Method and apparatus for programming an implantable medical device
First Claim
1. A system for establishing therapy parameters of an implantable medical device comprising in combination:
- (a) at least one implantable lead;
(b) an external neural stimulator capable of being coupled to the implantable lead to provide stimulation energy to the lead in accordance with the initial therapy parameters;
(c) a programmer having a user interface to allow entry of the therapy parameters by a user, and (d) a bi-directional communications link between the programmer and the external neural stimulator to enable the programmer to program the external neural simulator with the therapy parameters via the bi-directional communications link and to enable the external neural stimulator to provide final therapy parameter settings to the programmer, whereby the programmer may then program an implantable neural stimulator using the final therapy parameters.
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Abstract
A method and system for programming settings of a medical device surgically implanted within a body of a patient. The system comprises a physician programmer, a patient programmer, an external neural stimulator, and a telemetry component being in communication with the implanted medical device, the external neural stimulator, and the physician programmer. The implantable medical device may be programmed using a two-phase process, a screening phase and an implant phase. During the screening phase, the physician and patient programmers may be used to roughly test the parameters of the stimulation to determine that the treatment therapy is efficacious. During the implant phase, the same physician and patient programmers may be used to fine tune the parameters of the stimulation.
142 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A system for establishing therapy parameters of an implantable medical device comprising in combination:
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(a) at least one implantable lead;
(b) an external neural stimulator capable of being coupled to the implantable lead to provide stimulation energy to the lead in accordance with the initial therapy parameters;
(c) a programmer having a user interface to allow entry of the therapy parameters by a user, and (d) a bi-directional communications link between the programmer and the external neural stimulator to enable the programmer to program the external neural simulator with the therapy parameters via the bi-directional communications link and to enable the external neural stimulator to provide final therapy parameter settings to the programmer, whereby the programmer may then program an implantable neural stimulator using the final therapy parameters. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A programmer for establishing therapy parameters of an implantable medical device comprising in combination:
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(a) a user interface to allow entry of the therapy parameters by a user; and
(b) a bi-directional communications interface for communicating with the an external neural stimulator to enable the programmer to program the external neural simulator with the therapy parameters and to enable the external neural stimulator to provide final therapy parameter settings to the programmer, whereby the programmer may then program an implantable neural stimulator using the final therapy parameters. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An external neural stimulator for providing stimulation energy to at least one implanted lead in accordance with therapy parameters comprising in combination:
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(a) an interface for coupling the external neural stimulator to the implanted lead; and
(b) a bi-directional communications interface for communicating with a programmer to enable the programmer to program the external neural simulator with the therapy parameters and to enable the external neural stimulator to provide final therapy parameter settings to the programmer, whereby the programmer may then program an implantable neural stimulator using the final therapy parameters.
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17. A method of establishing initial therapy parameters of an implantable medical device comprising the steps of:
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(a) implanting at least one lead having a distal end, wherein the distal end of the lead is near at a predetermined portion of a body;
(b) coupling a proximal end of the lead to an external neural stimulator;
(c) establishing a bi-directional communications link between the external neural stimulator and a programmer;
(d) programming by the programmer the external neural stimulator with therapy parameters; and
(e) providing final therapy parameters to the programmer from the external neural stimulator, whereby the programmer may then program an implantable neural stimulator using the final therapy parameters. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A medical system for providing electrical treatment therapy to a patient comprising in combination:
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(a) at least one implantable lead delivering treatment therapy to the patient;
(b) an external neural stimulator having a first interface for coupling to the implanted lead for providing stimulation energy to the lead and a first bi-directional communications interface;
(c) an implantable neural stimulator capable of being implanted within a body of a patient and having an second interface for coupling to the implanted lead for providing stimulation energy to the lead and a second bi-directional communications interface;
(d) a physician programmer having a first user interface to allow entry of therapy parameters by a user and a third bi-directional communications interface for communicating with the external and implantable neural stimulators to enable the physician programmer to program the external and implantable neural simulators with the therapy parameters and to enable the external and implantable neural stimulators to provide therapy parameter settings back to the physician programmer; and
(e) a patient programmer having a second user interface to allow entry of therapy parameters by a user and a fourth bi-directional communications interface for communicating with the external and implantable neural stimulators to enable the patient programmer to program the external and implantable neural simulators with the therapy parameters and to enable the external and implantable neural stimulators to provide therapy parameter settings back to the patient.
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Specification