Multimodal neurostimulation systems and methods

• US 9,452,288 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Issued: 09/27/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Boston Scientific Neuromodulation Corporation (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Schleicher, Brett D, Whitehurst, Todd, Carbunaru, Rafael, Jaax, Kristen, DiGiore, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Koharski, Christopher D
• Assistant Examiner(s): So, Elizabeth K
• Application Number:
  US11/951,987
• Publication Number:
  US 20090149917A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,218 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/12 by passing a current through the tissue to be heated, e.g. high-frequency current
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36017 with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3625 External stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37211 Means for communicating with stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37241 providing test stimulations
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37288 Communication to several implantable medical devices within one patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3904 External heart defibrillators [EHD]

Abstract

A system for performing a neurostimulation trial comprises an external trial stimulator capable of delivering stimulation energy to a plurality of electrodes carried by one or more stimulation leads. The external trial stimulator is configurable to operate in a plurality of stimulation energy delivery modes to respectively emulate one of different neurostimulator types. The system may further comprise a programmer capable of configuring the external trial stimulator to operate in one of the stimulation energy delivery modes. The programmer may be capable of generating a first programming screen capable of allowing a first set of stimulation parameters to be defined for the first neurostimulator type, and a second programming screen capable of allowing a second set of stimulation parameters to be defined for a second neurostimulator type.

Claims

1. A programmer for multimodal neurostimulator, comprising:

a user interface having a monitor and an input device;

a processor capable of generating a first programming screen for a first neurostimulator type for display on the monitor, and generating a second programming screen for a second neurostimulator type for display on the monitor;

wherein the first programming screen is capable of allowing a first set of stimulation parameters to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen is capable of allowing a second set of stimulation parameters to be defined for the second neurostimulator type; and

output circuitry for transmitting the first and second stimulation parameter sets.

2. A system for performing a neurostimulation trial, comprising:

one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes; and

an external trial stimulator capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes carried by the one or more stimulation leads, wherein the external trial stimulator is configurable to operate in a plurality of stimulation energy delivery modes to respectively emulate one of different neurostimulator types; and

the programmer of claim 1.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant voltage when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant current when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein external trial stimulator is capable of independently delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of uniformly delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over multiple channels when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over a single channel when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein external trial stimulator is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a multipolar manner when reconfigured to operate in a first one of the stimulation energy delivery modes, and is capable of delivering stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a monopolar manner when reconfigured to operate in a second one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the programmer is capable of reconfiguring the external trial stimulator to operate in one of the stimulation energy delivery modes.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the external trial stimulator is capable of modifying the stimulation energy delivered to the plurality of electrodes during emulation of each of the different implantable neurostimulator types, and wherein the programmer is capable of controlling the modification of the stimulation energy.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmer is capable of performing a therapeutic comparative analysis between the different neurostimulator types based on the emulation of the different neurostimulator types by the external trial stimulator.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmer is capable of wirelessly reconfiguring the external trial stimulator.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the programmer is capable of reconfiguring the external trial stimulator in response to a user entry.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the one or more stimulation leads are not directly matable to the external trial stimulator, the system further comprising a lead adapter capable of mating the one or more stimulation leads to the external trial stimulator.

13. The system of claim 2, wherein the external trial stimulator is capable of delivering ablation energy to the plurality of electrodes, and wherein the programmer is capable of initiating delivery of the ablation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes.

14. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the first programming screen only allows a stimulation current value to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a stimulation voltage value to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

15. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the first programming screen allows stimulation amplitude values to be independently defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a stimulation amplitude value to be uniformly defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

16. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the first programming screen allows multiple channels to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a single channel to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

17. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the first programming screen allows a multipolar configuration to be defined via the input device for the first neurostimulator type, and the second programming screen only allows a monopolar configuration to be defined via the input device for the second neurostimulator type.

18. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the processor is capable of generating a therapeutic ablation screen for display on the monitor, and wherein the therapeutic ablation screen allows a set of ablation parameters to be defined via the input device for an ablation device.

19. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the processor is capable of generating a drug delivery programming screen for display on the monitor, and wherein drug delivery programming screen allows a set of drug delivery parameters to be defined via the input device for a drug delivery device.

20. The programmer of claim 1, wherein the output circuitry comprises telemetry circuitry.

21. A method of performing a neurostimulation trial using the programmer of claim 1, comprising:

introducing one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes into a patient;

coupling an external trial stimulator to the one or more stimulation leads;

configuring the external trial stimulator to emulate a first neurostimulator type using the programmer while delivering stimulation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes; and

configuring the external trial stimulator to emulate a second neurostimulator type using the programmer while delivering stimulation energy from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the external trial stimulator is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant voltage to emulate the first neurostimulator type, and is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes at a constant current to emulate the second neurostimulator type.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the external trial stimulator is operated to independently deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes to emulate the first neurostimulator type, and is operated to uniformly deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes to emulate the second neurostimulator type.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the external trial stimulator is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over a multiple of channels to emulate the first neurostimulator type, and is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes over a single channel to emulate the second neurostimulator type.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the external trial stimulator is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a multipolar manner to emulate the first neurostimulator type, and is operated to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrodes in a monopolar manner to emulate the second neurostimulator type.

26. The method of claim 21, further comprising modifying the stimulation energy delivered from the external trial stimulator to the plurality of electrodes during emulation of each of the first and second neurostimulator types.

27. The method of claim 21, further comprising performing a therapeutic comparative analysis between the first and second neurostimulator types based on the emulation of the first and second neurostimulator types by the external trial stimulators.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

selecting one of the first and second neurostimulator types based on the therapeutic comparative analysis; and

permanently implanting a neurostimulator corresponding to the selected neurostimulator type into the patient.