Medical device configuration based on sensed brain signals
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes of a medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient;
monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; and
adjusting the electrical stimulation delivered via the one or more electrodes based on the brain signals.
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Abstract
The invention is directed to techniques and systems in which external brain monitoring is used to facilitate implantation and configuration of an implantable medical device. The techniques may create an open loop or closed loop system in which brain signals quantify the efficacy of electrical logical stimulation (or drug therapy via an implantable drug pump) at locations outside of the brain. The techniques may be used to improve placement of leads and electrodes during an implantation procedure, and/or to select or adjust stimulation parameters either during the implantation procedure or possibly following implantation of an implantable medical device. The described techniques have applications for the alleviation of pain, but may find other applications where EEG signals can quantify the efficacy of treatment via an implantable medical device.
78 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes of a medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; and adjusting the electrical stimulation delivered via the one or more electrodes based on the brain signals. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 52)
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7. A method comprising:
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delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes of a medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in two different frequency bands via an external brain activity monitoring device; determining a ratio of the brain signals in the two different frequency bands; and adjusting the electrical stimulation delivered via one or more electrodes to adjust the ratio in a manner that alleviates the pain.
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8. A method comprising:
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delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes of a medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in one or more frequency bands; adjusting the electrical stimulation to adjust the brain signals; determining a rate of change of the brain signals in response to the adjustments to the electrical stimulation; and further adjusting the electrical stimulation based on the determined rate of change.
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17. A method comprising:
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delivering one or more drugs to a spinal cord of a patient via a drug pump of a medical device, wherein the drugs alleviate pain in the patient;
monitoring brain signals in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; andadjusting the drug delivery based on the brain signals.
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18. A system comprising:
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an external brain activity monitoring device that monitors brain signals of a brain of a patient in a gamma frequency band; one or more electrodes that deliver electrical stimulation to a patient, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to the spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; and a stimulator device that generates the electrical stimulation delivered by the one or more electrodes, wherein the stimulator device adjusts the electrical stimulation based on the brain signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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24. A system comprising:
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an external brain activity monitoring device that monitors brain signals of a brain of a patient in two different frequency bands, and determines a ratio of the signals in the two different frequency bands; one or more electrodes that delivery electrical stimulation to a patient, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to the spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; and a stimulator device that generates the electrical stimulation delivered by the one or more electrodes and adjusts the electrical stimulation to adjust the ratio, wherein the stimulator device adjusts the electrical stimulation based on the brain signals.
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30. A system comprising:
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an external brain activity monitoring device that monitors brain signals of a brain of a patient in a gamma frequency band; and an implantable drug pump that delivers drugs to a spinal cord of the patient, and adjusts drug delivery based on the brain signals, wherein the drugs alleviate pain in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (31)
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32. A system comprising:
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means for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes of a medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of the patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; means for monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; and means for adjusting the electrical stimulation delivered via the one or more electrodes based on the brain signals. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A system comprising:
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means for delivering one or more drugs to a spinal cord of a patient via a drug pump of a medical device, wherein the drugs alleviate pain in the patient; means for monitoring brain signals in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; and means for adjusting the drug delivery based on the brain signals.
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49. A method comprising:
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delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more electrodes disposed on percutaneously implanted leads of an external medical device, wherein the one or more electrodes are positioned proximate to a spinal cord of a patient and the electrical stimulation is formulated to alleviate pain in the patient; monitoring brain signals of a brain of the patient in a gamma frequency band via an external brain activity monitoring device; adjusting the electrical stimulation delivered via the one or more electrodes based on the brain signals; and determining whether to select the patient for treatment via an implantable medical device based on brain response to the therapy. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51)
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53. The system of 18, wherein the gamma frequency band is at least one of a low gamma frequency band from approximately 30 hertz (Hz) to approximately 60 Hz, a medium frequency gamma band from approximately 60 Hz to approximately 90 Hz, or a high frequency band from approximately 90 Hz to approximately 300 Hz.
Specification