Objectification of posture state-responsive therapy based on patient therapy adjustments

• US 8,209,028 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 06/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Skelton, Dennis M., Davis, Jon P., Sahasrabudhe, Rajeev, Gokaldas, Shyam
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Yun Haeng
• Application Number:
  US12/433,651
• Publication Number:
  US 20100010586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 607/2, 607/46, 607/59, 607/63
• US Class Current: 607/59
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4815 Sleep quality
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6846 specially adapted to be brought in contact with an internal body part, i.e. invasive
• 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 1/36071 Pain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36078 Inducing or controlling sleep or relaxation non-implantable stimulator A61M21/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36085 Eating disorders or obesity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36107 Sexual dysfunction stimulating genital organs A61N1/36007
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36132 using patient feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37247 User interfaces, e.g. input or presentation means
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37282 characterised by communication with experts in remote locations using a network
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

The disclosure describes techniques for objectification of posture state-responsive therapy based on patient therapy adjustments. The techniques may include sensing posture states of a patient, delivering posture-state responsive electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed posture states, receiving patient adjustments to the electrical stimulation therapy delivered to the patient, determining a number of the patient adjustments received over a time interval, and presenting a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received over the time interval to a user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

sensing posture states of a patient;

delivering posture-state responsive electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed posture states;

receiving patient adjustments to the electrical stimulation therapy delivered to the patient;

determining a number of the patient adjustments received over a time interval; and

presenting a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received over the time interval to a user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises determining a number of the patient adjustments for each of the sensed posture states.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein:

determining comprises determining a number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over a plurality of time intervals; and

presenting comprises presenting a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals to a user via a user interface.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein presenting comprises presenting representations of the numbers of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals simultaneously.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises determining an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in each of the time intervals, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises determining an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in the time interval, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein determining a number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in the time interval comprises determining an average number of the patient adjustments made within an adjustment timer period following sensing of the respective posture state.

8. The method of claim 2, further comprising delivering the electrical stimulation therapy to the patient via an implantable medical device, wherein the posture state-responsive electrical stimulation therapy has one or more parameters that are specified according to the sensed posture states.

9. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

sensing the posture states of the patient in an implantable medical device;

determining the number of the patient adjustments in one of a processor of the implantable medical device or a processor of an external programmer; and

presenting the representation of the number of the patient adjustments via a user interface of the external programmer.

10. A system comprising:

a sensor that senses posture states of a patient;

a stimulation generator that delivers posture-state responsive electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed posture states;

an input device that receives patient adjustments to the electrical stimulation therapy delivered to the patient;

a processor that determines a number of the patient adjustments received over a time interval; and

a user interface that presents a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received over the time interval to a user via a user interface.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the processor determines a number of the patient adjustments for each of the sensed posture states.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the processor determines a number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over a plurality of time intervals; and

the user interface presents a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals to a user via a user interface.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user interface presents representations of the numbers of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals simultaneously.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the processor determines an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in each of the time intervals, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor determines an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in the time interval, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor determines the average number as an average number of the patient adjustments made within an adjustment timer period following sensing of the respective posture state.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the posture state-responsive electrical stimulation therapy has one or more parameters that are specified according to the sensed posture states.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the sensor that senses the posture includes a sensor in an implantable medical device;

the processor that determines the number of the patient adjustments is one of a processor of the implantable medical device or a processor of an external programmer; and

the user interface that presents the representation of the number of the patient adjustments is a user interface of the external programmer.

19. A system comprising:

means for sensing posture states of a patient;

means for delivering posture-state responsive electrical stimulation therapy to the patient based on the sensed posture states;

means for receiving patient adjustments to the electrical stimulation therapy delivered to the patient;

means for determining a number of the patient adjustments received over a time interval; and

means for presenting a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received s over the time interval to a user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises means for determining a number of the patient adjustments for each of the sensed posture states.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein:

the means for determining comprises means for determining a number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over a plurality of time intervals; and

the means for presenting comprises means for presenting a representation of the number of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals to a user via a user interface.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the mean for presenting comprises means for presenting representations of the numbers of the patient adjustments received for each of the sensed posture states over each of the plurality of time intervals simultaneously.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises means for determining an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in each of the time intervals, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for determining a number of the patient adjustments comprises means for determining an average number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in the time interval, and wherein the representation includes the average number of the patient adjustments.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for determining a number of the patient adjustments for each of the posture states for each time that the patient occupies the respective posture state in the time interval comprises means for determining an average number of the patient adjustments made within an adjustment timer period following sensing of the respective posture state.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the a posture state-responsive electrical stimulation therapy has one or more parameters that are specified according to the sensed posture states.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising:

means for sensing the posture states of the patient in an implantable medical device;

means for determining the number of the patient adjustments in one of a processor of the implantable medical device or a processor of an external programmer; and

means for presenting the representation of the number of the patient adjustments via a user interface of the external programmer.