Method and apparatus for displaying a graphical impedance history for output channels of a lead

• US 9,610,449 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cirtec Medical Corp.
• Original Assignee: Nuvectra Corporation
• Inventors: Kaula, Norbert, Iyassu, Yohannes
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): GHAND, JENNIFER LEIGH-STEWAR
• Application Number:
  US14/279,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20140343629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36185 Selection of the electrode configuration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0484 for the control of specific functions or operations, e.g. selecting or manipulating an object, an image or a displayed text element, setting a parameter value or selecting a range
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0485 Scrolling or panning
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/50 for simulation or modelling of medical disorders
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Impedance information of an implantable medical device is displayed. One or more impedance values are received over a period of time for a plurality of channels. The channels may each include an electrode contact on an implantable lead. A graph is displayed that illustrates a variation of the impedance values over at least a portion of the period of time for one or more of the channels. A visual landscape that is representative of the impedance values for the plurality of channels is also displayed.

Claims

1. A method of displaying impedance information of an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of impedance values over a period of time for each of a plurality of channels, wherein the channels each include an electrode contact on an implantable lead;

determining, from the plurality of impedance values, a respective worst case impedance value during the period of time for each of the channels, wherein the respective worst case impedance value is an impedance value that has a greatest amount of deviation from either a specified upper threshold or a specified lower threshold;

displaying, via a graphical user interface of a clinician programmer, a graph that illustrates a variation of the impedance values over at least a portion of the period of time for one or more of the channels; and

displaying, via the graphical user interface of the clinician programmer, a visual landscape that is representative of the respective worst case impedance value for each of the plurality of channels.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the displaying of the visual landscape comprises displaying a plurality of icons that are each associated with a respective one of the channels; and

a visual characteristic of each of the icons indicates an impedance value range within which the respective worst case impedance value of the channel associated with the icon falls.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the graph comprises displaying, concurrently on the graph:

a first plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a first one of the channels over the period of time; and

a second plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a second one of the channels over the period of time.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, separately from the displaying of the visual landscape, the impedance values for at least a subset of the channels, wherein each of the impedance values is measured with respect to one of;

electrical ground and each of the rest of the channels in the subset.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying a window showing one or more user-configurable settings for generating an electrical pulse used to perform impedance measurements for the plurality of channels.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the displaying of the graph is performed such that the graph includes a X-axis representing time and a Y-axis representing impedance, and wherein at least one of the X-axis and the Y-axis is zoom-able or scrollable.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

automatically generating an alert when the worst case impedance value for one of the channels is outside of a predefined range.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving of the plurality of impedance values and the determining the worst case impedance value are performed via the clinician programmer.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, separately from the displaying of the graph and the visual landscape, the impedance values for at least a subset of the channels, the impedance values being measured with respect to a source channel.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the visual landscape comprises different colors.

11. An electronic device for displaying impedance information of an implantable medical device, the electronic device comprising:

a touch-sensitive graphical user interface;

a memory storage component configured to store programming code; and

a computer processor configured to execute the programming code to perform the following tasks;

receiving a plurality of impedance values over a period of time for each of a plurality of channels, wherein the channels each include an electrode contact on an implantable lead;

determining, from the plurality of impedance values, a respective worst case impedance value during the period of time for each of the channels, wherein the respective worst case impedance value is an impedance value that has a greatest amount of deviation from either a specified upper threshold or a specified lower threshold;

displaying, via the touch-sensitive graphical user interface, a graph that illustrates a variation of the impedance values over at least a portion of the period of time for one or more of the plurality of channels; and

displaying, via the touch-sensitive graphical user interface, a visual landscape that is representative of the respective worst case impedance values for each of the plurality of channels.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein:

the displaying of the visual landscape comprises displaying a plurality of icons that are each associated with a respective one of the channels; and

a visual characteristic of each of the icons indicates an impedance value range within which the respective worse case impedance value of the channel associated with the icon falls.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the displaying of the graph comprises displaying, concurrently on the graph:

a first plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a first one of the channels over the period of time; and

a second plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a second one of the channels over the period of time.

14. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the tasks further comprise:

displaying, separately from the displaying of the visual landscape, the impedance values for at least a subset of the channels, wherein each of the impedance values is measured with respect to one of;

electrical ground and each of the rest of the channels in the subset;

displaying a window showing one or more user-configurable settings for generating an electrical pulse used to perform impedance measurements for the plurality of channels; and

automatically generating an alert when the worst case impedance value for one of the channels is outside of a predefined range.

15. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the displaying of the graph is performed such that the graph includes a X-axis representing time and a Y-axis representing impedance, and wherein at least one of the X-axis and the Y-axis is zoom-able or scrollable.

16. A medical system, comprising:

an implantable lead configured to deliver electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more of a plurality of channels located on the implantable lead; and

a portable electronic programmer on which a graphical user interface is implemented, wherein, via the graphical user interface, the portable electronic programmer is configured to;

receive a plurality of impedance values over a period of time for each of the plurality of channels;

determining, from the plurality of impedance values, a respective worst case impedance value during the period of time for each of the channels, wherein the respective worst case impedance value is an impedance value that has a greatest amount of deviation from either a specified upper threshold or a specified lower threshold;

display, via the graphical user interface, a graph that illustrates a variation of the impedance values over at least a portion of the period of time for one or more of the plurality of channels; and

display, via the graphical user interface, a visual landscape that is representative of the respective worst case impedance values for each of the plurality of channels.

17. The medical system of claim 16, wherein:

the visual landscape includes a plurality of icons that are each associated with a respective one of the channels; and

a visual characteristic of each of the icons indicates an impedance value range within which the respective worst case impedance value of the channel associated with the icon falls.

18. The medical system of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is configured to display, concurrently on the graph:

a first plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a first one of the channels over the period of time; and

a second plot representing the variation of the impedance values for a second one of the channels over the period of time.

19. The medical system of claim 16, wherein the graphical user interface is further configured to:

display, separately from the visual landscape, the impedance values for at least a subset of the channels, wherein each of the impedance values is measured with respect to one of;

electrical ground and each of the rest of the channels in the subset;

display a window showing one or more user-configurable settings for generating an electrical pulse used to perform impedance measurements for the plurality of channels; and

automatically generate an alert when the worst case impedance value for one of the channels is outside of a predefined range.

20. The medical system of claim 16, wherein the graph includes a X-axis representing time and a Y-axis representing impedance, and wherein at least one of the X-axis and the Y-axis is zoom-able or scrollable.