Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080269835 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTION OF NERVOUS SYSTEM DISORDERS - Systems and methods for detecting and/or treating nervous system disorders, such as seizures, are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the invention relate generally to implantable medical devices (IMDs) adapted to detect and treat nervous system disorders in patients with an IMD. Certain embodiments of the invention include detection of seizures based upon comparisons of long-term and short-term representations of physiological signals. Other embodiments include prediction of seizure activity based upon analysis of physiological signal levels. An embodiment of the invention monitors the quality of physiological signals, and may be able to compensate for signals of low signal quality. A further embodiment of the invention includes detection of seizure activity following the delivery of therapy. | 10-30-2008 |
20080269842 | Implantable medical device for treating neurological conditions with an initially disabled cardiac therapy port and leadless ECG sensing - An implantable medical device such as an implantable pulse generator that includes EEG sensing for monitoring and treating neurological conditions, and leadless ECG sensing for monitoring cardiac signals. The device includes a connector block with provisions for cardiac leads which may be used/enabled when needed. If significant co-morbid cardiac events are observed in patients via the leadless ECG monitoring, then cardiac leads may be subsequently connected for therapeutic use. | 10-30-2008 |
20090082641 | PATIENT EVENT INDICATION - An indication that a patient event occurred may be used to evaluate the efficacy of at least one therapy program and/or adjust therapy delivery to the patient. In some examples, the patient event indication includes patient input that may be received via an event indication button of a programming device. In addition to or instead of the patient input, the patient event indication may be generated based on a physiological parameter of the patient. In some examples, therapy delivery may be adjusted by adjusting at least one therapy parameter value, switching therapy programs or therapy program groups or restarting a therapy cycle of a medical device. The patient input via an event indication button may also help evaluate whether a therapy system is useful for the patient. | 03-26-2009 |
20090083070 | THERAPY ADJUSTMENT BASED ON PATIENT EVENT INDICATION - An indication that a patient event occurred may be used to evaluate the efficacy of at least one therapy program and/or adjust therapy delivery to the patient. In some examples, the patient event indication includes patient input that may be received via an event indication button of a programming device. In some examples, therapy delivery may be adjusted by adjusting at least one therapy parameter value, switching therapy programs or therapy program groups or restarting a therapy cycle of a medical device. | 03-26-2009 |
20090264954 | THERAPY TARGET SELECTION FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER THERAPY - Target tissue sites for therapy delivery to a patient may be selected based on the patient symptoms or a patient mood state. The therapy delivery may be used to manage a psychiatric disorder of the patient. Selected therapy sites may be weighted based on factors, such as the severity of the patient symptom or mood state or the type of patient symptom or mood state. In some cases, therapy delivery to the patient may be controlled based on the weighting factors. For example, the weighting factors may control the intensity of the therapy delivery or the frequency of the therapy delivery. In some examples, the weighting factors may dynamically change based on the patient's changing symptoms or mood disorders. | 10-22-2009 |
20090264955 | ANALYZING A STIMULATION PERIOD CHARACTERISTIC FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER THERAPY DELIVERY - A characteristic of a stimulation period, which occurs during the delivery of stimulation therapy to a patient according to a therapy program, may be determined based on a physiological parameter of the patient. The stimulation period characteristic may include, for example, an amplitude or a trend in a physiological signal during the stimulation period or a power level or a ratio of power levels in frequency bands of the physiological signal. In some embodiments, stimulation period characteristics associated with a plurality of therapy programs may be used to compare the programs. In other embodiments, a stimulation period characteristic may be used to determine a mood state of the patient and, in some cases, modify a therapy program. | 10-22-2009 |
