Ramping parameter values for electrical stimulation therapy

• US 8,843,209 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Issued: 09/23/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Wacnik, Paul W., Johanek, Lisa M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VOORHEES, CATHERINE M
• Application Number:
  US13/458,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289667A1
• Time in Patent Office: 879 Days
• Field of Search: 607/6, 607 39- 41, 607/72, 607/2
• US Class Current: 607/72
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3615 Intensity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36171 Frequency
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36175 Pulse width or duty cycle
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36189 using modulation techniques

Abstract

Devices, systems, and techniques for ramping one or more parameter values of electrical stimulation are disclosed. An implantable medical device may increase or decrease a parameter value, e.g., amplitude or pulse width, over time to reach a target value of the parameter. In one example, a memory may be configured to store a plurality of amplitude ramp schedules. At least one processor may be configured to obtain a stimulation parameter set that at least partially defines an electrical stimulation therapy, select one of the plurality of amplitude ramp schedules based on a signal frequency of the stimulation parameter set, and increase an amplitude of the electrical stimulation therapy during a ramp period defined by the selected amplitude ramp schedule.

Claims

1. A method for controlling electrical stimulation therapy, the method comprising:

obtaining, by one or more processors, a stimulation parameter set that at least partially defines an electrical stimulation signal deliverable to a patient, the stimulation parameter set comprising a signal frequency value of the electrical stimulation signal;

selecting, by the one or more processors, an amplitude ramp schedule based on the signal frequency value of the stimulation parameter set; and

increasing, by the one or more processors, an amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal during a ramp period defined by the amplitude ramp schedule.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the ramp period defined by the ramp schedule is longer for higher signal frequency values than lower signal frequency values.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the ramp schedule defines a rate of increasing the amplitude; and

the rate is lower for higher signal frequency values than lower signal frequency values.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising delivering the electrical stimulation therapy to a patient when increasing the amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting, by the one or more processors, a pulse width ramp schedule based on the amplitude ramp schedule; and

decreasing, by the one or more processors, a pulse width of the electrical stimulation signal while the amplitude is increased during the ramp period.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal frequency value is a pulse frequency, and wherein the stimulation parameter set comprises the pulse frequency, an electrode configuration, a pulse width, and a target amplitude.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the stimulation parameter set comprises a starting amplitude;

the starting amplitude is lower than a target amplitude; and

the ramping schedule defines a rate of increasing the amplitude from the starting amplitude to the target amplitude.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal frequency value is between approximately 1,000 Hz and 10,000 Hz.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the ramp period is between approximately one minute and 8 hours.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are housed within at least one of an implantable medical device and an external programmer.

11. A system comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of amplitude ramp schedules; and

at least one processor configured to obtain a stimulation parameter set that at least partially defines an electrical stimulation signal deliverable to a patient, the stimulation parameter set comprising a signal frequency value of the electrical stimulation signal, select one of the plurality of amplitude ramp schedules based on the signal frequency value of the stimulation parameter set, and increase an amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal during a ramp period defined by the selected amplitude ramp schedule.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the ramp period defined by the ramp schedule is longer for higher signal frequency values than lower signal frequency values.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the ramp schedule defines a rate of increasing the amplitude; and

the rate is lower for higher signal frequency values than lower signal frequency values.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a therapy module configured to deliver the electrical stimulation signal to a patient.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the therapy module is configured to deliver the electrical stimulation signal to the patient when the at least one processor increases the amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one processor is configured to select a pulse width ramp schedule based on the amplitude ramp schedule and decrease a pulse width of the electrical stimulation signal while the amplitude is increased during the ramp period.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the signal frequency value is a pulse frequency, and wherein the stimulation parameter set comprises the pulse frequency, an electrode configuration, a pulse width, and a target amplitude.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the stimulation parameter set comprises a starting amplitude;

the starting amplitude is lower than a target amplitude; and

the ramping schedule defines a rate of increasing the amplitude from the starting amplitude to the target amplitude.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the signal frequency value is between approximately 1,000 Hz and 10,000 Hz; and

the ramp period is between approximately one minute and 8 hours.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising an implantable medical device comprising at least one of the memory and the at least one processor.

21. The system of claim 11, further comprising an external programmer comprising at least one of the memory and the at least one processor.

22. An implantable medical device comprising:

a memory configured to store a plurality of amplitude ramp schedules; and

at least one processor configured to obtain a stimulation parameter set that at least partially defines an electrical stimulation signal deliverable to a patient, the stimulation parameter set comprising a signal frequency value of the electrical stimulation signal, select one of the plurality of amplitude ramp schedules based on the signal frequency value of the stimulation parameter set, and increase an amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal during a ramp period defined by the selected amplitude ramp schedule.

23. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that cause at least one processor to:

obtain a stimulation parameter set that at least partially defines an electrical stimulation signal deliverable to a patient, the stimulation parameter set comprising a signal frequency value of the electrical stimulation signal;

select an amplitude ramp schedule based on the signal frequency value of the stimulation parameter set; and

increase an amplitude of the electrical stimulation signal during a ramp period defined by the selected amplitude ramp schedule.