Systems and methods for monitoring gastrointestinal system

• US 20040215068A1
• Filed: 04/25/2003
• Published: 10/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Starkebaum, Warren L., Gerber, Martin T., Madsen, Michael, Lykke, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,141,016 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/302
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/062 using magnetic field
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/07 Endoradiosondes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4238 stomach

Abstract

In general, the invention is directed to systems and methods for monitoring the gastrointestinal system of a patient. In one embodiment, the invention includes techniques for monitoring the emptying of the patient'"'"'s stomach. The techniques may employ glucose monitoring, pH monitoring with a consumable sensor, of monitoring the position of a consumable sensor as it exits the stomach. Consumable sensors may be employed to sense conditions, such as temperature or bile concentration, in other segments of the gastrointestinal system. The invention also includes systems for tracking the position of one or more consumable sensors as the sensors transit the gastrointestinal system, and monitoring the conditions sensed by the sensors.

Claims

7. A method comprising:

monitoring a pH signal from a device in a gastrointestinal system of a patient;

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the pH signal.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs comprises estimating the time that the pH signal indicates a substantial pH increase from a range of approximately 1 to 2 pH.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs comprises estimating the time that the pH signal indicates a pH increase from a range of approximately 1 to 2 pH to a range of approximately 6 to 7 pH.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

monitoring a blood glucose concentration in the patient following consumption of a meal by the patient; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs as a function of the blood glucose concentration.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

monitoring a position of the device in the gastrointestinal system; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs as a function of the position.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the device is a first device and the pH signal is a first pH signal, the method further comprising:

monitoring a second pH signal from a second device in the gastrointestinal system of the patient;

estimating a time interval time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the first and second pH signals.

13. A system comprising:

a consumable device including a transmitter, the consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient and to transmit at least one signal;

at least two receivers to receive the signal from the consumable device when the consumable device transits the gastrointestinal system; and

a processor to compute a position of the consumable device in the gastrointestinal system as a function of the received signal.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the signals define an amplitude and a phase, and wherein the processor computes the position of the consumable device as a function of the amplitude and the phases of the received signals.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the receivers include mounting elements to mount the receivers on the body of the patient.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the consumable device is a first consumable device, the system further comprising a second consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first consumable device is configured to transmit a first identification signal and the second consumable device is configured to transmit a second identification signal.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the first consumable device is sized differently from the second consumable device.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the consumable device comprises a sensor to generate a sensor signal in response to a condition.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the sensor is at least one of a pH sensor, a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a moisture sensor, an impedance sensor, and a bile concentration sensor.

21. A method comprising:

monitoring a position signal from a device in a gastrointestinal system of a patient;

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the position signal.

1. A method comprising:

monitoring a blood glucose concentration in a patient following consumption of a meal by the patient; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the blood glucose concentration.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording the time of consumption of the meal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs comprises:

recording a baseline blood glucose concentration;

recording the time that the monitored blood glucose concentration substantially changes from the baseline concentration; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs as the time when the blood glucose concentration substantially changes from the baseline concentration.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a position of a device in the gastrointestinal system, the device consumed by the patient with the meal; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs as a function of the position.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring a pH signal from a device in a gastrointestinal system, the device consumed by the patient with the meal; and

estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs as a function of the pH signal.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the meal includes a known amount of glucose.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein monitoring the position signal comprises monitoring the position signal with at least two receivers configured to receive the position signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein monitoring the position signal comprises computing the position of the device as a function of the position signal received by the receivers.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the condition signal varies as function of at least one of pH level, temperature, pressure, moisture, impedance and bile concentration.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising monitoring a blood glucose concentration in the patient following consumption of a meal by the patient.

26. The method of claim 21, wherein the device is a first device, the method further comprising monitoring a position signal from a second device in the gastrointestinal system of the patient.

23-1. The method of claim 21, further comprising monitoring a condition signal from the device.

27. A system comprising:

a consumable device including a transmitter, the consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient and to transmit at least a pH signal;

at least receiver to receive the signal from the consumable device when the consumable device transits the gastrointestinal system; and

a processor to estimate the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the pH signal.

28. The system of claim 27, Wherein the consumable device is further configured to transmit a position signal, and wherein the processor is further configured to compute a position of the consumable device in the gastrointestinal system as a function of the position signal.

29. The system of claim 27, wherein the consumable device is a first consumable device, the system further comprising a second consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the first consumable device is configured to transmit a first identification signal and the second consumable device is configured to transmit a second identification signal.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the first consumable device is sized differently from the second consumable device.

32. The system of claim 27, wherein the consumable device comprises a sensor to generate a sensor signal in response to a condition.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the sensor signal comprises at least one of a temperature signal, a pressure signal, a moisture signal, an impedance signal, and a bile concentration signal.