Systems and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes
First Claim
1. A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising:
- applying or directing application of a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient, the electrical signal being delivered to a first implanted electrical contact set in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value;
using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, detecting or directing detection of an increase in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device; and
based at least in part on the detected impedance increase, automatically adjusting or directing adjustment of the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different than the first value, without human intervention, wherein automatically adjusting or directing adjustment of the value of the signal delivery parameter includes applying or directing application of the electrical signal to a second implanted electrical contact set, at least one of the first and second contact sets having a different member than the other.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
System and methods for adjusting electrical therapy based on impedance changes are disclosed herein. A method in accordance with a particular embodiment includes applying a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient. The electrical signal is delivered in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value. Using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, a change in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device is detected. Based at least in part on the detected impedance change, the method can further include automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different from the first, without human intervention.
-
Citations
19 Claims
-
1. A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising:
-
applying or directing application of a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient, the electrical signal being delivered to a first implanted electrical contact set in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value; using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, detecting or directing detection of an increase in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device; and based at least in part on the detected impedance increase, automatically adjusting or directing adjustment of the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different than the first value, without human intervention, wherein automatically adjusting or directing adjustment of the value of the signal delivery parameter includes applying or directing application of the electrical signal to a second implanted electrical contact set, at least one of the first and second contact sets having a different member than the other. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising:
-
applying a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via an implanted portion of a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery device in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient, the electrical signal being delivered in accordance with a signal delivery parameter having a first value; using the implanted portion of the patient stimulation system, detecting an increase in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery device, wherein detecting an increase in an impedance includes detecting an open circuit; and based at least in part on the detected impedance increase, automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter from the first value to a second value different than the first value, without human intervention, wherein automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter includes reducing a strength of the electrical signal and then ramping up the strength of the electrical signal after the circuit is closed. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for controlling a patient therapy device, comprising:
-
applying or directing application of a therapeutic electrical signal to a patient via a patient stimulation system that includes a signal delivery electrical contact in electrical communication with a target neural population of the patient, the electrical signal having a signal delivery parameter with a first value; automatically identifying or directing identification of changes in an impedance of an electrical circuit that includes the signal delivery electrical contact, as a function of time; based at least in part on identifying the changes in impedance as a function of time, predicting or directing prediction of a future value of the impedance by extrapolating or directing extrapolation of the future value based on past values; and based at least in part on the predicted future value of the impedance, automatically performing a task or directing performance of the task.
-
-
18. A patient therapy system, comprising:
-
a patient-implantable portion that includes a pulse generator and a signal delivery device having an electrical contact positioned to be in electrical communication with a target neural population of a patient when implanted; an impedance detector carried by the implantable portion, the impedance detector being operatively coupled to an electrical circuit that includes the electrical contact to detect an impedance of the electrical circuit; a processor carried by the patient-implantable portion, the processor having a computer-readable medium programmed with instructions that, when executed; receive an indication of an impedance change from the impedance detector; and based at least in part on the detected impedance change and without human intervention, automatically adjust a value of a signal delivery parameter in accordance with which the patient-implantable portion delivers an electrical signal to the electrical contact; and a constant current source carried by the implantable portion and having a compliance voltage level with a first value, and wherein automatically adjusting the value of the signal delivery parameter includes; increasing the compliance voltage level from the first value to a second value higher than the first; and increasing a strength of the signal beyond a strength available with the first value.
-
-
19. A patient therapy system, comprising:
-
a patient-implantable portion that includes a pulse generator and a signal delivery device having an electrical contact positioned to be in electrical communication with a target neural population of a patient when implanted; an impedance detector carried by the implantable portion, the impedance detector being operatively coupled to an electrical circuit that includes the electrical contact to detect an impedance of the electrical circuit; and a processor carried by the patient-implantable portion, the processor having a computer-readable medium programmed with instructions that, when executed; receive an indication of an impedance change from the impedance detector; and based at least in part on the detected impedance change and without human intervention, automatically adjust a value of a signal delivery parameter in accordance with which the patient-implantable portion delivers an electrical signal to the electrical contact, wherein automatically adjusting a value of a signal delivery parameter includes automatically adjusting at least one of a compliance value and a compliance margin in accordance with which the electrical signal is delivered.
-
Specification