Apparatus and methods for non-invasively measuring hemodynamic parameters
First Claim
1. Hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
- a brace adapted to receive a portion of the anatomy of a living subject;
actuator apparatus coupled to said brace and adapted to move a sensor; and
alignment apparatus adapted to mate with a portion of said anatomy, said alignment apparatus configured to maintain a desired orientation of said sensor prior to coupling thereof to said actuator.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Improved apparatus and methods for non-invasively assessing one or more hemodynamic parameters associated with the circulatory system of a living organism. In one aspect, the invention comprises apparatus adapted to accurately place and maintain a sensor (e.g., tonometric pressure sensor) with respect to the anatomy of the subject, including an alignment apparatus which is separable from an adjustable fixture. The alignment apparatus moveably captures the sensor to, inter alia, facilitate coupling thereof to an actuator used to position the sensor during measurements. The alignment apparatus also advantageously allows the sensor position to be maintained when the fixture is removed from the subject, such as during patient transport. Methods for positioning the alignment apparatus and sensor, correcting for hydrostatic pressure effects, and providing treatment to the subject are also disclosed.
65 Citations
114 Claims
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1. Hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
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a brace adapted to receive a portion of the anatomy of a living subject;
actuator apparatus coupled to said brace and adapted to move a sensor; and
alignment apparatus adapted to mate with a portion of said anatomy, said alignment apparatus configured to maintain a desired orientation of said sensor prior to coupling thereof to said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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- 5. Apparatus adapted for a plurality of hemodynamic measurements of a living subject, comprising an alignment member adapted for removable mating with the skin of said subject, said alignment member being configured to dispose a sensor in a desired orientation with respect to said skin prior to each of said plurality of measurements without removal thereof from said skin.
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10. Apparatus adapted for a plurality of hemodynamic measurements of a living subject, comprising an alignment member adapted for removable mating with the anatomy of said subject, said alignment member being configured to maintain an actuator-driven sensor substantially in a desired orientation with respect to said anatomy between said measurements when said sensor is not coupled to said actuator.
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11. A method of positioning at least one sensor with respect to the anatomy of a living subject, comprising:
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providing said at least one sensor;
providing a positioning apparatus adapted to (i) maintain a substantially constant position with respect to the anatomy of said subject, and (ii) couple to said at least one sensor and;
providing at least one alignment apparatus adapted to align said at least one sensor with respect to said anatomy;
positioning said at least one alignment apparatus with respect to said anatomy;
disposing said positioning apparatus on said anatomy; and
coupling said at least one alignment apparatus to said positioning apparatus, said act of coupling further including aligning said at least one sensor with said anatomy using said at least one alignment apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. Apparatus adapted to position at least one sensor with respect to an anatomy, comprising:
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alignment apparatus adapted to substantially conform to said anatomy; and
positioning apparatus adapted to maintain a substantially fixed position with respect to said anatomy, and cooperate with said alignment apparatus to position said at least one sensor in the desired orientation. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. Sensor interface apparatus, comprising:
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a substantially flexible substrate having first and second regions;
a data storage element disposed at said first region;
a sensor element disposed at said second region; and
a plurality of electrically conductive traces disposed at least partially on said substrate, said traces providing electrical continuity between said data storage element and said sensor element. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. Hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
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a brace adapted to securely receive at least a portion of the anatomy of a living subject;
an alignment apparatus; and
a coupling element cooperating with said alignment apparatus and a sensor to initially position the sensor with respect to said anatomical portion;
wherein said coupling element is adapted to be removable from said assessment apparatus to permit variable positioning of said sensor subsequent to said initial positioning. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A method of positioning a sensor with respect to the anatomy of a subject, comprising:
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disposing a marker on a location of said anatomy;
disposing said sensor relative to said marker;
displacing said marker from said location; and
disposing said sensor at said location. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. Anatomical sensor positioning apparatus, comprising:
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a first support element;
a marker movably coupled to said first support element; and
a second support element disposed in known relationship to said marker. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. Apparatus for positioning a sensor, comprising:
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a first support element adapted for mating to the anatomy of a subject;
a marker removably coupled to said first support element; and
a second support element adapted to receive said sensor;
wherein said second support element is movably coupled to said first support element such that said sensor is disposed in a known relationship to said marker when said movable coupling is actuated.
