Implantable electro-medical device programmable for improved operational life
A device for electrically stimulating one or more anatomical target sites in a patient and for use in the treatment of a plurality of biological conditions of the patient. The device has a pulse generator providing electrical stimulation to the anatomical target sites; a power source for powering the pulse generator; stimulator electrodes connected to the pulse generator for stimulating the anatomical target sites; one or more optional sensing electrodes for monitoring physiological parameters with reference to the anatomical target sites; and a microprocessor programmed to vary a plurality of therapy protocol parameters governing the electrical stimulation to thereby modify operational life parameters of the power source.
1. A device for electrical stimulation of one or more anatomical target sites in a patient and for use in treating a plurality of biological conditions of the patient, said device comprising:
a pulse generator providing electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites, wherein said electrical stimulation comprises a stimulation current;
a power source for powering said pulse generator;
at least one stimulator electrode connected to said pulse generator, wherein said at least one stimulator electrode is configured to apply said electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites; and,
a microprocessor programmed to vary a plurality of therapy protocol parameters governing the electrical stimulation to thereby modify operational life parameters of the power source, wherein the therapy protocol parameters and the operational life of the power source are associated according to the following relations:
L
BAT
=
CAP
BAT
·
eff
USE
I
BAT
,
where
I
BAT
=
[
[
(
eff
TH
·
I
TH
·
V
TH
+
V
OH
V
BAT
·
PRF
·
PW
)
+
I
SOH
]
·
D
C
TH
+
I
SLP
·
(
1
-
D
C
TH
)
+
I
TM
]
wherein eff TH is a function of an output stimulation circuit current divided by an input stimulation circuit current; wherein I SOH is equal to an amount of current required to run the device and not including the stimulation current; wherein L BAT is a function of power source service life; wherein CAP BAT is a function of power source capacity; wherein eff USE is a function of a usable efficiency of power source; wherein I BAT is a function of power source current; wherein I TH is a function of a level of current exiting the device from an output terminal; wherein V TH is a function of a level of voltage at an output terminal of the device; wherein V OH is a function of an overhead output voltage; wherein V BAT is a function of a power source voltage; wherein PRF is a function of a pulse repetition frequency; wherein PW is a function of a pulse width; wherein DC TH is a function of a duty cycle; wherein I SLP is a function of sleep current; and wherein I TM is a function of average telemetry current.
2. The device of claim 1 , wherein said power source is a battery.
3. The device of claim 2 , wherein said battery is rechargeable.
4. The device of claim 2 , wherein said battery is non-rechargeable.
5. The device of claim 2 , wherein the operational life parameters of the battery comprise battery capacity, usable efficiency of battery due to end of life efficiency, and battery current.
6. The device of claim 1 , wherein said power source is a capacitor.
7. The device of claim 1 , wherein said therapy protocol parameters for an electrical stimulation pulse train comprise: number of pulses, shape of pulses, interval between pulse train repetitions, duration of a pulse, timing and amplitude of pulses, amperage to be provided to said one or more anatomical target sites, potential to be provided to said one or more anatomical target sites, and duty cycles.
8. The device of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor in data communication with said microprocessor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to monitor at least one physiological parameter of said patient.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein said microprocessor modifies said therapy protocol parameters based upon physiological information sensed by said at least one sensor.
10. A device for electrical stimulation of one or more anatomical target sites in a patient and for use in treating a plurality of biological conditions of the patient, said device comprising:
a pulse generator providing electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites;
a power source for powering said pulse generator;
at least one stimulator electrode connected to said pulse generator, wherein said at least one stimulator electrode is configured to apply the electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites;
a microprocessor programmed to vary a plurality of therapy protocol parameters governing the electrical stimulation to thereby modify operational life parameters of the power source, wherein the therapy protocol parameters and the operational life of the power source are associated according to the following relations:
L
BAT
=
CAP
BAT
·
eff
USE
I
BAT
,
where
I
BAT
=
[
[
(
eff
TH
·
I
TH
·
V
TH
+
V
OH
V
BAT
·
PRF
·
PW
)
+
I
SOH
]
·
D
C
TH
+
I
SLP
·
(
1
-
D
C
TH
)
+
I
TM
]
;
and,
at least one sensor connected to said microprocessor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense at least one physiological parameter of said patient;
wherein eff TH is a function of an output stimulation circuit current divided by an input stimulation circuit current; wherein I SOH is equal to an amount of current required to run the device and not including the stimulation current; wherein L BAT is a function of power source service life; wherein CAP BAT is a function of power source capacity; wherein eff USE is a function of a usable efficiency of power source; wherein I BAT is a function of power source current; wherein I TH is a function of a level of current exiting the device from an output terminal; wherein V TH is a function of a level of voltage at an output terminal of the device; wherein V OH is a function of an overhead output voltage; wherein V BAT is a function of a power source voltage; wherein PRF is a function of a pulse repetition frequency; wherein PW is a function of a pulse width; wherein DC TH is a function of a duty cycle; wherein I SLP is a function of sleep current; and wherein I TM is a function of average telemetry current.
11. The device of claim 10 , wherein said power source is a battery.
12. The device of claim 11 , wherein said battery is rechargeable.
13. The device of claim 11 , wherein said battery is non-rechargeable.
14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the operational life parameters of the battery comprise battery capacity, usable efficiency of battery due to end of life efficiency, and battery current.
15. The device of claim 10 , wherein said power source is a capacitor.
16. The device of claim 10 , wherein said therapy protocol parameters for an electrical stimulation pulse train comprise: number of pulses, shape of pulses, interval between pulse train repetitions, duration of a pulse, timing and amplitude of pulses, amperage to be provided to said one or more anatomical target sites, potential to be provided to said one or more anatomical target sites, and duty cycles.
17. A system for electrical stimulation of one or more anatomical target sites in a patient and for use in treating a plurality of biological conditions of the patient, said system comprising:
a pulse generator providing electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites;
a power source for powering said pulse generator;
at least one stimulator electrode connected to said pulse generator, wherein the at least one stimulator electrode is configured to apply said electrical stimulation to said one or more anatomical target sites; and,
a microprocessor programmed to vary a plurality of therapy protocol parameters governing the electrical stimulation to thereby modify operational life parameters of the power source, wherein the therapy protocol parameters and the operational life of the power source are associated according to the following relations:
L
BAT
=
CAP
BAT
·
eff
USE
I
BAT
,
where
I
BAT
=
[
[
(
eff
TH
·
I
TH
·
V
TH
+
V
OH
V
BAT
·
PRF
·
PW
)
+
I
SOH
]
·
D
C
TH
+
I
SLP
·
(
1
-
D
C
TH
)
+
I
TM
]
wherein eff TH is a function of an output stimulation circuit current divided by an input stimulation circuit current; wherein I SOH is equal to an amount of current required to run the device and not including the stimulation current; wherein L BAT is a function of power source service life; wherein CAP BAT is a function of power source capacity; wherein eff USE is a function of a usable efficiency of power source; wherein I BAT is a function of power source current; wherein I TH is a function of a level of current exiting the device from an output terminal; wherein V TH is a function of a level of voltage at an output terminal of the device; wherein V OH is a function of an overhead output voltage; wherein V BAT is a function of a power source voltage; wherein PRF is a function of a pulse repetition frequency; wherein PW is a function of a pulse width; wherein DC TH is a function of a duty cycle; wherein I SLP is a function of sleep current; and wherein I TM is a function of average telemetry current.
18. The system of claim 17 , wherein said power source is a battery.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein said battery is rechargeable.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein said battery is non-rechargeable.
21. The device of claim 17 , wherein said power source is a capacitor.
22. The system of claim 17 , further comprising at least one sensor in data communication with the microprocessor, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to monitor at least one physiological parameter of said patient.
23. The system of claim 22 , wherein said microprocessor modifies said therapy protocol parameters based upon physiological information sensed by said at least one sensor.