Multimodal neurostimulation systems and methods

Abstract

A system for performing a neurostimulation trial comprises an external trial stimulator capable of delivering stimulation energy to a plurality of electrodes carried by one or more stimulation leads. The external trial stimulator is configurable to operate in a plurality of stimulation energy delivery modes to respectively emulate one of different neurostimulator types. The system may further comprise a programmer capable of configuring the external trial stimulator to operate in one of the stimulation energy delivery modes. The programmer may be capable of generating a first programming screen capable of allowing a first set of stimulation parameters to be defined for the first neurostimulator type, and a second programming screen capable of allowing a second set of stimulation parameters to be defined for a second neurostimulator type.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An external trial stimulator, comprising:
 one or more connectors configured to respectively mate with one or more stimulation leads carrying a plurality of electrodes;   a plurality of electrical terminals configured to be electrically coupled to the plurality of electrodes via the one or more connectors;   stimulation circuitry configured to deliver stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals in accordance with a set of stimulation parameters; and   a programmer configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to selectively emulate different stimulator types.   
     
     
         3 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the stimulation circuitry includes neurostimulation circuitry configured to deliver neurostimulation energy. 
     
     
         4 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the stimulation circuitry includes pacing circuitry configured to deliver pacing energy. 
     
     
         5 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the stimulation circuitry includes defibrillation circuitry configured to deliver defibrillation energy. 
     
     
         6 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the stimulation parameter set comprises at least one of an electrode combination, a pulse amplitude, a pulse width, a pulse frequency, or a burst pattern. 
     
     
         7 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the programmer is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals at a constant voltage in response to varying impedance at the plurality of electrical terminals, and is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate another one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals at a constant current in response to varying impedance at the plurality of electrical terminals. 
     
     
         8 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 7 , further comprising monitoring circuitry configured to measure voltage at the plurality of electrical terminals, wherein the stimulation circuitry comprises one or more current sources configured to output one or more constant currents to the plurality of electrical terminals, and wherein the programmer is further configured to operate the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals at the constant voltage by varying the one or more current sources as the measured voltage varies. 
     
     
         9 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the programmer is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy at different magnitudes respectively to the plurality of electrical terminals, and is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate another one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy at a single magnitude to the plurality of electrical terminals. 
     
     
         10 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the programmer is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals in accordance with a plurality of stimulation parameter sets, and is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate another one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver the stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals in accordance with a single stimulation parameter set. 
     
     
         11 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , wherein the programmer is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate one of the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver a first stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals, and is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to emulate another one the different stimulator types by operating the stimulation circuitry to deliver a second stimulation energy to the plurality of electrical terminals. 
     
     
         12 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , further comprising memory for storing of stimulation parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The external trial stimulator of  claim 2 , further comprising telemetry circuitry configured to receive instructions from the programmer, wherein the programmer is further configured to reconfigure the stimulation circuitry to selectively emulate the different stimulator types in response to the received instructions. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium including instructions, which, when executed by a machine, cause the machine to:
 generate a first set of stimulation parameters for use by a first stimulator type;   generate at least a second set of stimulation parameters for use by a second stimulator type; and   select between one of the first set and the second set of stimulation parameters in response to a user input.   
     
     
         15 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of stimulation parameter defines a stimulation current value of at least one electrode, and the at least second set of stimulation parameters defines a stimulation voltage value for the at least one electrode. 
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of stimulation parameters defines independent stimulation amplitude values for a plurality of electrodes, and the second set of stimulation parameters defines a single stimulation amplitude value for the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of stimulation parameter defines multiple channels for a plurality of electrodes, and the second set of stimulation parameters defines a single channel for the plurality of electrodes. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first set of stimulation parameters defines a multipolar electrode configuration for the at least one electrode, and the second set of stimulation parameters defines a monopolar electrode configuration for the at least one electrode. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions, which, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to generate the first and second sets of stimulation parameters in accordance with user inputs or user-defined inputs. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second stimulator types include different types of neurostimulators. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 14 , further comprising instructions, which, when executed by the machine, further cause the machine to perform a therapeutic comparative analysis between the first and second stimulator types based on neurostimulation energy delivered to a patient by the first and second stimulator types in accordance with the respective first and second sets of stimulation parameters.