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45. A hemodynamic sensor assembly, comprising:
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a sensor adapted to be removably coupled to an actuator; and
alignment apparatus adapted to align said sensor with a target location on the anatomy of a subject when said sensor is uncoupled from said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A blood pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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at least one pressure sensor adapted to measure a pressure waveform from a blood vessel;
an actuator adapted to control the position of said at least one sensor relative to said blood vessel; and
a brace adapted to maintain said actuator in a substantially constant position with respect to said blood vessel;
wherein said brace is further adapted to maintain said sensor in a desired location prior to coupling of said actuator to said sensor.
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49. A blood pressure monitoring system, comprising:
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at least one pressure sensor adapted to measure a pressure waveform from a blood vessel;
an actuator adapted to control the position of said at least one sensor relative to said blood vessel;
a brace adapted to maintain said actuator in a substantially constant position with respect to said blood vessel; and
a removable alignment apparatus adapted to maintain said sensor in a desired location prior to coupling of said actuator to said sensor.
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50. Tonometric pressure sensor apparatus, comprising:
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a pressure sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal relating to the pressure applied to at least one surface thereof;
a housing element adapted to at least partly receive said sensor therein; and
a bias element coupled to said housing and adapted to bias tissue of a subject proximate said at least one surface when said apparatus is disposed in contact therewith;
wherein said housing element further comprises a coupling adapter for coupling said sensor apparatus to a parent device. - View Dependent Claims (51)
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52. Pressure sensor apparatus adapted for measurement of a pressure waveform from the blood vessel of a living subject, comprising:
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a pressure sensor adapted to generate an electrical signal relating to the pressure applied to at least one surface thereof;
a housing element adapted to at least partly receive said sensor therein; and
a coupling element adapted to couple said sensor apparatus to an actuator;
wherein said apparatus is further adapted to be retained in a desired position above said blood vessel when uncoupled from said actuator using an alignment apparatus.
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53. A method of recurrently measuring the blood pressure of a living subject, comprising:
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disposing an alignment apparatus adapted to align at least one sensor with respect to the anatomy of said subject;
positioning said at least one sensor with respect to said anatomy using at least in part said alignment apparatus;
measuring blood pressure at a first time using said sensor; and
measuring blood pressure at a second time using said sensor, wherein the position of said sensor is maintained with respect to said anatomy between said measurements using said alignment apparatus.
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54. Apparatus for measuring the blood pressure of a living subject, comprising:
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alignment apparatus adapted to align at least one sensor with respect to the anatomy of said subject, said alignment apparatus being configured such that at least a portion thereof is retained in a substantially fixed orientation with respect to said anatomy;
an actuator adapted to couple to said at least one sensor and control the position thereof during operations; and
at least one sensor adapted to cooperate with said alignment apparatus to maintain a desired position of said sensor when said sensor is decoupled from said actuator. - View Dependent Claims (55)
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56. Apparatus for coupling a movable sensor having a sensing surface to an actuator, comprising:
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a first coupling element disposed on said sensor;
a second coupling element disposed on said actuator, said second element adapted to receive at least a portion of said first element, thereby coupling said actuator and sensor in a substantially rigid configuration. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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63. Sensor support apparatus, comprising:
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a brace adapted to receive a portion of the anatomy of a subject; and
a support member adjustably coupled to said brace, said support member being adapted to position a sensor assembly relative to said portion;
wherein said adjustable coupling comprises a ratchet mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (64, 65, 66)
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- 67. Apparatus for controlling the position of a hemodynamic sensor with respect to a subject, wherein a single adjustment element permits adjustment of at least three degrees of freedom of said sensor.
