Patient remote and associated methods of use with a nerve stimulation system
A neurostimulation system having an external or an implantable pulse generator programmed to innervate a specific nerve or group of nerves in a patient through an electrode as a mode of treatment, having a patient remote that wirelessly communicates with the pulse generator to increase stimulation, decrease stimulation, and provide indications to a patient regarding the status of the neurostimulation system. The patient remote can allow for adjustment of stimulation power within a clinically effective range and for turning on and turning off the pulse generator. The patient remote and neurostimulation system can also store a stimulation level when the pulse generator is turned off and automatically restore the pulse generator to the stored stimulation level when the pulse generator is turned on.
1. A method for controlling a nerve-stimulating pulse generator coupled to an implantable lead within a patient with a patient remote, the method comprising:
providing a patient remote capable of alternating between an asleep mode and an awake mode;
transitioning the patient remote from the asleep mode to the awake mode by actuating an activation switch of the patient remote;
wirelessly communicating between the patient remote and the pulse generator when the patient remote is in the awake mode;
wirelessly increasing a stimulation level of the pulse generator when a stimulation-increase switch of the patient remote is actuated for a first period of time; and
setting stimulation of the pulse generator to a last stored stimulation level when the stimulation-increase switch of the patient remote is actuated for a second period of time.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising wirelessly decreasing the stimulation level of the pulse generator when a stimulation-decrease switch of the patient remote is actuated for the first period of time or storing the stimulation level and turning off stimulation of the pulse generator when the stimulation-decrease switch of the patient remote is actuated for the second period of time.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising automatically switching the patient remote from the awake mode to the asleep mode after a period of patient remote inactivity, wherein the period of inactivity comprises at least 10 seconds.
4. The method of claim 2 , further comprising deactivating the stimulation-increase switch and stimulation-decrease switch of the patient remote when the activation switch of the patient remote is in the asleep mode.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein decreasing a stimulation level of the pulse generator comprises decreasing the stimulation level in increments of at least five percent of a nominal stimulation level, a current stimulation level, or a maximum stimulation level.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein decreasing a stimulation level of the pulse generator comprises decreasing the stimulation level by a percentage of the difference between a nominal stimulation level and a maximum stimulation level.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying a status of therapy remaining in the pulse generator on the patient remote, wherein the therapy remaining status is based on one or more of charge or voltage remaining in a battery of the pulse generator, or stimulation use parameters by the patient.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
maintaining a stimulation level of the pulse generator until the patient remote is operated to terminate stimulation by the pulse generator.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a stimulation level of the pulse generator comprises increasing the stimulation level in increments of at least five percent of a nominal stimulation level, a current stimulation level, or a maximum stimulation level.
10. The patient remote of claim 1 , further comprising setting a maximum stimulation level according to a comfort level of a patient.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a stimulation level of the pulse generator comprises increasing the stimulation level by a percentage of the difference between a nominal stimulation level and a maximum stimulation level.