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US 8,543,206 B2Granted
Early detection of lead failure using an impedance histogram
AssigneePacesetter, Inc.
InventorsMihir Naware, Cecilia Qin Xi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Testing lead conditions in an implantable medical device includes continuously sampling the impedance values of a lead associated with the implantable medical device. The sampling is conducted over a predetermined period of time. An impedance histogram is then generated using the sampled impedance values by separating each measured impedance value into a specific bin assigned to contain a particular range of impedance levels. The lead condition of the tested lead can then be determined based on one or more characteristics of the impedance histogram.
Claims39
A method for testing a lead condition in an implantable medical device, said method comprising:
- continuously sampling, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- determining, using a microprocessor, said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram, wherein said determining comprises:
- examining a spread of impedance values of said impedance histogram;
- determining if the spread of impedance values is either within a minimum threshold value or exceeds said minimum threshold value;
- determining that said lead condition comprises a stable lead if said spread of impedance values is within a minimum threshold value;
- and
- determining that said lead condition comprises an unstable lead if said spread of impedance values exceeds said minimum threshold value;
- and
- following a determination that the lead condition comprises an unstable lead;
- if the implantable medical device is in a lead maturation period, maintaining the implantable medical device in the lead maturation period;
- and
- if the implantable medical device is in a post-lead maturation period, at least one of:
- restricting functionality of the implantable medical device, disabling functionality of the implantable medical device, notifying a user of an anomaly in the lead, marking the lead as needing attention, notifying a medical professional of the existence of an unstable lead, and storing data regarding the lead condition, uploading the data to an external monitoring device, and displaying data regarding the lead condition to a user.
11 more elements
A method for testing a lead condition in an implantable medical device, said method comprising:
- continuously sampling, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- determining, using a microprocessor, said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram, wherein said determining comprises:
- determining a highest impedance bin,
- examining the highest impedance bin of said impedance histogram, said highest impedance bin defined to hold a high range of highest impedance values measureable by said implantable medical device, and
- in response to said highest impedance bin containing at least one of said sampled impedance values, identifying said lead condition as comprising an intermittent open circuit;
- and
- in response to identifying the lead condition as comprising an intermittent open circuit, at least one of:
- restricting and/or disabling functionality of the implantable medical device, and notifying a user that the lead condition comprises an intermittent open circuit.
6 more elements
A method for testing a lead condition in an implantable medical device, said method comprising:
- continuously sampling, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- and
- determining, using a microprocessor, said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram, wherein said determining comprises:
- determining a lowest impedance bin;
- examining the lowest impedance bin of said impedance histogram, said lowest impedance bin defined to hold a low range of lowest impedance values measureable by said implantable medical device;
- and
- in response to said lowest impedance bin containing at least one of said sampled impedance values, identifying said lead condition as comprising an intermittent short circuit;
- and
- in response to identifying the lead condition as comprising an intermittent short circuit, at least one of:
- restricting and/or disabling functionality of the implantable medical device, and notifying a user that the lead condition comprises an intermittent short circuit.
8 more elements
A method for testing a lead condition in an implantable medical device, said method comprising using a microprocessor to:
- continuously sample, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- generate an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- and
- determine said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram, wherein said determining comprises:
- determining a spread of said impedance values in said impedance histogram;
- examining the spread of said impedance values in said impedance histogram;
- determining whether said spread exceeds a predetermined maximum spread or whether said spread falls within a predetermined minimum spread;
- when said spread exceeds the predetermined maximum spread, determining said lead condition comprises an immature lead;
- and
- when said spread falls within the predetermined minimum spread, determining said lead condition comprises a mature lead and activating functionality the implantable medical device.
7 more elements
A system for testing lead condition in an implantable medical device, said system comprising:
- means for sampling using a continuous stream of voltage or current pulses throughout a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device, wherein the period of time includes at least a cardiac cycle;
- means for generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- means for determining said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- means for examining a spread of impedance values of said impedance histogram;
- means for determining if the spread of impedance values is either within a minimum threshold value or exceeds said minimum threshold value;
- means, executable in response to said spread of impedance values being within said minimum threshold value, for identifying said lead condition as comprising a stable lead;
- and
- means, executable in response to said spread of impedance values exceeding said minimum threshold value, for identifying said lead condition as comprising an unstable lead.
