IMPLANTABLE PRESSURE SENSOR WITH AUTOMATIC MEASUREMENT AND STORAGE CAPABILITIES

• US 20090312650A1
• Filed: 05/12/2009
• Published: 12/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Huelskamp, Paul J., Chavan, Abhijeet V., Maile, Keith R.
• Application Number:
  US12/464,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312650A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/486
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0209 adapted for power saving
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02108 from analysis of pulse wave characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/076 Permanent implantations telemetry using implanted circuitry A61B5/0031; implanted stimulators for therapy A61N1/3605, A61N1/362, A61N1/372
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7285 for synchronising or triggering a physiological measurement or image acquisition with a physiological event or waveform, e.g. an ECG signal A61B6/5205, A61B6/541, A61B8/5207, A61B8/543 take precedence

Abstract

Methods for activating implantable medical devices within a patient'"'"'s body are disclosed. An illustrative method includes activating an implantable medical device from a low-power state to an awake state in response to a scheduled time event, sensing one or more pressure measurements within the body, computing an average pressure measurement based on the sensed pressure measurements, storing the average pressure measurement within a memory of the implantable medical device, and then returning the device to the low-power state. A triggering event such as the detection of patient activity or motion can also be used to activate the implantable medical device between the low-power state and an active state.

Claims

1. A method carried out by an implantable medical device located within a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:

activating the implantable medical device from a low-power state to an awake state at a scheduled time event programmed within the implantable medical device;

sensing one or more pressure measurements within a pulmonary artery;

computing an average pressure measurement of the pulmonary artery pressure over one or more cardiac cycles based on the one or more sensed pressure measurements;

storing the average pressure measurement within a memory of the implantable medical device;

transmitting the average pressure measurement to a remote device in wireless communication with the implantable medical device; and

returning the implantable medical device to the low-power state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the average pressure measurement occurs at a scheduled time subsequent to taking the pressure measurement.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the average pressure measurement occurs in response to a signal from the remote device.

4. A method carried out by an implantable medical device located within a patient'"'"'s body, the method comprising:

activating the implantable medical device from a low-power state to an awake state at a scheduled time event programmed within the implantable medical device;

sensing one or more pressure measurements within the body;

computing an average pressure measurement based at least in part on the one or more sensed pressure measurements;

storing the average pressure measurement and a timing marker associated with the average pressure measurement within a memory of the implantable medical device; and

returning the implantable medical device to the low-power state.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising transmitting the average pressure measurement to a remote device in wireless communication with the implantable medical device.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein only timing circuitry within the implantable medical device is activated in the low-power state.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein sensing one or more pressure measurements within the body includes sensing a plurality of pressure measurements over a physiological cycle.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the physiological cycle is a cardiac cycle, and wherein sensing a plurality of pressure measurements includes sensing a pressure waveform associated with the cardiac cycle.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein computing an average pressure measurement includes computing an average pressure during the physiological cycle.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein computing an average pressure measurement includes computing a minimum or maximum measurement of the pressure during the physiological cycle.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein computing an average pressure measurement includes computing a peak to peak measurement of the pressure during the physiological cycle.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein computing an average pressure measurement includes computing an rms measurement of the pressure during the physiological cycle.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein computing an average pressure measurement includes computing an average pressure measurement across multiple physiological cycles.

14. The method of claim 4, further comprising taking an activity or posture measurement and associating the activity or posture measurement with the timing marker.

15. The method of claim 4, further comprising taking a body temperature measurement and associating the body temperature measurement with the timing marker.

16. The method of claim 4, further comprising activating the implantable medical device from a low-power state to an awake state based on a predetermined event programmed within the implantable medical device.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined event is a respiration rate event.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined event is a pulmonary artery pressure event.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined event is a temperature event.

20. A remote sensor for sensing pressure within a patient'"'"'s body, comprising:

a power supply adapted to supply power to one or more components of the remote sensor;

a memory unit;

communication circuitry configured to transmit and receive information;

pressure sensing circuitry configured to sense pressure measurements within the body;

timing circuitry configured to activate the sensing circuitry from a low-power state to an active state at a scheduled time period based on one or more timing parameters stored in the memory unit; and

a processor adapted to compute an average pressure measurement based on pressure measurements sensed by the pressure sensing circuitry.