End-of-life indication system for implantable pulse generator

In an implantable pulse generator (IPG) comprising stimulation pulse generator means, and telephonic signal generator means coupled to said stimulation pulse generator mean adapted to transmit an electrocardiogram (ECG), a battery end-of-life (EOL) condition indicator comprising:

• battery EOL monitoring means for detecting an approaching battery EOL condition;
• and
• stimulation pulse generator modifier means coupled to said stimulation pulse generator means for intelligently modifying stimulation signals output by said stimulation pulse generator wherein said IPG monitors cardiac stimulation signals and generates muscle stimulation bursts and said stimulation pulse generator modifier means modifies a synchronization ratio between said cardiac stimulation signals and said muscle stimulation bursts;
• wherein, upon the detection of an approaching battery EOL condition said ECG is modified to display discernible patterns indicating said approaching EOL condition, without reference to stimulation pulse signal parameters.

An implantable pulse generator comprising:

• a stimulation pulse generator for generating muscle stimulation bursts and cardiac pacing pulses in a predefined ratio;
• a battery end-of-life monitor for detecting an approaching end-of-life condition for a battery;
• and
• a stimulation pulse modifier coupled to the stimulation pulse generator and the battery end-of-life monitor, the stimulation pulse modifier modifying the predefined ratio of muscle stimulation bursts and cardiac pacing pulses upon detection of the approaching end-of-life condition.