Granted Patent B2

US 9,375,574 · App. 14/279,415 · Granted Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

Claims (97)

1. An electronic device for performing a computer-assisted stimulation programming of an implantable medical device, the electronic device comprising:

a graphical user interface;

a memory storage component configured to store programming code; and

a computer processor configured to execute the programming code to perform the following tasks:

programming a pulse generator to generate electrical stimulation, the pulse generator being coupled to a lead implantable inside a patient, the lead containing a plurality of contacts through which the electrical stimulation is delivered;

ramping up, toward an upper limit, a stimulation current for the plurality of contacts;

receiving patient feedback while the stimulation current is being ramped up, the patient feedback being received via an electronic patient feedback device and indicating that the patient is beginning to feel stimulation;

in response to receiving the patient feedback:

recording an amplitude of the stimulation current that resulted in the patient feedback; and

dividing the plurality of contacts into a plurality of groups;

activating the plurality of contacts one group at a time, wherein respective amplitudes of the stimulation currents of the contacts in each group are set to the recorded amplitude;

determining, for each activated group of contacts, whether the patient is able to feel stimulation while said group of contacts is being activated;

in response to a determination that a target group of contacts causes the patient to feel stimulation, sub-dividing the target group of contacts into a plurality of sub-groups;

repeating the dividing, the activating, the determining, and the sub-dividing one or more times until one or more contacts that caused the patient to feel stimulation are identified;

assigning the recorded amplitude as a perception threshold for the identified one or more contacts;

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts that are being ramped up with a first visual characteristic; and

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts for which the respective perception thresholds have been determined with a second visual characteristic;

wherein the first and second visual characteristics are different from one another.

2. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the tasks further comprise:

before the ramping up, performing an impedance sweep for all contacts on the lead;

determining which contacts have connections problems based on the impedance sweep; and

selecting contacts that do not have connection problems as the plurality of contacts for which the ramping up is to be performed.

3. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the tasks further comprise: repeating the ramping up, the receiving of the patient feedback, the recording of the amplitude, the dividing, the activating, the determining, the sub-dividing, the repeating, and the assigning one or more cycles until respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts;

wherein for each new cycle:

the ramping up comprises resuming the ramping up of the stimulation current from the recorded amplitude from a previous cycle; and

the one or more contacts whose perception thresholds have been assigned from the previous cycle are excluded from the new cycle.

4. The electronic device of claim 3 , wherein the tasks further comprise: after the respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts, identifying a subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient.

5. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the tasks further comprise: developing a stimulation therapy for treating the patient based on at least one of: the subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient or the respective perception thresholds assigned to each contact.

6. The electronic device of claim 4 , wherein the tasks further comprise:

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts that produce Paresthesia with a third visual characteristic;

wherein the first, second, and third visual characteristics are different from one another.

7. The electronic device of claim 1 , wherein the first visual characteristic and the second visual characteristic are different in color or different in shading.

8. A medical system, comprising:

a lead configured to deliver electrical stimulation to a patient via one or more of a plurality of contacts located on the lead;

a pulse generator to which the lead is coupled, wherein the pulse generator is configured to generate the electrical stimulation;

an electronic patient feedback device configured to detect patient feedback in response to the electrical stimulation; and

an electronic device telecommunicatively coupled to the pulse generator and to the electronic patient feedback device, wherein the electronic device is configured to program the pulse generator to generate the electrical stimulation, and wherein the electronic device includes:

a graphical user interface;

a memory storage component configured to store computer instructions; and

a processor component configured to execute the computer instructions;

wherein the computer instructions, when executed by the processor component, perform the following tasks:

ramping up, toward an upper limit, a stimulation current for a plurality of contacts on the lead;

receiving, from the electronic patient feedback device, patient feedback while the stimulation current is being ramped up, the patient feedback indicating that the patient is beginning to feel stimulation;

in response to receiving the patient feedback:

recording an amplitude of the stimulation current that resulted in the patient feedback; and

dividing the plurality of contacts into a plurality of groups;

activating the plurality of contacts one group at a time, wherein respective amplitudes of the stimulation currents of the contacts in each group are set to the recorded amplitude;

determining, for each activated group of contacts, whether the patient is able to feel stimulation while said group of contacts is being activated;

in response to a determination that a target group of contacts causes the patient to feel stimulation, sub-dividing the target group of contacts into a plurality of sub-groups;

repeating the dividing, the activating, the determining, and the sub-dividing one or more times until one or more contacts that caused the patient to feel stimulation are identified;

assigning the recorded amplitude as a perception threshold for the identified one or more contacts;

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts that are being ramped up with a first visual characteristic; and

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts for which the respective perception thresholds have been determined with a second visual characteristic;

wherein the first and second visual characteristics are different from one another.

