Implantable therapy system with external component having multiple operating modes

• US 8,140,167 B2
• Filed: 11/20/2007
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EnteroMedics, Inc. (ReShape LifeSciences, Inc.)
• Inventors: Donders, Adrianus, Stultz, Mark Raymond, Weijand, Koen Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stice, Paula J
• Application Number:
  US11/943,069
• Publication Number:
  US 20080300656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: 607 60- 61
• US Class Current: 607/60
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0556 Cuff electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0558 Anchoring or fixation means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36007 of urogenital or gastrointestinal organs, e.g. for incontinence control
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37229 Shape or location of the implanted or external antenna
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3752 Details of casing-lead connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3787 from an external energy source

Abstract

A therapy system for applying an electrical signal to an internal anatomical feature of a patient includes an implantable component and an external component. The external component can be configured into one of multiple selectable operating modes. The therapy system also may include a first external antenna configured to communicate with the implantable component and a second external antenna configured to communicate with the implantable component. Plugging one of the external antennas into the external component automatically configures the external component into one of the operating modes.

Claims

1. A system for applying therapy to an internal anatomical feature of a patient comprising:

at least one electrode configured to be implanted within a body of the patient beneath a skin layer and placed at the anatomical feature, the electrode also configured to apply therapy to the anatomical feature upon application of a signal to the electrode;

an implantable component for placement in the body of the patient beneath the skin layer, the implantable component being configured to generate the signal and to transmit the signal to the electrode, the implantable component being coupled to an implanted antenna;

an external component including an external antenna configured to be placed above the skin layer and adapted to communicate with the implanted antenna across the skin layer through radiofrequency communication, the external component having at least three operating modes selected from a group consisting of an operating room mode, a programming mode, a therapy delivery mode, a charging mode, and a diagnostic mode, each operating mode being associated with a different set of operations available for selection by a user.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the external component includes a first user interface configured to receive user input including a selection of one of the operating modes.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the external component defines at least a first port and the external antenna is coupled to the external component at the first port.

4. The system of claim 3, further comprising an external power source configured to be received at the first port, wherein the external component receives power from the external power source when the external power source is received at the first port, and wherein the external power source cannot be received at the first port when the external antenna is received at the first port.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the external component is configured to transmit at least some of the power received from the external power source to the implantable component.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external programmer configured to communicatively couple to the external component at a second port, the external programmer being configured to provide therapy instructions to the external component, wherein the external component is configured to send the therapy instructions to the implantable component via the external antenna and the implanted antenna.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the external programmer includes a personal computer.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the external programmer is configured to obtain patient data stored on the external component, the external component having received the patient data from the implantable component.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the external component is adapted to be configured into a programming mode when the external programmer is coupled to the external component at the second port, wherein the external component does not provide power to the implantable component when configured in the programming mode.

10. A therapy system for applying therapy to an internal anatomical feature of a patient, the system comprising:

an implantable component configured to be implanted within the body of the patient beneath a skin layer, the implantable component configured to deliver therapy to the internal anatomical feature;

an implanted antenna implanted within the body of the patient and coupled to the implantable component;

a first external antenna configured to communicate with the implanted antenna across the skin layer;

a second external antenna configured to communicate with the implanted antenna across the skin layer; and

an external component defining a first port configured to receive either the first external antenna or the second external antenna, the external component being configured to communicate with the implantable component by sending communication signals between the received external antenna and the implanted antenna, the external component being adapted to be configured into at least two different operating modes, each operating mode being associated with different operation instructions for the implantable component, wherein a first of the operating modes is associated with the first external antenna and a second of the operating modes is associated with the second external antenna such that plugging one of the external antennas into the first port automatically configures the external component into the associated operating mode.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising at least one electrode configured to be implanted within a body of the patient and arranged adjacent the anatomical feature, the electrode being configured to apply therapy to the anatomical feature upon receipt of an electrical signal at the electrode, the electrical signal having been generated at the implantable component.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first external antenna has a cable extending along a first length and the second external antenna has a cable extending along a second length that is longer than the first length.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second length of the cable of the second external antenna is sufficient to enable the external component to be located outside a sterile area in an operating room when the second external antenna is received at the first port of the external component and aligned with the implanted antenna.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the second external antenna is associated with an operating room mode.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the operating room mode enables a physician to conduct a plurality of system and patient response tests.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the second external antenna includes a resistor, which can be recognized by the external component when the second antenna is received at the first port.