REORIENTATION OF PATIENT POSTURE STATES FOR POSTURE-RESPONSIVE THERAPY

• US 20100010383A1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Davis, Jon P., Skelton, Dennis M., Bourget, Dennis
• Granted Patent: US 8,708,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/587
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36021 for treatment of pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

In general, the disclosure relates to medical devices and systems configured to deliver posture-responsive therapy to a patient. For example, a medical system may detect a posture state of a patient and deliver therapy based at least in part on the detected patient posture state. In some examples, the system comprises a posture state sensor configured to generate first posture sensor data when a patient is in a first posture state. The system may further comprise a processor configured to define posture state reference data corresponding to the first posture state based at least in part on the first posture sensor data, and redefine the posture state reference data based on second posture data generated by the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving first posture sensor data from a posture state sensor when a patient is in a first posture state;

defining posture state reference data corresponding to the first posture state based at least in part on the first posture sensor data; and

redefining the posture state reference data based on second posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the posture state reference data defines at least one or a posture volume or posture area.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the posture volume comprises a posture cone, and wherein the posture state reference data includes a posture reference coordinate vector and a tolerance angle that define the posture cone.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the posture state reference data comprises a posture reference coordinate vector and at least one cosine value.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the posture volume comprises a posture donut, and wherein the posture state reference data includes a posture reference coordinate vector and at least one of a range of cosine values or range of angles that define the posture donut.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the posture state reference data includes a plurality of posture state reference vectors associated with the posture donut.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the posture state reference coordinate vector comprises a virtual posture state reference coordinate vector, the virtual posture state reference vector defined based at least in part on the plurality of posture state reference vectors associated with the posture donut.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating therapy information with the defined posture state reference data, and subsequently associating at least some of the therapy information with the redefined posture state reference data.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapy information comprises therapy objectification information and parameter information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the parameter information comprises different therapy parameter values for therapy delivered when the patient occupies different posture states.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapy information comprises one or more adjustments to posture state reference data made subsequent to defining the posture state reference data.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the therapy information comprises a tolerance value defined for the posture state reference data prior to redefining the posture state reference data,

wherein redefining the posture state reference data comprises redefining a posture reference coordinate vector, and

wherein subsequently associating the therapy information with the redefined posture state reference data comprises associating the tolerance value defined for the posture state reference data prior to redefining the posture state reference data with the redefined posture reference coordinate vector to redefine to the posture state reference data.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving the second posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the posture state of the patient based on the posture state reference data; and

delivering therapy to the patient from a medical device according to the detected posture state of the patient.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting that the posture state sensor has been disoriented after defining the posture state reference data, wherein redefining comprises redefining the posture state reference data in response to the detecting that the posture state sensor has been disoriented.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein detecting that the posture state sensor has been disoriented comprises automatically detecting that the posture state sensor has been disoriented based at least in part on posture sensor data received from the posture state sensor.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

delivering therapy to the patient from a medical device according to the posture state determined based on the posture state reference data; and

subsequently suspending the delivery of therapy to the patient in response to the detection that the posture state sensor has been disoriented, wherein the therapy delivery is suspended until the posture state reference data has been redefined.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the posture state reference data comprises first posture state reference data and the posture definition information comprises first posture state definition information, the method further comprising:

receiving third posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in a second posture state;

defining second posture state reference data corresponding to the second posture state based at least in part on the third posture sensor data; and

redefining the second posture state reference data.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the second posture state reference data is redefined based on fourth posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the second posture state.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the second posture state reference data is redefined based on the redefined first posture state reference data.

21. The method of claim 18, further comprising detecting the second posture state of the patient based on the second posture state reference data after the first posture reference data has been redefined.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

subsequently redefining the previously redefined posture state reference data based on third posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

23. A system comprising:

a posture state sensor configured to generate first posture sensor data when a patient is in a first posture state; and

a processor configured to define posture state reference data corresponding to the first posture state based at least in part on the first posture sensor data, and redefine the posture state reference data based on second posture data generated by the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the posture state reference data defines a posture volume.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the posture volume comprises a posture cone, and wherein the posture state reference data includes a posture coordinate vector and a tolerance angle that define the posture cone.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the posture state reference data comprises a posture reference coordinate vector and at least one cosine value.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the posture volume comprises a posture donut, and wherein the posture state reference data includes a posture reference coordinate vector and at least one of a range of cosine values or range of angles that define the posture donut.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the posture state reference data includes a plurality of posture state reference vectors associated with the posture donut.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the posture state reference coordinate vector comprises a virtual posture state reference coordinate vector, the virtual posture state reference vector defined based at least in part on the plurality of posture state reference vectors associated with the posture donut.

30. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor associates therapy information with the defined posture state reference data, and subsequently associates at least some of the therapy information with the redefined posture state reference data.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the therapy information comprises therapy objectification information and parameter information.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the parameter information comprises different therapy parameter values for therapy delivered when the patient occupies different posture states.

33. The system of claim 30, wherein the therapy information comprises one or more adjustments to posture state reference data made subsequent to defining the posture state reference data.

34. The system of claim 30, wherein the therapy information comprises a tolerance value defined for the posture state reference data prior to redefining the posture state reference data,

wherein the processor redefines a posture reference coordinate vector to redefine the posture state reference data, and associates the tolerance value defined for the posture state reference data prior to redefining the posture state reference data with the redefined posture reference coordinate vector to subsequently associate the therapy information with the redefined posture state reference data.

35. The system of claim 23, wherein the posture state sensor generates the second posture sensor data when the patient is in the first posture state.

36. The system of claim 23, further comprising a therapy module configured to deliver therapy to a patient according to a detected posture state of the patient,

wherein the processor detects the posture state of the patient based on the posture state reference data.

37. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor in configured to detect that the posture state sensor has been disoriented after defining the posture state reference data, wherein the processor redefines the posture state reference data in response to the detecting that the posture state sensor has been disoriented.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the processor automatically detects that the posture state sensor has been disoriented based at least in part on posture sensor data received from the posture state sensor.

39. The system of claim 37, further comprising a therapy module configured to deliver therapy to the patient according to the posture state detected by the processor based on the posture state reference data,

wherein the processor subsequently suspends the delivery of therapy to the patient from the therapy module in response to the detection that the posture state sensor has been disoriented, wherein the processor suspends delivery of the therapy until the posture state reference data has been redefined.

40. The system of claim 23, wherein the posture state reference data comprises first posture state reference data and the posture definition information comprises first posture state definition information,

wherein the processor is configured to receive third posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in a second posture state, define second posture state reference data corresponding to the second posture state based at least in part on the third posture sensor data, and redefine the second posture state reference data.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to redefine the second posture state reference data based on fourth posture sensor data received from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the second posture state.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to redefine the second posture state reference data based on the redefined first posture state reference data.

43. The system of claim 40, wherein the processor is configured to detect the second posture state of the patient based on the second posture state reference data after the first posture reference data has been redefined.

44. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor is configured to redefine the previously redefined posture state reference data based on third posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

45. The system of claim 23, wherein the processor resides in at least one of an implantable medical device or external programmer.

46. A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions for causing one or more processors to:

receive first posture sensor data from a posture state sensor when a patient is in a first posture state;

define posture state reference data corresponding to the first posture state based at least in part on the first posture sensor data; and

redefine the posture state reference data based on second posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.

47. A system comprising:

means for receiving first posture sensor data from means for sensing posture state data when a patient is in a first posture state;

means for defining posture state reference data corresponding to the first posture state based at least in part on the first posture sensor data; and

means for redefining the posture state reference data based on second posture sensor data from the posture state sensor when the patient is in the first posture state.