US 2004/0103906 A1 · Battery-powered patient implantable device

Abstract

A device configured for implanting beneath a patient's skin for the purpose of tissue, e.g., nerve or muscle, stimulation and/or parameter monitoring and/or data communication. Devices in accordance with the invention are comprised of a sealed housing, typically having an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than 6 mm, having a non-circular, e.g., an oval or polygon shaped, cross-section containing a power source for powering electronic circuitry within including a controller, an address storage means, a data signal receiver and an input/output transducer. When used as a stimulator, such a device is useful in a wide variety of applications to stimulate nerves and associated neural pathways. Alternatively, devices of the present invention are configurable to monitor a biological parameter. Furthermore, a placement structure is shown for facilitating placement of the implantable device proximate to neural/muscular tissue.

Claims52

Dependent claims

A system configured for stimulating tissue internal to a patient's body, said system comprising:

at least one sealed elongate housing having a non-circular cross section and configured for implantation via injection in said patient's body;
power consuming circuitry carried by said housing including at least one electrode extending externally of said housing, said power consuming circuitry including a capacitor and pulse control circuitry for controlling (1) the charging of said capacitor and (2) the discharging of said capacitor to produce a current pulse through said electrode;
a battery disposed in said housing electrically connected to said power consuming circuitry for powering said pulse control circuitry and charging said capacitor, said battery having a capacity of at least one microwatt-hour;
an internal coil and a charging circuit disposed in said housing for supplying a charging current to said battery;
an external coil adapted to be mounted outside of said patient's body;
and
means for energizing said external coil to generate an alternating magnetic field for supplying energy to said charging circuit via said internal coil.

4 more elements

A system for monitoring and/or affecting at least one parameter of a patient's body, said system comprising:

at least one implantable device operable to sense and/or stimulate a patient's body parameter in accordance with one or more controllable operating parameters;
and
a system control unit for controlling said controllable operating parameters, said system control unit comprising:
a sealed elongate housing having a non-circular cross section and suitable for implantation via injection into a patient's body, said housing having axial and lateral dimensions selected from the group consisting of:
(a) an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of greater than or equal to 6 mm;
(b) an axial dimension of greater than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm;
and
(c) an axial dimension of less than or equal to 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm;
a signal transmitter in said housing for transmitting command signals;
a signal receiver in said housing for receiving status signals;
and
a programmable controller in said housing responsive to received status signals for producing command signals for transmission by said signal transmitter to said implantable devices.

9 more elements

A system control unit configured for controlling and monitoring the operation of one or more other implantable addressable controllable devices wherein each of said controllable devices is contained within a sealed elongate housing suitable for injection into a patient's body and having a non-circular cross section selected from the group consisting of:

(a) an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of greater than or equal to 6 mm, (b) an axial dimension of greater than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm, and (c) an axial dimension of less than or equal to 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm, and wherein at least one of said devices is configurable to modify at least one parameter of the patient's body, said system control unit comprising:
a control unit housing;
a data signal transmitter for wireless transmission of command data signals to selectively addressed controllable devices;
a data signal receiver for wireless reception of status data signals from selectively addressed controllable devices;
a controller capable of accepting status data signals from said data signal receiver and sending addressable command data signals to said data signal transmitter in response thereto to selectively control or monitor the operation of one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices in a closed loop manner in accordance with one or more controllable operating parameters for modifying at least one parameter of the patient's body;
program storage for specifying the operation of said controller;
and wherein said data signal transmitter, data signal receiver, said controller, and said program storage are disposed within said control unit housing.

4 more elements

(a) an axial dimension of less than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of greater than or equal to 6 mm, (b) an axial dimension of greater than 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm, and (c) an axial dimension of less than or equal to 60 mm and a lateral dimension of less than or equal to 6 mm, and wherein at least one of said devices is configurable as a stimulator to modify at least one parameter of the patient's body and at least one of said devices is configurable as a sensor to sense at least one parameter of the patient's body, said system control unit comprising:
a control unit housing;
a data signal transmitter for wireless transmission of command data signals to selectively addressed controllable devices;
a data signal receiver for wireless reception of status data signals from selectively addressed controllable devices;
a controller capable of accepting status data signals from said data signal receiver from one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices operating as sensors and sending addressable command data signals to said data signal transmitter in response thereto to selectively control the operation of one or more of said selectively addressed controllable devices operating as stimulators to thereby operate in a closed loop manner for modifying at least one parameter of the patient's body;
program storage for specifying the operation of said controller;
and wherein
said data signal transmitter, data signal receiver, said controller, and said program storage are disposed within said control unit housing.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Battery-powered patient implantable device

Life of this patent

Battery-powered patient implantable device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims52