Impedance-based allocation of electrical stimulation to electrode clusters

An implantable medical device (IMD) for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient, the IMD comprising:

• a plurality of implantable electrodes;
• a first electrical stimulation source configured to generate a first portion of the electrical stimulation;
• a second electrical stimulation source configured to generate a second portion of the electrical stimulation;
• and
• one or more processors configured to:
• control the first electrical stimulation source to deliver the first portion of the electrical stimulation via a first cluster of one or more electrodes selected based on impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the first cluster, the first cluster of one or more electrodes being in a group of the plurality of implantable electrodes selected for delivery of the electrical stimulation and comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group;
• and
• control the second electrical stimulation source to deliver the second portion of the electrical stimulation via a second cluster of one or more electrodes selected based on impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the second cluster, the second cluster of one or more electrodes being in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes selected for delivery of the electrical stimulation, being different than the first cluster of one or more electrodes and comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group.

A system for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient, the system comprising:

• an implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
• a plurality of implantable electrodes,
• a first electrical stimulation source configured to generate a first portion of the electrical stimulation,
• a second electrical stimulation source configured to generate a second portion of the electrical stimulation, and
• one or more processors configured to:
• control the first electrical stimulation source to deliver the first portion of the electrical stimulation via a first cluster of one or more electrodes selected based on impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the first cluster, the first cluster of one or more electrodes being in a group of the plurality of implantable electrodes selected for delivery of the electrical stimulation and comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group, and
• control the second electrical stimulation source to deliver the second portion of the electrical stimulation via a second cluster of one or more electrodes selected based on impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the second cluster, the second cluster of one or more electrodes being in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes selected for delivery of the electrical stimulation, being different than the first cluster of one or more electrodes and comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group;
• and
• an external programmer comprising one or more processors configured to program one or more parameters of the electrical stimulation delivered by the IMD,
• wherein one or more processors of at least one of the IMD or the external programmer are configured to:
• select the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes of the IMD for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the patient,
• select the first cluster of one or more of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes based on the impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the first cluster, and
• select the second cluster of one or more of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes based on the impedance values of the one or more electrodes in the second cluster.

A system for delivering electrical stimulation to a patient via a plurality of implantable electrodes of an implantable medical device (IMD), the system comprising:

• means for selecting a group of the plurality of implantable electrodes of the IMD for delivery of the electrical stimulation to the patient;
• means for selecting a first cluster of one or more of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes based on impedance values of the electrodes in the first cluster, the first cluster of electrodes comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes;
• means for selecting a second cluster of one or more of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes based on impedance values of the electrodes in the second cluster, the second cluster of electrodes being different than the first cluster of electrodes and comprising less than all of the electrodes in the group of the plurality of implantable electrodes;
• means for delivering a first portion of the electrical stimulation from a first electrical stimulation source of the IMD via the first cluster of electrodes;
• and
• means for delivering a second portion of the electrical stimulation from a second electrical stimulation source of the IMD via the second cluster of electrodes.