System, apparatus and method for interacting with a targeted tissue of a patient

An implantable medical system for use in conjunction with a remote programmer and a power source, the implantable medical system comprising:

• a central control module, comprising:
• a housing configured to support the power source;
• and
• a wireless receiver disposed in the housing, the wireless receiver configured to be coupled to the power source and to receive programming signals from the remote programmer;
• an elongated conductor comprising at least one connector and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion coupled to the central control module, the elongated conductor carrying power from the power source and digital communications including the programming signals from the wireless receiver, the power and the digital communications being combined on the at least one connector;
• a plurality of leads;
• a plurality of tissue-interactive elements associated with the plurality of leads;
• and
• a satellite control module coupled between the plurality of leads and the distal end portion of the elongated conductor, the satellite control module comprising a housing such that at least a portion of the plurality of leads and the plurality of tissue-interactive elements are external of the housing of the satellite control module, the satellite control module being configured to utilize the power received through the elongated conductor to generate and selectively route electrical signals to selected ones of the plurality of tissue-interactive elements through the plurality of leads in accordance with the programming signals received from the remote programmer through the elongated conductor by the programming signals specifying for a given time an independent state for all of the tissue-interactive elements.

An implantable medical system for use in conjunction with a remote programmer and a power source, the implantable medical system comprising:

• a central control module, comprising:
• a housing configured to support the power source;
• and
• a wireless receiver disposed in the housing, the wireless receiver configured to be coupled to the power source and to receive programming signals from the remote programmer;
• an elongated conductor comprising at least one connector and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion coupled to the central control module, the elongated conductor carrying power from the power source and digital communications including the programming signals from the wireless receiver, the power and the digital communications being combined on the at least one connector;
• a plurality of leads;
• a plurality of tissue-interactive elements associated with the plurality of leads;
• and
• a satellite control module coupled between the plurality of leads and the distal end portion of the elongated conductor, the satellite control module comprising a housing such that at least a portion of the plurality of leads and the plurality of tissue-interactive elements are external of the housing of the satellite control module, the satellite control module being configured to utilize the power received through the elongated conductor to generate and selectively route electrical signals to selected ones of the plurality of tissue-interactive elements through the plurality of leads in accordance with the programming signals received from the remote programmer through the elongated conductor by the programming signals specifying the state of multiple tissue-interactive elements, the satellite control module comprising a single switching module that is connected to all of the leads coupled to the satellite module such that the switching module routes the electrical signals in accordance with the programming signals.

An implantable medical system for use in conjunction with a remote programmer and a power source, the implantable medical system comprising:

• a central control module, comprising:
• a housing configured to support the power source;
• and
• a wireless receiver disposed in the housing, the wireless receiver configured to be coupled to the power source and to receive programming signals from the remote programmer;
• an elongated conductor comprising at least one connector and having a distal end portion and a proximal end portion, the proximal end portion coupled to the central control module, the elongated conductor carrying power from the power source and digital communications including the programming signals from the wireless receiver, the power and the digital communications being combined on the at least one connector;
• a plurality of leads;
• a plurality of tissue-interactive elements associated with the plurality of leads;
• and a satellite control module coupled between the plurality of leads and the distal end portion of the elongated conductor, the satellite control module comprising a housing such that at least a portion of the plurality of leads and the plurality of tissue-interactive elements are external of the housing of the satellite control module, the satellite control module being configured to utilize the power received through the elongated conductor to generate and selectively route electrical signals to selected ones of the plurality of tissue-interactive elements through the plurality of leads in accordance with the programming signals received from the remote programmer through the elongated conductor by the programming signals specifying a state of multiple tissue-interactive elements, the satellite control module comprising a switching module that is connected to the plurality of leads and is configured to independently implement the state for each of the tissue-interactive elements.