Selecting electrode combinations for stimulation therapy

A system comprising:

• a medical device;
• an array of implantable electrodes coupled to the medical device, wherein the array defines a first electrode column and wherein at least one of the first, second, and third electrode columns extends in a longitudinal direction, a second electrode column, and a third electrode column;
• and
• a memory that stores at least one electrode combination from each one of at least five groups of electrode combinations, wherein the medical device delivers therapy to a patient via the array of implantable electrodes according to a trial electrode combination from each of the at least five groups, the at least five groups comprising:
• a first group characterized by a rostral anode electrode pattern;
• a second group characterized by a caudal anode electrode pattern;
• a third group characterized by a first cathode disposed between two anodes, the first cathode and anodes being located in a same one of the first, second or third electrode columns;
• a fourth group characterized by a second cathode disposed between a first row of anodes and a second row of anodes;
• and
• a fifth group characterized by a transverse electrode combination, wherein anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a third cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation.

A medical device programmer comprising:

• a memory that stores a plurality of electrode combinations for an electrical stimulator, wherein the plurality of electrode combinations includes at least one electrode combination from each of at least five groups of electrode combinations, the at least five groups comprising:
• a first group characterized by a rostral anode electrode pattern;
• a second group characterized by a caudal anode electrode pattern;
• a third group characterized by a first cathode disposed between two anodes, the first cathode and anodes being located in a same column of electrodes;
• a fourth group characterized by a second cathode disposed between a first row of anodes and a second row of anodes;
• and
• a fifth group characterized by a transverse electrode combination, wherein anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a third cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to a longitudinal direction defined by at least one column of electrodes extending in the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation;
• and
• a processor that controls delivery of electrical stimulation to a patient via the electrical stimulator in accordance with at least one electrode combination from each of the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth groups.

A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that cause a processor to control an electrical stimulator to:

• deliver electrical stimulation to a patient during a therapy evaluation period via an electrode combination from each of at least five groups of electrode combinations, the at least five groups comprising:
• a first group of electrode combinations characterized by a rostral anode electrode pattern;
• a second group of electrode combinations characterized by a caudal anode electrode pattern;
• a third group of electrode combinations characterized by a first cathode disposed between two anodes, the first cathode and anodes being located in a same column of electrodes;
• a fourth group of electrode combinations characterized by a second cathode disposed between a first row of anodes and a second row of anodes;
• and
• a fifth group of electrode combinations characterized by a transverse electrode combination, wherein anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a third cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to a longitudinal direction defined by at least one column of electrodes extending in a longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation.

A computing device comprising:

• a memory comprising a plurality of electrode combinations and associated therapy metric values, wherein the plurality of electrode combinations comprises at least one electrode combination from at least five groups of electrode combinations, the at least five groups comprising:
• a first group characterized by a rostral anode electrode pattern;
• a second group characterized by a caudal anode electrode pattern;
• a third group characterized by a first cathode disposed between two anodes, the first cathode and anodes being located in a same column of electrodes;
• a fourth group characterized by a second cathode disposed between a first row of anodes and a second row of anodes;
• and
• a fifth group characterized by a transverse electrode combination, wherein anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a third cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to a longitudinal direction defined by at least one column of electrodes extending in the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation;
• a display;
• and
• a processor that generates a graphical display illustrating at least one electrode combination from the plurality of electrode combinations and the associated therapy metric value to a user via the display.

A method comprising:

• selecting, by a medical device programmer, a therapy metric;
• and
• selecting, by the medical device programmer, at least one group from a set of at least five groups of electrode combinations that optimizes the therapy metric, the set of at least five groups comprising:
• a first group of electrode combinations characterized by a rostral anode electrode pattern;
• a second group of electrode combinations characterized by a caudal anode electrode pattern;
• a third group of electrode combinations characterized by a first cathode disposed between two anodes, the first cathode and anodes being located in a same column of electrodes;
• a fourth group of electrode combinations characterized by a second cathode disposed between a first row of anodes and a second row of anodes;
• and
• a fifth group of electrode combinations characterized by a transverse electrode combination, wherein anodes of the transverse electrode combination are displaced substantially transversely relative to a third cathode of the transverse electrode combination and relative to a longitudinal direction defined by at least one column of electrodes extending in the longitudinal direction, and a stimulation field resulting from delivery of stimulation via the transverse combination is oriented substantially transversely relative to a target tissue for the stimulation.