Remote detection of physiological parameter using an implantable medical device

• US 9,381,358 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2015
• Issued: 07/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Ternes, David J., Baker, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wieland, Robert N
• Application Number:
  US14/590,480
• Publication Number:
  US 20150127067A1
• Time in Patent Office: 546 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3605 Implantable neurostimulators for stimulating central or peripheral nerve system
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36053 adapted for vagal stimulation A61N1/36114 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36114 Cardiac control, e.g. by vagal stimulation stimulating the heart A61N1/362
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36139 with automatic adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36146 specified by the stimulation parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/70 relating to mental therapies, e.g. psychological therapy or autogenous training
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A system embodiment for stimulating a neural target comprises a neural stimulator, a pace detector, and a controller. The neural stimulator is electrically connected to at least one electrode, and is configured to deliver a neural stimulation signal through the at least one electrode to stimulate the neural target. The pace detector is configured to use at least one electrode to sense cardiac activity and distinguish paced cardiac activity in the sensed cardiac activity from non-paced cardiac activity in the sensed cardiac activity. The controller is configured to control a programmed neural stimulation therapy using the neural stimulator and using detected paced cardiac activity as an input for the neural stimulation therapy.

Claims

1. A method for operating an implanted neural stimulation device where the implanted neural stimulator includes both a neural stimulator lead and sensing electrodes that are implanted and where the sensing electrodes of the implanted neural stimulation device are used for sensing cardiac activity when the sensing electrodes are in a position remote from a heart, the method comprising:

implementing a neural stimulation therapy stored in the implanted neural stimulation device including delivering the neural stimulation therapy through the neural stimulator lead, wherein the neural stimulation therapy includes a programmed intermittent neural stimulation with a programmed duty cycle for cycling between programmed stimulation ON time periods and programmed stimulation OFF time periods, each of the programmed stimulation ON time periods including a programmed train of pulses followed by the stimulation OFF time period; and

monitoring cardiac activity, including remotely detecting cardiac activity using the sensing electrodes when the sensing electrodes are in the position remote from the heart to detect heart rate during implementation of the neural stimulation therapy.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein delivering the neural stimulation therapy includes delivering electrical stimulation to a vagus nerve.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein delivering electrical stimulation to a vagus nerve includes using a structure configured to be positioned around the vagus nerve to operably position stimulation electrodes for use to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring cardiac activity includes averaging heart rate over periods of time during the implementation of the neural stimulation therapy.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring cardiac activity includes trending heart rate.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing diagnostic information using the monitored cardiac activity.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensing electrodes include an electrode on a can of the implanted neural stimulation device.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the implanted neural stimulation device has a lead antenna, and the sensing electrodes include an electrode on the lead antenna.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein detecting cardiac activity includes detecting a change in heart rate during the ON portion of the programmed duty cycle.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring cardiac activity includes using the sensing electrodes to detect an electrocardiogram.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring cardiac activity includes detecting an arrhythmia.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein monitoring cardiac activity includes detecting heart rate variability (HRV).

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

implementing a neural stimulation therapy includes implementing a vagal nerve stimulation therapy, the vagal nerve stimulation therapy including a programmed duty cycle, the programmed duty cycle including a stimulation ON portion followed by a stimulation OFF portion; and

monitoring cardiac activity includes remotely detecting cardiac activity using the sensing electrodes to detect heart rate during implementation of the vagal nerve stimulation therapy.

14. The method of claim 13, monitoring cardiac activity includes:

trending heart rate for stimulation ON portions of the programmed duty cycle and trending heart rate for stimulation OFF Portions of the duty cycle;

or

trending atrioventricular (AV) delay for stimulation ON portions of the programmed duty cycle and trending AV delay for stimulation OFF Portions of the duty cycle;

or

trending heart rate variability (HRV) for stimulation ON portions of the programmed duty cycle and trending HRV for stimulation OFF Portions of the duty cycle.

15. An implantable neural stimulation device, comprising:

a neural stimulator lead;

sensing electrodes for sensing cardiac activity when the sensing electrodes are in a position remote from a heart;

a neural stimulator configured to deliver a neural stimulation therapy through the neural stimulator lead; and

a controller, wherein as part of the implantable neural stimulation device the lead, the sensing electrodes, the neural stimulator and the controller are implantable, the controller configured to;

implement the neural stimulation therapy to deliver the neural stimulation therapy through the neural stimulation lead, the neural stimulation therapy being stored in the implantable neural stimulation device, wherein the neural stimulation therapy includes a programmed intermittent stimulation with a programmed duty cycle for cycling between stimulation ON time periods and stimulation OFF time periods, each of the programmed stimulation ON time periods including a programmed train of pules followed by the stimulation OFF time period; and

monitor cardiac activity, including remotely detect cardiac activity using the sensing electrodes when the sensing electrodes are in the position remote from the heart to detect heart rate during implementation of the neural stimulation therapy.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the sensing electrodes include an electrode on a can of the implanted neural stimulation device.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein the implanted neural stimulation device has a lead antenna, and the sensing electrodes include an electrode on the lead antenna.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to use the sensing electrodes to:

detect a change in heart rate during the ON portion of the programmed duty cycle;

detect an electrocardiogram;

detect an arrhythmia;

or

detect heart rate variability (HRV).

19. The device of claim 15, wherein the neural stimulation therapy includes a vagus nerve stimulation therapy.

20. An implantable medical device, comprising:

an accelerometer;

a neural stimulator configured to deliver neural stimulation to a neural target; and

a controller, wherein as part of the implantable medical device the accelerometer, the neural stimulator and the controller are implantable, the controller configured to use the accelerometer to sense a physiological parameter, and deliver a programmed neural stimulation therapy using the neural stimulator and using the sensed physiological parameter as an input to the programmed neural stimulation therapy, wherein the physiological parameter is a respiration parameter and the controller is configured to use the respiration parameter to detect apnea, or a respiration rate, or an estimated flow.