Method of Sensing Pressure for an Implantable Stimulation System

Abstract

A treatment method for stimulating a nerve includes sensing pressure relating to an organ.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An implantable respiratory sensor system comprising:
 a sensor lead including a lead body and a sensor portion, the sensor portion extending from the lead body and including at least a pressure transducer;   a first anchor located at a fixed position on the lead body.   
     
     
         2 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , comprising:
 a second anchor located on the lead body proximal to the first anchor and being selectively movable along a length of the lead body.   
     
     
         3 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor portion defines a directional sensing element configured to sense respiratory pressures on a single side of a sensor portion, and wherein the first anchor is configured to maintain the single side in an orientation facing toward the lungs. 
     
     
         4 . The sensor system of  claim 3 , wherein the first anchor includes a pair of resilient wings that extend outwardly from opposite sides of, and generally perpendicular to, the sensor lead, each wing having an outer tip and a base wider than the outer tip, and each wing omitting a suture hole. 
     
     
         5 . The sensor system of  claim 4 , wherein the first anchor is located at the sensor portion adjacent a distal end of the sensor lead. 
     
     
         6 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the first anchor is proximal to and spaced apart from the sensor, the first anchor including a pair of arms that extend outwardly from opposite sides of the lead body and generally parallel to the lead body, wherein each arm includes a suture hole. 
     
     
         7 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the fixed first anchor is spaced apart from the sensor about 3 to 9 centimeters along a length of the sensor lead. 
     
     
         8 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor system includes:
 an implantable pulse generator electrically coupled to the sensor portion and configured to monitor the sensed pressure and to identify a substantial change in a cyclical amplitude of the sensed pressure.   
     
     
         9 . The sensor system of  claim 8 , wherein the implantable pulse generator is configured to perform, based on the identified substantial change in the cyclical amplitude of the sensed pressure, at least one of:
 detection of a respiratory dysfunction; and   synchronizing delivery of an electrical stimulation therapy, applied via the implantable pulse generator and a stimulation lead, to treat the detected respiratory dysfunction.   
     
     
         10 . The sensor system of  claim 9 , wherein the respiratory dysfunction comprises an obstructive sleep apnea event. 
     
     
         11 . The sensor system of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor portion comprises a temperature transducer in addition to the pressure transducer, wherein signals of each of the respective pressure and temperature transducers are electrically independent from one another. 
     
     
         12 . The sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the pressure transducer and the temperature transducer comprise a piezo-electric transducer. 
     
     
         13 . The sensor system of  claim 11 , wherein the implantable pulse generator is configured to perform the synchronized delivery of the stimulation therapy based on a substantial decrease in a cyclical amplitude of the sensed temperature that occurs generally at the same time as the substantial change in the cyclical amplitude of the sensed pressure when the substantial change comprises a substantial increase. 
     
     
         14 . The sensor system of  claim 13 , wherein the implantable pulse generator is configured to withhold delivery of the stimulation therapy upon a combination of an absence of the substantial decrease of a cyclical amplitude of the sensed temperature and the substantial increase in the cyclical amplitude of the sensed pressure. 
     
     
         15 . An implantable respiratory sensor system comprising:
 a sensor lead including a lead body and a directional sensor portion, the directional sensor portion extending from the lead body and including a housing that contains at least:   a pressure transducer located on a single side of the housing to define a directionality of the sensor portion; and   a temperature transducer that is electrically independent of the pressure transducer;   a first anchor located at a fixed position on the lead body that is spaced proximally from the sensor portion by a distance of about 3 to 9 centimeters, the first anchor configured with a pair of elements extending generally outward from opposite sides of the lead body to maintain the single side in an orientation facing toward the lungs;   a second anchor located on the lead body proximal to the first anchor and being selectively movable along a length of the lead body.   
     
     
         16 . The sensor system of  claim 15 , wherein the elements of the first anchor include a pair of resilient wings that extend outwardly from opposite sides of, and generally perpendicular to, the sensor lead, each wing having an outer tip and a base wider than the outer tip, and each wing omitting a suture hole. 
     
     
         17 . The sensor system of  claim 16 , wherein the first anchor is located at the sensor portion adjacent a distal end of the sensor lead. 
     
     
         18 . The sensor system of  claim 1 , wherein the elements of the first anchor include a pair of arms that extend outwardly from opposite sides of the lead body and generally parallel to the lead body, wherein each arm includes a suture hole.