Duty-Cycled Electrical Nerve Stimulation for Battery Life
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing implantable neurostimulation devices for conditions like overactive bladder syndrome deliver electrical nerve stimulation continuously, leading to inefficiencies in energy usage and potential disruption of prescribed therapy regimens due to manual user intervention, which can result in less than desirable therapeutic benefits.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a system with an implantable neurostimulation device and an external programmer that allows for user-defined, duty-cycled electrical nerve stimulation, enabling precise scheduling, pausing, and amplitude adjustment without disrupting the prescribed regimen, and tracking actual delivery to compensate for deviations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If continuous electrical nerve stimulation is delivered, then therapeutic coverage is maximized, but energy consumption increases and battery life decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements duty-cycled stimulation that periodically delivers electrical nerve stimulation according to a prescribed regimen with specific on-times and off-times, rather than continuous stimulation. This periodic delivery pattern reduces overall energy consumption while maintaining therapeutic effectiveness by providing stimulation during designated therapeutic windows.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts stimulation delivery based on the prescribed regimen, enabling the device to transition between active stimulation and inactive states. The duty cycling mechanism allows the system to adapt its operation to match therapeutic requirements while optimizing energy usage during different time periods.
2Ease of operation
If manual user intervention is allowed for pausing or adjusting stimulation, then patient comfort and preferences are accommodated, but prescribed therapy regimens may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates tracking functionality that monitors and records any deviations from the prescribed therapy regimen caused by manual user interventions. This feedback mechanism allows the system to detect when pausing or amplitude adjustments occur, enabling clinicians to review and address potential disruptions to the intended therapeutic protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The duty-cycled stimulation system automatically manages the prescribed regimen without requiring continuous manual intervention. The device autonomously executes the programmed on-times and off-times, reducing the need for patient actions that could disrupt therapy while still allowing necessary adjustments when needed.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If duty-cycled stimulation is implemented, then energy usage is reduced and battery life is extended, but complex scheduling and tracking functionality is required
Solution Approach 1:
The stimulation regimen is programmed and configured in advance before actual therapy delivery begins. The duty cycle parameters, including on-times, off-times, and amplitude settings, are predetermined and stored in the device, allowing the system to automatically execute the schedule without requiring complex real-time decision-making or user input during therapy delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The device autonomously manages its own duty-cycled operation by automatically transitioning between stimulation and non-stimulation phases according to the programmed regimen. The tracking of delivered versus prescribed stimulation occurs automatically without external intervention, reducing the operational complexity burden on the user while maintaining extended battery life benefits.
Data Source
AI summary
An implantable neurostimulation system including an implantable neurostimulation device having one or more electrodes configured to deliver electrical energy to a patient according to a prescribed dosing pattern for the treatment of one or more physiological conditions and an external programmer configured to wirelessly communicate with the implantable neurostimulation device, the external programmer including a user interface enabling a clinician to define an irregular dosing pattern, such that a dose pattern during each day of a calendar month is individually programmable.