20090264956 | PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER THERAPY CONTROL - A therapy system for managing a psychiatric disorder of the patient may be controlled based on a patient mood state. Therapy may be delivered to a patient according to a therapy program, and a physiological parameter of the patient may be monitored during or after therapy delivery. The patient mood state may be determined based on the monitored physiological parameter, and the therapy delivery may be controlled based on the determined mood state. In some embodiments, the therapy delivery is stopped prior to determining the patient mood state and the therapy delivery is restarted upon detecting a negative mood state. In other embodiments, therapy delivery is delivered until a positive mood state is detected, at which point the therapy delivery may be stopped. | 10-22-2009 |
20090264957 | ANALYZING A WASHOUT PERIOD CHARACTERISTIC FOR PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER THERAPY DELIVERY - A characteristic of a washout period following the delivery of therapy to a patient according to a therapy program may be determined based on a physiological parameter of the patient. A washout period includes the period of time during which a carryover effect from the therapy dissipates. The washout period characteristic may include, for example, a duration of the washout period, an amplitude or a trend in a physiological signal during the washout period or a power level or a ratio of power levels in frequency bands of the physiological signal. In some embodiments, washout period characteristics associated with a plurality of therapy programs may be used to compare the programs. In other embodiments, a washout period characteristic may be used to determine a mood state of the patient and, in some cases, modify a therapy program. Monitoring a washout period may also be useful for timing therapy program trials. | 10-22-2009 |
20090264967 | TIMING THERAPY EVALUATION TRIALS - A characteristic of a washout period following the delivery of therapy to a patient according to a therapy program may be determined based on a physiological parameter of the patient. A washout period includes the period of time during which a carryover effect from the therapy delivery dissipates. Monitoring a washout period may be useful for timing the delivery of therapy according to different therapy programs during a therapy evaluation period. For example, at least one physiological signal of the patient may be monitored to automatically determine when a washout period has ended, e.g., when stimulation and carryover effects of therapy delivery according to a first therapy program have substantially dissipated, in order to determine when therapy delivery according to a second therapy program can be initiated. | 10-22-2009 |
20100114237 | MOOD CIRCUIT MONITORING TO CONTROL THERAPY DELIVERY - Brain signals may be monitored at different locations of a mood circuit in order to determine a mood state of the patient. A relationship (e.g., a ratio) between frequency band characteristics of the monitored brain signals may be indicative of a particular mood state. In some examples, therapy parameter values that define the therapy delivered to the patient may be selected to maintain a target relationship (e.g., a target ratio) between the frequency band characteristics of the brain signals monitored within the mood circuit. In addition, in some examples, therapy delivery to the patient may be controlled based on the frequency band characteristics of brain signals sensed at different portions of the mood circuit. | 05-06-2010 |
20100121213 | SEIZURE DISORDER EVALUATION BASED ON INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE AND PATIENT MOTION - Intracranial pressure of a patient may be monitored in order to evaluate a seizure disorder. In some examples, trends in the intracranial pressure over time may be monitored, e.g., to detect changes to the patient's condition. In addition, in some examples, a seizure metric may be generated for a detected seizure based on sensed intracranial pressures. The seizure metric may indicate, for example, an average, median, or highest relative intracranial pressure value observed during a seizure, a percent change from a baseline value during the seizure, or the time for the intracranial pressure to return to a baseline state after the occurrence of a seizure. In addition to or instead of intracranial pressure, patient motion or posture may be monitored in order to assess the patient's seizure disorder. For example, a seizure type or severity may be determined based on patient motion sensed during a seizure. | 05-13-2010 |
20100121214 | SEIZURE DISORDER EVALUATION BASED ON INTRACRANIAL PRESSURE AND PATIENT MOTION - Intracranial pressure of a patient may be monitored in order to evaluate a seizure disorder. In some examples, trends in the intracranial pressure over time may be monitored, e.g., to detect changes to the patient's condition. In addition, in some examples, a seizure metric may be generated for a detected seizure based on sensed intracranial pressures. The seizure metric may indicate, for example, an average, median, or highest relative intracranial pressure value observed during a seizure, a percent change from a baseline value during the seizure, or the time for the intracranial pressure to return to a baseline state after the occurrence of a seizure. In addition to or instead of intracranial pressure, patient motion or posture may be monitored in order to assess the patient's seizure disorder. For example, a seizure type or severity may be determined based on patient motion sensed during a seizure. | 05-13-2010 |
