Automatically indentifying therapy delivery component connected to implantable medical device

• US 8,292,842 B2
• Filed: 03/25/2011
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Joglekar, Ajinkya M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MENDEZ, MANUEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/072,021
• Publication Number:
  US 20120245514A1
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 604 65- 67, 604/131, 604/905, 128/DIG.12, 128/DIG.13
• US Class Current: 604/67
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/6027 Electric-conductive bridges closing detection circuits, with or without identifying elements, e.g. resistances, zener-diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3603 Control systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2001/083 Monitoring integrity of contacts, e.g. by impedance measurement

Abstract

A therapy delivery component is connected to an IMD with a coupling that has a known physical property, based upon which the type and/or connection status of the therapy delivery component is automatically identified.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD);

a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

a coupling connecting the therapy delivery component to the IMD; and

a measurement circuit configured to apply an electrical input across the coupling and identify the therapy delivery component based on an electrical signal generated as an output upon application of the input across the coupling.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises:

a first connector connected to an end of the therapy delivery component, wherein the first connector has an electrical resistance; and

a second connector connected to the IMD and the measurement circuit and configured to receive the first connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to apply the electrical input to the second connector and the electrical signal generated as an output upon application of the input across the coupling comprises a voltage generated when the first connector is connected to the second connector, and wherein the measurement circuit identifies the therapy delivery component based on the voltage.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the measurement circuit identifies the therapy delivery component by calculating the resistance of the first connector from the voltage.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the coupling comprises:

a first connector connected to an end of the therapy delivery component;

a second connector connected to the IMD and the measurement circuit and configured to receive the first connector; and

a dielectric interposed between the first and the second connectors.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the measurement circuit is configured to apply the electrical input to the second connector and the electrical signal generated as an output upon application of the input across the coupling comprises a voltage generated when the first connector is connected to the second connector, and wherein the measurement circuit identifies the therapy delivery component based on the voltage.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine compatibility of the therapy delivery component with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of a catheter or an electrical stimulation lead.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical input comprises at least one of a constant current or a constant voltage input.

10. A method comprising:

applying an electrical input across a coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

generating an electrical signal as an output to the electrical input applied across the coupling; and

identifying the therapy delivery component based on the electrical signal.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling comprises:

a first connector connected to an end of the therapy delivery component and comprising a resistance; and

a second connector connected to the IMD and configured to receive the first connector.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein generating the output electrical signal comprises generating a voltage signal when the first connector is connected to the second connector as an output to an input current applied across the first connector, and wherein identifying the therapy delivery component comprises identifying the therapy delivery component based on the voltage.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the coupling comprises:

a first connector connected to an end of the therapy delivery component;

a second connector connected to the IMD and configured to receive the first connector; and

a dielectric interposed between the first and the second connectors.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein generating the output electrical signal comprises generating a voltage signal when the first connector is connected to the second connector as an output to an input current applied across the first connector, and wherein identifying the therapy delivery component comprises identifying the therapy delivery component based on the voltage.

15. The method of claim 10 further comprising determining compatibility of the therapy delivery component with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) system based on the electrical signal generated as an output to the electrical input applied across the coupling.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of a catheter or a medical lead.

17. A system comprising:

means for applying an electrical input across a coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

means for generating an electrical signal as an output to the electrical input applied across the coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to tissue of a patient; and

means for identifying the therapy delivery component based on the electrical signal.

18. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device (IMD);

a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

a coupling connecting the therapy delivery component to the IMD; and

a measurement circuit configured to apply an electrical input across the coupling and identify a connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component based on an electrical signal generated as an output upon application of the input across the coupling.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of connected, disconnected, or partially disconnected.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising a processor connected to the measurement circuit, and wherein the processor is configured to receive the connection status from the measurement circuit and generate an alert when the connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of disconnected or partially disconnected.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the alert comprises at least one of an audible, tactile, or visual alert.

22. The system of claim 20 further comprising a programmer communicatively connected to the IMD, wherein the programmer comprises the processor.

23. A method comprising:

applying an electrical input across a coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

generating an electrical signal as an output to the electrical input applied across the coupling; and

identifying a connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component based on the electrical signal.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of connected, disconnected, or partially disconnected.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprising generating an alert when the connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component comprises at least one of disconnected or partially disconnected.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the alert comprises at least one of an audible, tactile, or visual alert.

27. A system comprising:

means for applying an electrical input across a coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to a patient;

means for generating an electrical signal as an output to the electrical input applied across the coupling between an implantable medical device (IMD) and a therapy delivery component configured to deliver therapy to tissue of a patient; and

means for identifying a connection status between the IMD and the therapy delivery component based on the electrical signal.