical device system based on the determination that the patient is not receiving appropriate therapy, wherein the at least one other element comprises at least one of a therapy delivery element, one of the one or more additional sensors, a software element, a firmware element, or a hardware element. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. An implantable medical device comprising:
-
an integrity measurement module; and a processor configured to; monitor, via a first sensor, a signal that varies as a function of a first physiological parameter of a patient; detect an abnormality in the monitored signal, wherein the abnormality includes values outside of an expected physiological range; in response to detection of the abnormality, determine whether the first sensor is functioning properly based on the monitored signal that includes the abnormality and based on signals from one or more additional sensors; determine that a patient is not receiving adequate therapy if the first sensor is determined to be functioning properly; and automatically control the integrity measurement module to test integrity of at least one other element of an implantable medical device system that includes the implantable medical device based on the determination that the patient is not receiving appropriate therapy, wherein the at least one other element comprises at least one of a therapy delivery element, one of the one or more additional sensors, a software element, a firmware element, or a hardware element. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31)
-
-
32. A method comprising:
-
monitoring a signal from a sensor of an implantable medical device system that detects at least one of activity, posture, or pressure; detecting, based on the signal, a force external to a patient, the force having a magnitude that exceeds a threshold associated with possible system damage; and automatically testing integrity of at least one element of the implantable medical device system in response to the detection, wherein the at least one element comprises at least one of a therapy delivery element, the sensor, another sensor that detects another physiological parameter of the patient, a software element, a firmware element, or a hardware element. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
39. An implantable medical device comprising:
-
an integrity measurement module; and a processor configured to; monitor a signal from a sensor that detects at least one of activity, posture, or pressure; detect, based on the signal, a force external to a patient, the force having a magnitude that exceeds a threshold associated with possible system damage; and automatically test integrity of at least one element of an implantable medical device system in response to the detection, wherein the at least one element comprises at least one of a therapy delivery element, the sensor, another sensor that detects another physiological parameter of the patient, a software element, a firmware element, or a hardware element. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
-
Specification