US 9,067,074 B2Granted

Automated search to identify a location for electrical stimulation to treat a patient

AssigneeGreatbatch Ltd.

InventorsRichard J. Polefko, Steven E. Wilder

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Abstract

A stimulation system, such as a spinal cord stimulation (SCS) system, having an automated search to establish a program to treat a patient with electrical stimulation. The stimulation system includes an electrical stimulation generator, a medical lead coupled to the electrical stimulation generator, and a programmer with a communication interface, a display screen, and a user interface. The display screen displays an image of a spinal column and a position of the medical lead relative to the spinal column. The system includes an automated search that stimulates a series of regions and receives patient feedback via the user interface. The system then stimulates a series of subregions within a subset of the regions based on the feedback, receives additional feedback, and identifies a subset of the subregions location for stimulation based on the additional feedback.

Claims19

Dependent claims

An automated search method to identify a location for electrical stimulation to treat a patient with a stimulation system, the stimulation system comprising an electrical stimulation generator, a medical lead implanted in the patient and coupled to the electrical stimulation generator, a programmer with a display screen, and a feedback device configured to communicate with the programmer, the method comprising:

displaying an image of a spinal column on the display screen of the programmer;
displaying a portion representing the medical lead on the image of the spinal column;
displaying a first plurality of regions on the image of the spinal column with respect to the portion representing the medical lead, each of the first plurality of regions specifying a respective location for targeting of electrical stimulation within the patient;
initiating electrical stimulation with the electrical stimulation generator and the medical lead according to the first plurality of regions;
receiving feedback indicating the effectiveness of the electrical stimulation to the first plurality of regions;
displaying a second plurality of regions on the image of the spinal column with respect to the portion representing the medical lead, the second plurality of regions including subregions on the image within one of the first plurality of regions, wherein the second plurality of regions is displayed based on the feedback from the patient, and wherein each of the second plurality of regions specify a second respective location for targeting of electrical stimulation within the patient;
initiating electrical stimulation with the electrical stimulation generator and the medical lead according to the second plurality of regions;
and
receiving additional feedback indicating the effectiveness of the electrical stimulation to the second plurality of regions.

6 more elements

A programmer for programming an electrical stimulation generator that provides electrical stimulation to treat a patient via a medical lead, the programmer comprising:

a first interface for communicating with the electrical stimulation generator;
a display screen for displaying images;
a second interface for receiving feedback;
and
programming means for
causing the display screen to display an image of a spinal column and a position of a portion of the medical lead relative to the spinal column,
causing the display screen to display a first plurality of regions on the image of the spinal column with respect to the position of the medical lead, each of the first plurality of regions specifying a respective location for targeting of electrical stimulation within the patient;
causing the electrical stimulation generator to drive the medical lead according to the first plurality of regions;
receiving feedback via the second interface indicating the effectiveness of the electrical stimulation to the first plurality of regions;
causing the display screen to display a second plurality of regions on the image of the spinal column with respect to the position of the medical lead, the second plurality of regions including subregions on the image within one of the first plurality of regions, wherein the second plurality of regions is displayed based on the feedback, and wherein each of the second plurality of regions specify a second respective location for targeting of electrical stimulation within the patient;
causing the electrical stimulation generator to drive the medical lead according to the second plurality of regions;
and
receiving feedback via the user interface indicating the effectiveness of the electrical stimulation to the second plurality of regions.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 13/937,463Filed 9 Jul 2013 · continuation
Priority: 7 Sep 2011
Published: US 2013/0060302 A17 Nov 2013
Granted: 30 Jun 2015
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

A61N 1/37235
Means for communicating with stimulators: aspects of the external programmer
A61N 1/36017
External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes: with leads or electrodes penetrating the skin
A61N 1/36021
External stimulators, e.g. with patch electrodes: for treatment of pain
A61N 1/36071
Adapted for a particular treatment: pain

Family

Application13/226,969Parent of this continuation · filed 7 Sep 2011
US 8,483,836 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 9 Jul 2013
US 2013/0296972 A1Pre-grant publication · published 7 Nov 2013
US 2013/0060302 A1Published application
US 9,067,074 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.