Method and apparatus for integrating implantable medical device data

• US 8,554,332 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2011
• Issued: 10/08/2013
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): Porter, Jr., Allen
• Application Number:
  US13/277,104
• Publication Number:
  US 20120035953A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/31, 607/59, 607/60, 709/203, 705/2
• US Class Current: 607/59
• 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 device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to generate an interaction history report for an implantable medical device (IMD) based on interaction data from a plurality of data sources, the plurality of data sources include a first external programming device and a second external programming device, the first external programming device having a first interaction data relating to the IMD, the one or more processors being configured to obtain second interaction data relating to the IMD from the second external programming device when the first interaction data relating to the IMD obtained from the first external programming device indicates that the second external programming device has data relating to an implantable medical device history for the implantable medical device.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data sources include an external database.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the external database is an external programming device database.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the second interaction data relating to the IMD from the second external programming device indicates that the first external programming device communicated with the IMD.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain a third interaction data relating to the IMD from a third external programming device.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the third interaction data relating to the IMD indicates that at least one of the first external programming device and a second programming device communicated with the IMD.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the first interaction data relating to the IMD indicates that implantable medical device data is stored in an external database.

8. A device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to generate an interaction history of an implantable medical device (IMD) based on a first external programming device data stored on the IMD and a second external programming device data stored on the first external programming device, the one or more processors being configured to obtain second interaction data relating to the IMD from the second external programming device when the first interaction data relating to the IMD obtained from the first external programming device indicates that the second external programming device has data relating to an implantable medical device history for the implantable medical device.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to determine a last external programming device to have interacted with the IMD.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain IMD data from at least one of a last external programming device database and the last external programming device based on a determination of the last external programming device to have interacted with the IMD.

11. The device of claim 9, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain IMD data from at least one of a non-last external programming device and a non-last external programming device database based on data from at least one of the last external programming device and a last external programming device database.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to determine a plurality of external programming devices associated with the IMD based on data obtained from at least one of an implantable medical device memory and a last external programming device.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein one or more of the plurality of external programming devices associated with the IMD is determined based on at least one of whether the one or more of the plurality of external programming devices programmed the IMD and whether the one or more of the plurality of external programming devices communicated with the IMD.

14. A device, comprising:

one or more processors configured to generate an interaction history report for an implantable medical device (IMD) based on interaction data relating to a first external programming device, which was obtained from a second external programming device, the one or more processors being configured to obtain second interaction data relating to the IMD from the second external programming device when the first interaction data relating to the IMD obtained from the first external programming device indicates that the second external programming device has data relating to an implantable medical device history for the implantable medical device.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to generate the interaction history report based on a plurality of data sources, wherein the plurality of data sources include an external database.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the external database is an external programming device database.

17. The device of claim 14, wherein the interaction data relating to the first external programming device from the second external programming device indicates that the first external programming device communicated with the IMD.

18. The device of claim 14, wherein the one or more processors is further configured to obtain a third interaction data relating to the IMD from a third external programming device.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein the third interaction data relating to the IMD indicates that at least one of the first external programming device and the second programming device communicated with the IMD.

20. The device of claim 14, wherein the interaction data relating to the IMD indicates that implantable medical device data is stored in an external database.