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69. Physiologic sensor support apparatus, comprising:
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a support frame adapted to mate substantially with the skin of the subject;
a sensor assembly; and
a support element in communication with said frame element and said sensor assembly, said support element adapted to maintain said sensor in a desired area relative to the skin. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77)
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78. Physiologic sensing apparatus, comprising:
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at least one pressure sensor; and
a support structure adapted to receive at least a portion of the anatomy of a subject therein;
wherein said support structure is adapted to couple at least one force felt by said at least one sensor to said at least portion of said anatomy. - View Dependent Claims (79, 80, 81, 82)
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83. Sensor actuator apparatus, comprising:
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a stationary element;
a first movable element adapted to move relative to said stationary element, said moveable element further being adapted for coupling to said sensor; and
at least one motor fixedly mounted to said stationary element and operatively coupled to said first moveable element, said at least one motor being adapted to move said first moveable element in a first direction. - View Dependent Claims (84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89)
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90. Support apparatus adapted for use in the hemodynamic assessment of a living subject, comprising:
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a first portion adapted to receive at least a portion of the hand of said living subject; and
a second portion adapted to receive at least a portion of the forearm of said living subject;
wherein said first and second portions are moveably coupled such that the orientation of said first portion with respect to said second portion can be selectively altered during said hemodynamic assessment. - View Dependent Claims (91, 92, 93)
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94. A method of optimizing the measurement of a hemodynamic parameter from a living subject, comprising:
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disposing a sensor adapted to measure at least one parameter and generate data relating thereto proximate to the anatomy of said subject, said anatomy containing at least one blood vessel;
disposing said anatomy in a first configuration;
generating first data using said sensor;
disposing said anatomy in a second configuration;
generating second data using said sensor;
evaluating said first and second data; and
optimizing said measurement based at least in part on said act of evaluating. - View Dependent Claims (95)
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96. A method of optimizing the measurement of a hemodynamic parameter from a living subject, comprising:
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selecting one of a plurality of possible orientations of the anatomy of said subject;
disposing said anatomy in said selected orientation;
disposing a sensor adapted to measure at least one parameter and generate data relating thereto proximate to said anatomy, said anatomy containing at least one blood vessel; and
generating said data using said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (97, 98, 99, 100, 101)
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102. Hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
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a brace adapted to receive a portion of the anatomy of a living subject;
frame apparatus adapted to mate with a portion of said anatomy, said frame apparatus configured to contain a sensor; and
actuator apparatus coupled to said brace and frame apparatus and adapted to removably couple to said sensor, said actuator further being adapted to selectively press at least a portion of said sensor against said anatomy.
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103. A method of operating a sensor used in a hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
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providing a sensor having attributes;
calibrating said sensor and a first of said hemodynamic assessment apparatus based at least in part on said attributes of said sensor;
removing said sensor from said first apparatus;
disposing said sensor in a second hemodynamic assessment apparatus; and
calibrating said second apparatus based at least in part on said attributes;
wherein said act of calibrating said second apparatus does not require re-calibrating said sensor. - View Dependent Claims (104)
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105. Hemodynamic assessment sensor apparatus, comprising:
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a sensor;
a first circuit containing said sensor and adapted to facilitate the calibration of and generation of data using said sensor; and
a second circuit in operative communication with said first circuit, said second circuit adapted to electrically interface with any one of a plurality of different monitor configurations, said first and second circuits cooperating to allow sequential use of different ones of said plurality of without recalibration of said sensor.
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106. Hemodynamic assessment apparatus, comprising:
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at least one pressure sensor disposed for contact with the tissue of a living subject; and
an actuator coupled to said at least one sensor and adapted to selectively vary the level of compression of said tissue by said at least one sensor;
wherein said actuator further comprises at least one acceleration device adapted to generate a signal relating to the acceleration of at least a portion of said actuator during operation. - View Dependent Claims (107, 108, 109)
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110. A method of measuring a hemodynamic parameter during movement;
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measuring data relating to said parameter from a living subject using apparatus;
determining the presence of movement of said apparatus; and
processing said data based at least in part on said determination. - View Dependent Claims (111, 112, 113, 114)
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Specification