Systems and methods for the identification and association of medical devices

• US 8,812,125 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2012
• Issued: 08/19/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kaula, Norbert, Iyassu, Yohannes, Leyh, Scott G., Polefko, Richard J., Trier, Stephen C.
• Primary Examiner(s): EVANISKO, GEORGE ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US13/600,684
• Publication Number:
  US 20140067011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 718 Days
• Field of Search: 607/30, 607/59
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means

Abstract

A system for operating a medical device, the system comprises a medical device associated with a machine-readable representation of data and a medical programmer. The medical programmer includes a sensor configured to detect the machine-readable representation of data and a display configured to graphically display a digital image of the medical device associated with the machine-readable representation of data.

Claims

1. A system for operating a medical device, the system comprising:

a medical device;

a machine-readable representation of data coupled to the medical device; and

a medical programmer including;

a communications device configured to conduct telecommunications with the medical device via a communications protocol;

a sensor configured to detect the machine-readable representation of data; and

a touch-sensitive graphical user interface configured to graphically display one or more digital images;

a processor configured to display a selection window on the graphical user interface, the selection window containing a plurality of digital images corresponding to a plurality of medical products that include leads and stimulators, and wherein the processor is configured to graphically emphasize, in the selection window, the digital image of the medical device to which the detected machine-readable representation of data is coupled, in response to the machine-readable representation of data being detected by the sensor.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the medical device is an implantable medical device.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising product packaging for the medical device, wherein the machine-readable representation is located on the product packaging.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable representation is located on the medical device.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the machine-readable representation of data is a linear barcode, a 2D barcode, an RF identifier, or one or more alphanumeric characters.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical programmer further comprises a camera, and wherein the sensor is included in the camera.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to cause the user interface to graphically display the image of the medical device as an independently moveable object relative to a virtual anatomical environment of a patient in which the medical device is configured to be implanted.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device is a first medical device, and further comprising:

a second medical device; and

a second machine-readable representation of data coupled to the second medical device, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the user interface to graphically display, in response to the second machine-readable representation of data being detected by the sensor, an image of the second medical device as an independently movable object in a linked arrangement with the image of the first medical device.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the programmer further includes software configured to associate the data with the image.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical programmer is configured to retrieve, in response to the machine-readable representation of data being detected by the sensor, information regarding the medical device that includes:

functional information, relational information, calibration information, or safety information.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the medical device includes a neurostimulator, and wherein the medical programmer is configured to set stimulation limits for the neurostimulator in response to the machine-readable representation of data being detected by the sensor.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the selection window comprises a virtual carousel, and wherein the processor is configured to cause the user interface to graphically emphasize the digital image of the medical device by automatically displaying the digital image at a front of the virtual carousel.

13. A method for operating a medical device, the method comprising:

capturing a first machine-readable representation of data that is associated with a first medical device;

interpreting the first machine-readable representation of data;

identifying, in response to the capturing and the interpreting, the first medical device associated with the first machine-readable representation of data; and

graphically representing the identified first medical device on a medical device programmer that is configured to program a function of the first medical device, wherein the graphically representing comprises;

displaying a selection window in a touch-sensitive user interface of the medical device programmer, the selection window containing a plurality of digital images corresponding to a plurality of medical products that include leads and stimulators; and

graphically emphasizing, in the selection window, the digital image that corresponds to the identified first medical device.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the step of interpreting includes interpreting a linear barcode, a 2D barcode, an RFID tag, or one or more alphanumeric characters.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

capturing a second machine-readable representation of data that is associated with a second medical device;

interpreting the second machine-readable representation of data;

identifying, in response to the capturing and the interpreting, the second medical device associated with the second machine-readable representation of data; and

graphically representing the identified second medical device on the touch-sensitive user interface of the medical device programmer; and

graphically linking the first and second medical devices.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the first medical device is an implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the capturing comprises scanning, via an integrated camera on the medical device programmer, the first medical device or a packaging for the first medical device.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

retrieving, in response to the identifying of the first machine-readable representation of data, information regarding the first medical device that includes;

functional information, relational information, calibration information, or safety information.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the first medical device includes a neurostimulator, and further comprising:

setting stimulation limits for the neurostimulator in response to the identifying of the first machine-readable representation of data.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the graphically emphasizing comprises automatically displaying the digital image that corresponds to the identified first medical device at a front of the selection window.

21. A system for operating a medical device, comprising:

one or more implantable medical devices that are each linked with a respective machine-readable representation of data; and

a medical programmer configured to program at least some of the implantable medical devices to cause at least one of the implantable medical devices to provide an electrical stimulation therapy for a patient, wherein the medical programmer includes;

a radio configured to communicate with at least some of the implantable medical devices via a wireless communications protocol;

a scanner configured to capture the machine-readable representation of data from the one or more implantable medical devices;

one or more electronic processors configured to determine which implantable medical device is associated with the machine-readable representation of data captured by the scanner; and

a screen configured to display a plurality of digital images;

wherein the one or more electronic processors are further configured to cause the screen to display a virtual carousel containing a plurality of digital images corresponding to a plurality of medical products, and wherein the digital image that has been determined to be associated with the machine-readable representation of data captured by the scanner is automatically displayed at a front of the virtual carousel.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the machine-readable representation of data is selected from the group consisting of:

a linear barcode, a two-dimensional barcode, an RF identifier, and one or more alphanumeric characters.

23. The system of claim 21, further comprising a product packaging of the implantable medical device, wherein the machine-readable representation of data is located on at least one of:

the product packaging of the implantable medical device and the implantable medical device itself.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the medical programmer is configured to retrieve, in response to the determination of which implantable medical device is associated with the machine-readable representation of data, information regarding the medical device that includes:

functional information, relational information, calibration information, or safety information.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the implantable medical device includes a neurostimulator, and wherein the medical programmer is configured to set stimulation limits for the neurostimulator in response to the determination of which implantable medical device is associated with the machine-readable representation of data.