Esophageal function display and playback system and method for displaying esophageal function

• US 20050065450A1
• Filed: 09/07/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Diversatek Healthcare, Inc. (Diversatek, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sandhill Scientific Incorporated (Diversatek, Inc.)
• Inventors: Stuebe, Thomas D., Stewart, Timothy Paul, Stewart, Lisa Roos
• Granted Patent: US 7,493,158 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/037 Measuring oesophageal pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1126 using a particular sensing technique
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4211 Diagnosing or evaluating reflux
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4233 oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters

Abstract

A system and method for displaying an esophageal operation includes a display device, an interface capable of receiving esophageal impedance and pressure measurements, and a processing system in communication with the display device, the interface, and an esophageal operation model. The processing system is configured to receive a plurality of impedance values from a first plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations, receive a plurality of pressure values from a second plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations, process the plurality of impedance values and the plurality of pressure values with the esophageal operation model, display the plurality of impedance values on the display device as a bolus transit, and display the plurality of pressure values on the display device as operational esophagus movement.

Claims

1. A system for displaying a representation of esophageal operation of a subject comprising:

a display device;

an interface capable of receiving esophageal impedance and pressure measurements; and

a processing system in communication with said display device, said interface, and an esophageal operation model, with said processing system configured to receive a plurality of impedance values detected at a first plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations, receive a plurality of pressure values detected at a second plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations, process said plurality of impedance values and said plurality of pressure values with said esophageal operation model, generate display data that is a representation of a bolus transit from said plurality of impedance values, and generate display data that is a representation of esophageal movement from said plurality of pressure values.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a user input device in communication with said processing system, said user input device capable of accepting user inputs and transferring said user inputs to said processing system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said interface comprises a wireless interface that communicates wirelessly with an esophageal probe.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising an electrical connector that directly connects said interface to an esophageal probe.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising

a storage system that stores said plurality of impedance values and said plurality of pressure values;

and

a user input device that generates control signals that cause said impedance values and said pressure values stored in said storage system to be processed by said processing system.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is configured to generate display data for simultaneously displaying said bolus transit and said esophagus movement as an animated display.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system is further configured to simultaneously generate a data display portion on said display device and generate an animated display portion on said display device.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system generates display data that graphically depicts a swallowing operation.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system generates display data that graphically depicts a gastrointestinal reflux occurrence.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system generates display data from said plurality of pressure values that illustrates muscle contraction and muscle expansion patterns of an esophagus.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein said processing system generates display data from said plurality of pressure values that includes a lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure value.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said muscle contraction and muscle expansion patterns illustrate a peristaltic wave.

13. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of impedance values comprises a plurality of time-sampled impedance values.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of pressure values comprises a plurality of time-sampled pressure values.

15. The system of claim 5 wherein said user input device generates control signals that allow a user to select a time scale for display of said display data.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said user input device generates control signals that allow a user to start and stop said display data that is displayed on said display.

17. A method of displaying a representation of esophageal function comprising:

receiving a plurality of impedance values detected at a first plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations;

receiving a plurality of pressure values detected at a second plurality of spaced-apart esophageal locations;

processing said plurality of impedance values and said plurality of pressure values with an esophageal operation model to generate display data representative of bolus transit, esophageal movement and LES operation; and

generating image data that is displayed on a display device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising simultaneously displaying the bolus transit and the operational esophagus movement in a single animated display.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

displaying said plurality of impedance values on said display device as a line graph; and

displaying said plurality of pressure values on said display device as a line graph.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein said image data graphically depicts a swallowing occurrence.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein said image data graphically depicts a gastrointestinal reflux occurrence.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of pressure values are representative of swallow pressures exerted on a bolus by esophagus muscles.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein said image data illustrates muscle contraction and muscle expansion patterns of an esophagus.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of pressure values includes pressures generated by a lower esophageal sphincter.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of pressure values further comprises pressures representative of a peristaltic wave.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of impedance values comprises a plurality of time-sampled impedance values.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein said plurality of pressure values further comprises a plurality of time-sampled pressure values.

28. The method of claim 17 wherein said process of generating image data and displaying said image data on said display device is performed as said pressure values and said impedance values are received.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising:

storing said pressure values and said impedance values for retrieval and display on said display device.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising:

displaying said image data in accordance with a user selected time scale.

31. The method of claim 30 further comprising:

allowing a user to pause and reverse said image data that is displayed on said display device.