20100121215 | SEIZURE DETECTION ALGORITHM ADJUSTMENT - A medical system implements a seizure detection algorithm to detect a seizure based on a first patient parameter. The medical system monitors a second patient parameter to adjust the seizure detection algorithm. In some examples, the medical system determines whether a seizure for which therapy delivery is desirable occurred based on a second patient parameter. If a target seizure occurred, and the seizure detection algorithm did not detect the target seizure, the medical system adjusts the seizure detection algorithm to detect the target seizure. For example, the medical system may determine a first patient parameter characteristic indicative of the target seizure detected based on the second patient parameter and store the first patient parameter characteristic as part of the seizure detection algorithm. In some examples, the first patient parameter is an electrical brain signal and the second patient parameter is patient activity (e.g., patient motion or posture). | 05-13-2010 |
20100249876 | ELECTRICAL STIMULATION OF ILIOHYPOGASTRIC NERVE TO ALLEVIATE CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN - The disclosure describes a method and system for applying electrical stimulation to an iliohypogastric nerve of a patient. The system includes electrical stimulators that apply electrical stimulation for alleviation of pelvic pain. The system may apply electrical stimulation for pelvic pain in men or women. The electrical stimulators may comprise various types of electrodes such as cuff electrodes, electrode leads, and microstimulators implanted at various locations proximate to a single or both iliohypogastric nerves of a patient. In particular, the electrode may be implanted proximate or adjacent to an anterior cutaneous branch of one or both iliohypogastric nerves, a lateral cutaneous branch of one or both iliohypogastric nerves, or one or both of iliohypogastric nerves above the branch point. | 09-30-2010 |
20100280336 | ANXIETY DISORDER MONITORING - An anxiety episode may be identified as being an anxiety event that is attributable to an anxiety disorder of a patient based on the patient activity associated with the anxiety episode. The patient activity may include, for example, patient motion, patient posture or voice activity. Detection of the activity component during an anxiety episode can help distinguish between a general anxiety state and an anxiety event that differs from the general anxiety state. Examples of anxiety events include, for example, an occurrence of a compulsion or a panic attack. The detected anxiety events can be used to evaluate an anxiety disorder of a patient, evaluate therapy programs implemented by a medical device to treat the anxiety disorder, or control therapy delivery. In some examples, a mood state transition is detected based on patient activity information and therapy delivery is controlled based on the detection of the mood state transition. | 11-04-2010 |
20100318157 | ELECTRICAL STIMULATION TO ALLEVIATE CHRONIC PELVIC PAIN - The disclosure describes a method and system for applying electrical stimulation to a genitofemoral nerve or a genital branch of a genitofemoral nerve of a patient. The system includes electrical stimulators that apply electrical stimulation for alleviation of pelvic pain. The system may apply electrical stimulation for pelvic pain in men or women. The electrical stimulators may comprise various types of electrodes such as cuff electrodes, electrode leads, and microstimulators implanted at various locations proximate to a single or both genitofemoral nerves and the genital branch of a single or both genitofemoral nerves of a patient. When implanted proximate to a genital nerve branch, the electrode may be implanted proximate to the genital nerve branch. In a male patient stimulation may be delivered proximate to the spermatic cord, which contains a portion of the genital nerve branch. | 12-16-2010 |
20110087082 | Method for Monitoring or Treating Nervous System Disorders - A medical device system for comparing a cardiopulmonary signal to a brain signal. In one embodiment of the invention, a medical device system is provided that includes a brain monitoring element, respiratory monitoring element and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a brain signal from the brain monitoring element and a respiratory signal from the respiratory monitoring element. The processor is further configured to compare the brain signal to the respiratory signal. Methods of comparing a brain signal to a cardiopulmonary signal are also provided. | 04-14-2011 |
