Selective Termination of Electrical Stimulation for Post-Stimulation Therapeutic Effect

Solution Overview

Problem

Current medical devices for treating bladder dysfunction, such as overactive bladder and urinary incontinence, often require continuous electrical stimulation that can lead to patient adaptation and increased power consumption, and may not effectively induce therapeutic effects post-stimulation.

Innovation Solution

The development of a system that delivers sub-threshold electrical stimulation, which is insufficient to cause therapeutic effects during stimulation but sufficient to induce desired effects after stimulation is terminated, using an implantable medical device (IMD) that selectively terminates stimulation based on detected therapy trigger events.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If continuous electrical stimulation is delivered to treat bladder dysfunction, then therapeutic effects are maintained during stimulation, but patient adaptation occurs and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic effect maintenanceVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic electrical stimulation by delivering stimulation pulses in cycles with defined on-periods and off-periods. The stimulation is delivered intermittently rather than continuously, creating a periodic pattern that maintains therapeutic effectiveness while reducing overall power consumption and preventing patient adaptation to continuous stimulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary sub-threshold electrical stimulation before the desired therapeutic effect is needed. The stimulation is delivered in advance during an on-period, and then terminated during an off-period, allowing the post-stimulation therapeutic effect to occur when most needed while consuming power only during the preliminary stimulation phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If continuous electrical stimulation is delivered to treat bladder dysfunction, then therapeutic effects are maintained during stimulation, but patient adaptation occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetherapeutic effect maintenanceVSAvoidpatient adaptation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements periodic electrical stimulation by delivering stimulation pulses in cycles with defined on-periods and off-periods. The stimulation is delivered intermittently rather than continuously, creating a periodic pattern that maintains therapeutic effectiveness while reducing overall power consumption and preventing patient adaptation to continuous stimulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies preliminary sub-threshold electrical stimulation before the desired therapeutic effect is needed. The stimulation is delivered in advance during an on-period, and then terminated during an off-period, allowing the post-stimulation therapeutic effect to occur when most needed while consuming power only during the preliminary stimulation phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Use of energy by moving object

If sub-threshold electrical stimulation is delivered, then power consumption and patient adaptation are reduced, but therapeutic effect during stimulation is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidtherapeutic effect during stimulation

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary sub-threshold electrical stimulation before the desired therapeutic effect is needed. The stimulation is delivered in advance during an on-period, and then terminated during an off-period, allowing the post-stimulation therapeutic effect to occur when most needed while consuming power only during the preliminary stimulation phase.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic electrical stimulation by delivering stimulation pulses in cycles with defined on-periods and off-periods. The stimulation is delivered intermittently rather than continuously, creating a periodic pattern that maintains therapeutic effectiveness while reducing overall power consumption and preventing patient adaptation to continuous stimulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS11202908B2Selective termination of stimulation to deliver post-stimulation therapeutic effect

Publication Date: 2021.12.21 MEDTRONIC INC

AI summary

In some examples, electrical stimulation is delivered to a patient such that selective termination of the stimulation causes a therapeutic effect in the patient after termination of the electrical stimulation to the patient. The electrical stimulation may be insufficient to produce a desired therapeutic effect in the patient during stimulation, but sufficient to induce a post-stimulation desired therapeutic effect following termination of the stimulation. In some examples, the electrical stimulation may be sub-threshold electrical stimulation. In some examples, the desired therapeutic effect may alleviate bladder dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, or other disorders. The stimulation may be selectively terminated in response to one or more therapy trigger events to induce the post-stimulation therapeutic effect.