DEFINING THERAPY PARAMETER VALUES FOR POSTURE STATES

• US 20100010580A1
• 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., Gokaldas, Shyam, Nolan, Joseph J., Sahasrabudhe, Rajeev
• Granted Patent: US 8,751,011 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7435 Displaying user selection data, e.g. icons in a graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36135 using physiological parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36542 controlled by body motion, e.g. acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• 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 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

The disclosure is directed towards posture-responsive therapy. To avoid interruptions in effective therapy, an implantable medical device may include a posture state module that detects the posture state of the patient and automatically adjusts therapy parameter values according to the detected posture state. A system may include an external programmer comprising a user interface that receives user input defining therapy parameter values for delivery of therapy to a patient, and user input associating one or more of the therapy parameter values with a plurality of posture states based on user input, a processor that automatically defines therapy parameter values for delivery of therapy to a patient when the patient occupies the posture states based on the association, and an implantable medical device that delivers the therapy to the patient in response to detection of the posture states.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

defining a plurality of posture states for a patient;

defining therapy parameter values for at least some of the posture states;

receiving patient input indicating a value for a previously undefined therapy parameter value for one of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture state or transitioning to the respective posture state; and

defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on the patient input.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the previously undefined therapy parameter value comprises at least one of an amplitude value, a pulse width value, a pulse rate value, an electrode combination, or an electrode polarity.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising requesting that the patient confirm that the previously undefined therapy parameter value should be defined for the respective posture state based on the patient input, and defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on both the patient input and the patient confirmation.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the previously undefined therapy parameter comprises automatically defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting the respective posture state of the patient; and

delivering therapy to the patient using the therapy parameter value defined based on the patient input in response to the detection.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein delivering therapy comprises delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient via an implantable medical device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving patient input indicating values for a plurality of previously undefined therapy parameter value for a plurality of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture states or transitioning to the respective posture states; and

defining the previously undefined therapy parameter values for each of the respective posture states based on the patient input.

8. An external programmer for an implantable medical device, the programmer comprising:

a memory that stores a definition of a plurality of posture states for a patient and a definition of therapy parameter values for at least some of the posture states;

a user interface that receives patient input indicating a value for a previously undefined therapy parameter value for one of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture state or transitioning to the respective posture state; and

a processor that defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on the patient input.

9. The external programmer of claim 8, wherein the previously undefined therapy parameter value comprises at least one of an amplitude value, a pulse width value, a pulse rate value, an electrode combination, or an electrode polarity.

10. The external programmer of claim 8, wherein the user interface generates a request that the patient confirm that the previously undefined therapy parameter value should be defined for the respective posture state based on the patient input, and the processor defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on both the patient input and the patient confirmation.

11. The external programmer of claim 8, wherein the processor automatically defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state.

12. The external programmer of claim 8, wherein the programmer programs the implantable medical device to detect the respective posture state of the patient, and deliver electrical stimulation therapy to the patient using the therapy parameter value defined based on the patient input in response to the detection.

13. The external programmer of claim 8, wherein the user interface receives patient input indicating values for a plurality of previously undefined therapy parameter values for a plurality of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture states or transitioning to the respective posture states, and the processor defines the previously undefined therapy parameter values for each of the respective posture states based on the patient input.

14. A system comprising:

a memory that stores a definition of a plurality of posture states for a patient and a definition of therapy parameter values for at least some of the posture states;

an external programmer comprising a user interface that receives patient input indicating a value for a previously undefined therapy parameter value for one of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture state or transitioning to the respective posture state;

a processor that defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on the patient input; and

an implantable medical device that detects the posture states, and delivers therapy to the patient input using the therapy parameter values defined for the detected posture states.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the previously undefined therapy parameter value comprises at least one of an amplitude value, a pulse width value, a pulse rate value, an electrode combination, or an electrode polarity.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface generates a request that the patient confirm that the previously undefined therapy parameter value should be defined for the respective posture state based on the patient input, and the processor defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on both the patient input and the patient confirmation.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the processor automatically defines the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the programmer programs the implantable medical device to deliver therapy to the patient using the therapy parameter values defined for the posture states.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the user interface receives patient input indicating values for a plurality of previously undefined therapy parameter value for a plurality of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture states or transitioning to the respective posture states, and the processor defines the previously undefined therapy parameter values for each of the respective posture states based on the patient input.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the implantable medical device comprises the processor.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the external programmer comprises the processor.

22. The system of claim 14, wherein the external programmer comprises at least one of a patient programmer or a clinician programmer.

23. The system of claim 14, wherein the therapy delivered by the implantable medical device comprises electrical stimulation therapy.

24. A system comprising:

means for defining a plurality of posture states for a patient;

means for defining therapy parameter values for at least some of the posture states;

means for receiving patient input indicating a value for a previously undefined therapy parameter value for one of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture state or transitioning to the respective posture state; and

means for defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on the patient input.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the previously undefined therapy parameter value comprises at least one of an amplitude value, a pulse width value, a pulse rate value, an electrode combination, or an electrode polarity.

26. The system of claim 24, further comprising means for requesting that the patient confirm that the previously undefined therapy parameter value should be defined for the respective posture state based on the patient input, and means for defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state based on both the patient input and the patient confirmation.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for defining the previously undefined therapy parameter comprises means for automatically defining the previously undefined therapy parameter value for the respective posture state.

28. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for detecting the respective posture state of the patient; and

means for delivering therapy to the patient using the therapy parameter value defined based on the patient input in response to the detection.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for delivering therapy comprises means for delivering electrical stimulation therapy to the patient via an implantable medical device.

30. The system of claim 24, further comprising:

means for receiving patient input indicating values for a plurality of previously undefined therapy parameter value for a plurality of the defined posture states while the patient is in the respective posture states or transitioning to the respective posture states; and

means for defining the previously undefined therapy parameter values for each of the respective posture states based on the patient input.