20110105913 | Method for Monitoring or Treating Nervous System Disorders - A medical device system that includes a brain monitoring element, cardiac monitoring element and a processor. The processor is configured to receive a brain signal from the brain monitoring element and a cardiac signal from the cardiac monitoring element. The processor is further configured to compare the brain signal to the cardiac signal. A method of comparing a brain signal to a cardiac signal is also provided. | 05-05-2011 |
20110137371 | SELECTING THERAPY CYCLE PARAMETERS BASED ON MONITORED BRAIN SIGNAL - Bioelectrical brain signals may be monitored at one more regions of the brain of a patient by a medical device. The monitored bioelectrical signals may be used to select one or more therapy cycle parameters, e.g., on cycle duration and/or off cycle duration, for therapy delivered to treat a patient disorder. In one example, the off cycle duration of a therapy may be selected based on the washout period determined from sensed brain signals of the patient following delivery of therapy during an on cycle. In another example, the on cycle duration and/or off cycle duration of a therapy may be selected to maintain the value of one or more characteristics of a brain signal (e.g., cortical activity) of patient within a threshold range of a target value defined for the characteristic that is associated with effective treatment of the patient disorder. | 06-09-2011 |
20110245629 | PATIENT DATA DISPLAY - The temporal correlation between a bioelectrical brain signal of a patient and patient motion data, such as a signal indicative of patient motion or a patient posture indicator, is displayed by a display device. In some examples, the patient posture indicator comprises a graphical representation of at least a portion of a body of the patient. In some examples, the temporal correlation between a bioelectrical brain signal, a signal indicative of patient motion, and a signal indicative of cardiac activity of the patient is displayed by the display device. | 10-06-2011 |
20120116179 | TECHNIQUES FOR DATA RETENTION UPON DETECTION OF AN EVENT IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. These include initiating loop recording in an implantable medical device upon determination of a neurological event, wherein loop recording comprises storing a data record of a plurality of data records in a data structure, the plurality of data records representing information about determined neurological events. Methods and apparatus can further include determining a priority index for the plurality of data records based on severity levels of the determined neurological events and replacing older data records of the plurality of data records on the data structure with new data records according to the priority index, wherein the new data records selectively replace those data records in the data structure having the lowest associated priority index. | 05-10-2012 |
20120116475 | AROUSAL STATE MODULATION WITH ELECTRICAL STIMULATION - In some examples, an arousal network of a brain of a patient can be activated to modify the arousal state of the patient, which may be useful in treating a cognitive disorder of the patient. In some examples, a bioelectrical brain signal indicative of electrical activity in a first portion of the brain is monitored to determine whether the patient is in a first arousal state, and, in response to determining the patient is in the first arousal state, electrical stimulation is delivered to a second portion of the brain to activate an arousal neural network in the first portion of the brain to induce a second arousal state to treat the cognitive disorder, where the second arousal state is different than the first arousal state. | 05-10-2012 |
20120150251 | Implantable Medical Device for Treating Neurological Conditions Including ECG Sensing - An implantable medical device such as an implantable pulse generator that includes EEG sensing for monitoring and treating neurological conditions, and leadless ECG sensing for monitoring cardiac signals. The device includes a connector block with provisions for cardiac leads which may be used/enabled when needed. If significant co-morbid cardiac events are observed in patients via the leadless ECG monitoring, then cardiac leads may be subsequently connected for therapeutic use. | 06-14-2012 |
20120191157 | TARGET THERAPY DELIVERY SITE SELECTION - In some examples of selecting a target therapy delivery site for treating a patient condition, a relatively high frequency electrical stimulation signal is delivered to at least two areas within a first region (e.g., an anterior nucleus of the thalamus) of a brain of a patient, and changes in brain activity (e.g., as indicated by bioelectrical brain signals) within a second region (e.g., a hippocampus) of the brain of the patient in response to the delivered stimulation are determined. The target therapy delivery site, an electrode combination, or both, may be selected based on the changes in brain activity. | 07-26-2012 |