9. The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the tasks further comprise:

before the ramping up, performing an impedance sweep for all contacts on the lead;

determining which contacts have connections problems based on the impedance sweep; and

selecting contacts that do not have connection problems as the plurality of contacts for which the ramping up is to be performed.

10. The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the tasks further comprise:

repeating the ramping up, the receiving of the patient feedback, the recording of the amplitude, the dividing, the activating, the determining, the sub-dividing, the repeating, and the assigning one or more cycles until respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts;

wherein for each new cycle:

the ramping up comprises resuming the ramping up of the stimulation current from the recorded amplitude from a previous cycle; and

the one or more contacts whose perception thresholds have been assigned from the previous cycle are excluded from the new cycle.

11. The medical system of claim 10 , wherein the tasks further comprise: after the respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts, identifying a subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient.

12. The medical system of claim 11 , wherein the tasks further comprise: developing a stimulation therapy for treating the patient based on at least one of: the subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient or the respective perception thresholds assigned to each contact.

13. The medical system of claim 11 , wherein the tasks further comprise:

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts that produce Paresthesia with a third visual characteristic;

wherein the first, second, and third visual characteristics are different from one another.

14. The medical system of claim 8 , wherein the first visual characteristic and the second visual characteristic are different in color or different in shading.

15. A method of performing a computer-assisted stimulation programming of an implantable medical device, the method comprising:

ramping up, toward an upper limit, a stimulation current for a plurality of contacts on a lead that is configured to be implanted inside, or attached to, a patient, the stimulation current being generated by a pulse generator and being delivered to the patient as a part of an electrical stimulation therapy for the patient;

receiving, from an electronic patient feedback device, patient feedback while the stimulation current is being ramped up, the patient feedback indicating that the patient is beginning to feel stimulation;

in response to receiving the patient feedback:

recording an amplitude of the stimulation current that resulted in the patient feedback; and

dividing the plurality of contacts into a plurality of groups;

activating the plurality of contacts one group at a time, wherein respective amplitudes of the stimulation currents of the contacts in each group are set to the recorded amplitude;

determining, for each activated group of contacts, whether the patient is able to feel stimulation while said group of contacts is being activated;

in response to a determination that a target group of contacts causes the patient to feel stimulation, sub-dividing the target group of contacts into a plurality of sub-groups;

repeating the dividing, the activating, the determining, and the sub-dividing one or more times until one or more contacts that caused the patient to feel stimulation are identified;

assigning the recorded amplitude as a perception threshold for the identified one or more contacts;

displaying, through a graphical user interface, the contacts that are being ramped up with a first visual characteristic; and

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts for which the respective perception thresholds have been determined with a second visual characteristic;

wherein the first and second visual characteristics are different from one another.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:

before the ramping up, performing an impedance sweep for all contacts on the lead;

determining which contacts have connections problems based on the impedance sweep; and

selecting contacts that do not have connection problems as the plurality of contacts for which the ramping up is to be performed.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: repeating the ramping up, the receiving of the patient feedback, the recording of the amplitude, the dividing, the activating, the determining, the sub-dividing, the repeating, and the assigning one or more cycles until respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts;

wherein for each new cycle:

the ramping up comprises resuming the ramping up of the stimulation current from the recorded amplitude from a previous cycle; and

the one or more contacts whose perception thresholds have been assigned from the previous cycle are excluded from the new cycle.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising: after the respective perception thresholds have been assigned for all contacts in the plurality of contacts, identifying a subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising: developing a stimulation therapy for treating the patient based on at least one of: the subset of the contacts that produce Paresthesia for the patient or the respective perception thresholds assigned to each contact.

20. The method of claim 18 , further comprising:

displaying, through the graphical user interface, the contacts that produce Paresthesia with a third visual characteristic;

wherein the first, second, and third visual characteristics are different from one another.

21. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first visual characteristic and the second visual characteristic are different in color or different in shading.

Assignments (9)