Neurostimulation therapy usage diagnostics

• US 8,843,203 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Lee, Michael T., Vinup, Daniel K., Goetz, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bertram, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US12/498,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20090276008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,904 Days
• Field of Search: 607/48
• US Class Current: 607/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/40 for the management of medical equipment or devices, e.g. scheduling maintenance or upgrades

Abstract

An implantable medical device delivers neurostimulation therapy to a patient according to a parameter set. A parameter set may consist of a number of programs that are delivered substantially simultaneously. When programming the implantable medical device for the patient, a clinician programmer may maintain a session log for the patient that includes a listing of programs delivered to the patient and rating information provided by a clinician and the patient for programs of the list. The listing may be ordered according to the rating information in order to facilitate the selection of programs for a parameter set. A program library that may include particularly effective programs organized according to a directory structure may be stored in a memory. One or both of the implantable medical device and a patient programmer may store usage information that provides an objective assessment of therapy use by the patient, and allows a clinician to later improve the therapy based on the usage information.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameter sets, wherein each of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets includes at least one program, and each of the programs includes a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameters; and

a processor configured to receive subjective rating information relating to at least one of effectiveness of delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets in treating symptoms of the patient or side effects experienced by the patient due to the delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets, store the rating information and information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets to control the delivery of therapy within the memory in association with the respective parameter sets, and provide the stored information to a user,

wherein the information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameters sets to control the delivery of therapy comprises information indicative of a total amount of time that the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets have been used to control the delivery of the therapy during a period of time.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to receive adjustments made by a patient to the neurostimulation therapy parameters, store information relating to the adjustments within the memory, and provide the information relating to the adjustments to the user.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to send the stored information to a programming device associated with the user.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the rating information includes information relating to a plurality of metrics for rating the parameter set.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the rating information includes numerical values for at least some of the metrics.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the rating information comprises an overall rating for a parameter set calculated based on a number of metrics.

7. The device of claim 1, further comprising a display.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to generate a histogram that illustrates percentages of the period of time that each of the parameter sets was used to provide neurostimulation therapy to the patient and display the histogram via the display.

9. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to generate a diagram that illustrates which of the parameter sets was being used to provide neurostimulation therapy at various times throughout a day and display the diagram via the display.

10. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to receive recorded information relating to neurostimulation therapy activation and deactivation, generate a diagram that illustrates the overall usage of neurostimulation therapy during consecutive time periods based on the activation and deactivation information, and display the diagram via the display.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is configured to generate a depiction of a calendar, the time periods include at least one of days or weeks, and wherein the processor is configured to display the calendar via the display.

12. The device of claim 7, wherein the processor is configured to generate a trend diagram of a value of a neurostimulation program parameter over time based on the recorded information and display the trend diagram via the display.

13. A device comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to receive recorded information relating to use of a plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets by an implanted medical device to deliver neurostimulation therapy to a patient and provide the recorded information to a user via the display, wherein each of the parameter sets includes at least one program, and each of the programs includes a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameters,

wherein the processor is configured to receive the recorded information from at least one of an implantable medical device or a programming device associated with the patient,

wherein the processor is configured to analyze the recorded information relating to use of the plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets, and suggest neurostimulation therapy options to the user based on the analysis, and

wherein the recorded information comprises information indicative of a total amount of time that the plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets have been used by the implanted medical device to deliver the neurostimulation therapy to the patient during a period of time.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to generate a histogram that illustrates percentages of the period of time that each of the parameter sets was used to provide neurostimulation therapy to the patient and display the histogram via the display.

15. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to generate a diagram that illustrates which of the parameter sets was being used to provide neurostimulation therapy at various times throughout a day and display the diagram via the display.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to receive recorded information relating to neurostimulation therapy activation and deactivation, generate a diagram that illustrates the overall usage of neurostimulation therapy during consecutive time periods based on the activation and deactivation information, and display the diagram via the display.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to generate a depiction of a calendar, the time periods include at least one of days or weeks, and wherein the processor is configured to display the calendar via the display.

18. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to generate a trend diagram of a value of a neurostimulation program parameter over time based on the recorded information and display the trend diagram via the display.

19. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to identify a frequently used parameter set based on the recorded information and suggest an additional program that is similar to a program of the frequently used parameter set.

20. The device of claim 19, wherein the processor is configured to compare programs of the frequently used parameter set to programs identified by at least one of a session log that includes information identifying programs tested on the patient during a programming session or a program library that stores programs according to a set of hierarchical categories, wherein each of the categories is related to a characteristic of at least one of the programs.

21. The device of claim 13, wherein the processor is configured to identify an infrequently used parameter set, generate a list of parameter sets used to provide neurostimulation therapy to the patient that includes the infrequently used parameter set, display the list via the display, and mark the infrequently used parameter set for removal from the list.

22. The device of claim 13, wherein the device comprises a programming device associated with the user.

23. A device comprising:

a display; and

a processor configured to receive recorded information relating to use of a plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets by an implanted medical device to deliver neurostimulation therapy to a patient, and provide the recorded information to a user via the display, wherein each of the parameter sets includes at least one program, and each of the programs includes a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameters,

wherein the recorded information includes information relating to activation, deactivation and modification of the neurostimulation therapy, and the processor is configured to generate a diagram that illustrates the activation, deactivation and modification of the neurostimulation therapy during consecutive time periods based on the information and display the diagram via the display.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to generate a depiction of a calendar, the time periods include one of days or weeks, and wherein the processor is configured to display the calendar via the display.

25. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to generate a diagram that illustrates which of the parameter sets was being used to provide neurostimulation therapy at various times throughout a day and display the diagram via the display.

26. The device of claim 23, wherein the recorded information comprises information relating to at least one of a total number of times or a total amount of time that the plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets have been used by the implanted medical device to deliver the neurostimulation therapy to the patient during a period of time.

27. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to generate a histogram that illustrates percentages of a period of time that each of the parameter sets was used to provide neurostimulation therapy to the patient and display the histogram via the display.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to generate a trend diagram of a value of a neurostimulation program parameter over time based on the recorded information and display the trend diagram via the display.

29. The device of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to analyze the recorded information relating to use of the plurality of previously defined neurostimulation therapy parameter sets;

and suggest neurostimulation therapy options to the user based on the analysis.

30. A device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameter sets, wherein each of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets includes at least one program, and each of the programs includes a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

a processor configured to receive subjective rating information relating to at least one of effectiveness of delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets in treating symptoms of the patient or side effects experienced by the patient due to the delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets, store the rating information and information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets to control the delivery of therapy within the memory in association with the respective parameter sets, and provide the stored information to a user; and

a display,

wherein the information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameters sets to control the delivery of therapy comprises information relating to at least one of a total number of times or a total amount of time that the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets have been used to control the delivery of the therapy during a period of time, and

wherein the processor is configured to generate a diagram that illustrates which of the parameter sets was being used to provide neurostimulation therapy at various times throughout a day and display the diagram via the display.

31. A device comprising:

a memory that stores a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameter sets, wherein each of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets includes at least one program, and each of the programs includes a plurality of neurostimulation therapy parameters;

a processor configured to receive subjective rating information relating to at least one of effectiveness of delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets in treating symptoms of the patient or side effects experienced by the patient due to the delivery of neurostimulation therapy according to the parameter sets, store the rating information and information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets to control the delivery of therapy within the memory in association with the respective parameter sets, and provide the stored information to a user; and

a display,

wherein the information relating to use of the neurostimulation therapy parameters sets to control the delivery of therapy comprises information relating to at least one of a total number of times or a total amount of time that the neurostimulation therapy parameter sets have been used to control the delivery of the therapy during a period of time, and

wherein the processor is configured to generate a trend diagram of a value of a neurostimulation program parameter over time based on the recorded information and display the trend diagram via the display.