20120253261 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR OPTOGENETIC MODULATION OF CELLS WITHIN A PATIENT - Cells within a patient are optogenetically modulated to treat various neurological disorders. In one example, a method includes delivering a viral vector including a genetic agent encoding for one or more light-sensitive proteins to a delivery site within a patient. The viral vector includes retrograde and/or anterograde transport properties such that the viral vector is configured to transduce the genetic agent into cells at the delivery site and into cells in a plurality of sites proximal and remote to the delivery site. A bioelectrical signal(s) related to a neurological condition of the patient is sensed, e.g. using an implanted electrode. Optical stimulation is delivered to cells transduced with the genetic agent by the viral vector to treat the neurological condition of the patient. | 10-04-2012 |
20120277618 | SEIZURE PROBABILITY METRICS - In some examples, systems, devices, and techniques for determining a particular sleep stage of a patient, determining a seizure state of the patient during the particular sleep stage, and generating a seizure probability metric for the particular sleep stage based on the sleep stage and seizure state are described. In some cases, a patient may be more susceptible to seizure events during particular sleep stages. One or more seizure probability metrics indicative of a patient's susceptibility to seizure events during a particular sleep stage may be useful in creating a patient-specific treatment regimen. | 11-01-2012 |
20130053722 | Method and Apparatus for Detecting a Biomarker in the Presence of Electrical Stimulation - Various embodiments concern identifying a biomarker in the presence of electrical stimulation. Various embodiments concern delivering electrical stimulation to a patient and sensing one or more signals while the electrical stimulation is being delivered, the one or more signals including data indicative of physiological activity. Various embodiments further include determining an intensity of the electrical stimulation and determining whether the data indicates the presence of a biomarker based on a variable threshold, the variable threshold being variable based on the intensity of the electrical stimulation. Various embodiments concern determining a relationship between stimulation intensity and a biomarker parameter to determine the variability of the variable threshold. | 02-28-2013 |
20130197944 | Techniques for Data Reporting in an Implantable Medical Device - Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. An implanted device obtains data and stores the data in the data record in a first data structure that is age-based. Before an oldest data record is lost, the oldest data record may be stored in a second data structure that is priority index-based. The priority index may be determined by a severity level and may be further determined by associated factors. The implanted device may organize, off-load, report, and/or display a plurality of data records based on an associated priority index. Additionally, the implanted device may select a subset or composite of physiologic channels from the available physiologic channels based on a selection criterion. | 08-01-2013 |
20130218232 | BRAIN STIMULATION RESPONSE PROFILING - Various embodiments concern delivering electrical stimulation to the brain at a plurality of different levels of a stimulation parameter and sensing a bioelectrical response of the brain to delivery of the electrical stimulation for each of the plurality of different levels of the stimulation parameter. A suppression window of the stimulation parameter can be identified as having a suppression threshold as a lower boundary and an after-discharge threshold as an upper boundary based on the sensed bioelectrical responses. A therapy level of the stimulation parameter can be set for therapy delivery based on the suppression window. The therapy level of the stimulation parameter may be set closer to the suppression threshold than the after-discharge threshold within the suppression window. Data for hippocampal stimulation demonstrating a suppression window is presented. | 08-22-2013 |
20140032512 | Techniques for Data Retention upon Detection of an Event in an Implantable Medical Device - Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. These include initiating loop recording in an implantable medical device upon determination of a neurological event, wherein loop recording comprises storing a data record of a plurality of data records in a data structure, the plurality of data records representing information about determined neurological events. Methods and apparatus can further include determining a priority index for the plurality of data records based on severity levels of the determined neurological events and replacing older data records of the plurality of data records on the data structure with new data records according to the priority index, wherein the new data records selectively replace those data records in the data structure having the lowest associated priority index. | 01-30-2014 |
