Medtronic, Inc.

Vincent Roczniak

Timothy J Denison

Scott R Stanslaski

Todd V Smith

Thomas Adamski

Robert Devine

Timothy R Abraham

Wesley A Santa

Steven J Stroncek

Devices and methods provide for the sensing of physiological signals by providing a stimulation waveform that includes a stimulation pulse followed by an active recharge pulse to clear the charge in capacitors within the stimulation path. The active recharge pulse is followed by a period of passive recharge and then a period of no recharge. Non-neurological sources of artifacts within the sensed physiological signal may be handled by providing a brief period of passive recharge followed by a lengthy period of no recharge, which is made possible by the use of the active recharge pulse prior to the passive recharge. The period of no recharge removes any low impedance path to ground from the stimulation electrodes, which allows an amplifier of the sensing circuit to provide common mode rejection of non-neurological signals, such as cardiac signals, present at the sensing electrodes.

Devices and methods for sensing physiological signals during stimulation therapy

Leakage of signal between conduction paths of an implantable medical lead or lead and lead extension combination is detected. A stimulation signal is provided via one electrode. Two other electrodes sense the stimulation signal. A difference in amplitude of the two sensed signals is determined and based on this difference, leakage is detected. A sensing circuit may use differential amplification of the two signals and compare a resulting output signal to a leakage threshold. When the amplitude of the output signal exceeds the leakage threshold, then leakage is occurring between the conduction path providing the stimulation and one of the conduction paths used for sensing. Other techniques for determining leakage from the difference may also be used such as comparing the amplitudes of the two sensed signals and providing a value that is based on the comparison to indicate whether leakage is present.

Leakage detection within implantable medical system conduction paths

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Maple Grove, MN, United States of America

Vincent Roczniak