5 more elements
A system for testing lead condition in an implantable medical device, said system comprising:
- means for sampling using a continuous stream of voltage or current pulses throughput a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device, wherein the period of time includes at least a cardiac cycle;
- means for generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- means for determining said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- means for examining a spread of said impedance values in said impedance histogram;
- means for determining whether said spread exceeds a predetermined maximum spread or whether said spread falls within a predetermined minimum spread;
- means, executable in response to said spread exceeding the predetermined maximum spread, for identifying said lead condition as comprising an immature lead;
- and
- means, executable in response to said spread falling within the predetermined minimum spread, for identifying said lead condition as comprising a mature lead.
5 more elements
A system for testing lead condition in an implantable medical device, said system comprising:
- means for sampling using a continuous stream of voltage or current pulses throughout a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device, wherein the period of time includes at least a cardiac cycle;
- means for generating an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- means for determining said lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- means for examining a spread of said impedance values in said impedance histogram;
- and
- means for deactivating at least one functionality of said implantable medical device based, at least in part, on said spread of impedance values.
3 more elements
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
- at least one electrical lead;
- a programmable microcontroller coupled to said at least one electrical lead, said programmable microcontroller controlling operation of said IMD;
- a memory coupled to said programmable microcontroller;
- and
- an early lead failure detection module stored in the memory, wherein, when executed by the programmable microcontroller, said early lead failure detection module configures said IMD:
- to continuously sample, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- to generate an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- to determine a lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- to examine a spread of impedance values of said impedance histogram, wherein:
- in response to said spread of impedance values being within a minimum threshold value, said lead condition comprises a stable lead;
- and
- in response to said spread of impedance values exceeding said minimum threshold value, said lead condition comprises an unstable lead.
9 more elements
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
- at least one electrical lead;
- a programmable microcontroller coupled to said at least one electrical lead, said programmable microcontroller controlling operation of said IMD;
- a memory coupled to said programmable microcontroller;
- and
- an early lead failure detection module stored in the memory, wherein, when executed by the programmable microcontroller, said early lead failure detection module configures said IMD:
- to continuously sample, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- to generate an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- to determine a lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- to examine a highest impedance bin of said impedance histogram, said highest impedance bin defined to hold a high range of highest impedance values measureable by said implantable medical device;
- to identify said lead condition as comprising an intermittent open circuit in response to said highest impedance bin containing at least one of said sampled impedance values.
7 more elements
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
- at least one electrical lead;
- a programmable microcontroller coupled to said at least one electrical lead, said programmable microcontroller controlling operation of said IMD;
- a memory coupled to said programmable microcontroller;
- and
- an early lead failure detection module stored in the memory, wherein, when executed by the programmable microcontroller, said early lead failure detection module configures said IMD:
- to continuously sample, over a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device;
- to generate an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values;
- to determine a lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram;
- to examine a lowest impedance bin of said impedance histogram, said lowest impedance bin defined to hold a low range of lowest impedance values measureable by said implantable medical device;
- and
- to identify said lead condition as comprising an intermittent short circuit in response to said lowest impedance bin containing at least one of said sampled impedance values.
8 more elements
An implantable medical device (IMD) comprising:
- at least one electrical lead;
- a programmable microcontroller coupled to said at least one electrical lead, said programmable microcontroller controlling operation of said IMD;
- a memory coupled to said programmable microcontroller;
- and
- an early lead failure detection module stored in the memory, wherein, when executed by the programmable microcontroller, said early lead failure detection module configures said IMD:
- to continuously sample, using a continuous stream of pulses throughout a predetermined period of time, impedance values of a lead associated with said implantable medical device, wherein the predetermined period of time includes at least a cardiac cycle,
- to generate an impedance histogram using said sampled impedance values,
- to determine a lead condition of said lead based on one or more characteristics of said impedance histogram, and
- to examine a spread of said impedance values in said impedance histogram.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.