20140081347 | ASSESSING COGNITIVE DISORDERS BASED ON NON-MOTOR EPILEPTIFORM BIOELECTRICAL BRAIN ACTIVITY - Various embodiments concern assessing a degenerative cognitive disorder of a patient based on a plurality of episodes of non-motor epileptiform bioelectrical activity. The non-motor epileptiform bioelectrical activity can be detected from one or more bioelectrical brain signals. A worsening cognitive disorder may be indicated by an increase in one or more of intensity, duration, and frequency of occurrence of the episodes of non-motor epileptiform bioelectrical activity. A therapy can be delivered to reduce one or more of intensity, duration, and frequency of occurrence of the episodes of non-motor epileptiform bioelectrical activity. The delivery of the therapy can be controlled based on the plurality of episodes of non-motor epileptiform bioelectrical activity. | 03-20-2014 |
20140180358 | BRAIN STIMULATION RESPONSE PROFILING - Various embodiments concern delivering electrical stimulation to the brain at a plurality of different levels of a stimulation parameter and sensing a bioelectrical response of the brain to delivery of the electrical stimulation for each of the plurality of different levels of the stimulation parameter. A suppression window of the stimulation parameter can be identified as having a suppression threshold as a lower boundary and an after-discharge threshold as an upper boundary based on the sensed bioelectrical responses. A therapy level of the stimulation parameter can be set for therapy delivery based on the suppression window. The therapy level of the stimulation parameter may be set closer to the suppression threshold than the after-discharge threshold within the suppression window. Data for hippocampal stimulation demonstrating a suppression window is presented. | 06-26-2014 |
20140194945 | TARGET THERAPY DELIVERY SITE SELECTION - In some examples of selecting a target therapy delivery site for treating a patient condition, a relatively high frequency electrical stimulation signal is delivered to at least two areas within a first region (e.g., an anterior nucleus of the thalamus) of a brain of a patient, and changes in brain activity (e.g., as indicated by bioelectrical brain signals) within a second region (e.g., a hippocampus) of the brain of the patient in response to the delivered stimulation are determined. The target therapy delivery site, an electrode combination, or both, may be selected based on the changes in brain activity. | 07-10-2014 |
20140309614 | Clustering of Recorded Patient Neurological Activity to Determine Length of a Neurological Event - Apparatus and method detect a detection cluster that is associated with a neurological event, such as a seizure, of a nervous system disorder and update therapy parameters that are associated with a treatment therapy. The occurrence of the detection cluster is detected when the maximal ratio exceeds an intensity threshold. If the maximal ratio drops below the intensity threshold for a time interval that is less than a time threshold and subsequently rises above the intensity threshold, the subsequent time duration is considered as being associated with the detection cluster rather than being associated with a different detection cluster. Consequently, treatment of the nervous system disorder during the corresponding time period is in accordance with one detection cluster. Treatment therapy may be provided by providing electrical stimulation, drug infusion or a combination. Therapy parameters may be updated for each m | 10-16-2014 |
20150080674 | TECHNIQUES FOR DATA RETENTION UPON DETECTION OF AN EVENT IN AN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE - Methods and apparatus for storing data records associated with a medical monitoring event in a data structure. These include initiating loop recording in an implantable medical device upon determination of a neurological event, wherein loop recording comprises storing a data record of a plurality of data records in a data structure, the plurality of data records representing information about determined neurological events. Methods and apparatus can further include determining a priority index for the plurality of data records based on severity levels of the determined neurological events and replacing older data records of the plurality of data records on the data structure with new data records according to the priority index, wherein the new data records selectively replace those data records in the data structure having the lowest associated priority index. | 03-19-2015 |