Sensor-based apparatus and method for portable noninvasive monitoring of blood pressure
First Claim
1. An apparatus for monitoring a patient, comprising:
- a body having a first attachment site spaced apart from a second attachment site over an intervening region of the body;
a pneumatically actuated pressure applicator mounted to the body;
a sensor comprising;
a support member movably coupled to the pressure applicator, and extendable and retractable relative to the intervening body region by the pressure applicator;
a pressure transducer; and
a pressure pulse transmission medium having a sensing surface for contacting tissue of the patient, the pressure transmission medium being supported by the support member and coupled to the pressure transducer for conveying pressure pulses thereto from the sensing surface;
a pneumatic pump mounted to the body and pneumatically coupled to the pressure applicator; and
a control system mounted to the body, the control system being electrically coupled to the pressure transducer and electrically coupled to the pump.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Blood pressure including systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and pulse rate may be determined from a portable monitoring device that noninvasively senses at the surface of a patient'"'"'s body pressure pulses that are influenced by blood flow in an underlying artery. As varying hold-down pressure is applied to the artery through overlying tissue, the pressure pulses are sensed by a transducer to produce waveform data. The varying pressure is applied automatically in a predetermined pattern using a pneumatic system, and is preferably swept in an increasing fashion so the waveform data from a series of pressure pulses are obtained with different amounts of force being applied. The waveform data from the sensed pressure pulses is analyzed to determine waveform parameters, and blood pressure is calculated in the portable monitoring device based upon the waveform parameters.
34 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for monitoring a patient, comprising:
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a body having a first attachment site spaced apart from a second attachment site over an intervening region of the body;
a pneumatically actuated pressure applicator mounted to the body;
a sensor comprising;
a support member movably coupled to the pressure applicator, and extendable and retractable relative to the intervening body region by the pressure applicator;
a pressure transducer; and
a pressure pulse transmission medium having a sensing surface for contacting tissue of the patient, the pressure transmission medium being supported by the support member and coupled to the pressure transducer for conveying pressure pulses thereto from the sensing surface;
a pneumatic pump mounted to the body and pneumatically coupled to the pressure applicator; and
a control system mounted to the body, the control system being electrically coupled to the pressure transducer and electrically coupled to the pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. An apparatus for portably and non-invasively monitoring blood pressure, comprising:
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a rigid casing having a fulcrum site;
a first anchor coupled to a first site on the casing;
a second anchor coupled to a second site on the casing, an intervening portion of the casing between the first and second sites forming a lever and the fulcrum site being on a first side of the lever;
a band having one end secured to the first anchor, and another end for being secured to the second anchor;
a housing contained within the casing, the housing forming a first part of an air chamber;
a rolling diaphragm having a truncated conical form when in an extend position, a large diameter end of the diaphragm being open and coupled to the housing, and a small diameter end of the diaphragm being closed for forming a second part of the air chamber, the rolling diaphragm being biased toward a collapsed position, and the air chamber having an increased volume with the rolling diaphragm in the extended position, and a decreased volume with the rolling diaphragm in the collapsed position;
a piston affixed to the small diameter end of the diaphragm;
a sensor post connected to the piston;
a guide rod connected to the housing, the sensor post being in slidable engagement with the guide rod;
a unitary pressure sensor comprising;
a sensor support member;
a flexible ring extending from the sensor support member;
a compressible ring extending from the flexible ring, a sensor interior being bounded by the sensor support member, the flexible ring, and the compressible ring;
a pressure pulse transmission medium contained generally within the sensor interior; and
a pressure transducer mounted within the sensor interior for receiving pressure pulses through the pressure pulse transmission medium;
the sensor support member having a sensor mount recessed within the flexible ring and pivotally connected to the sensor post, the sensor being disposed away from the casing with the rolling diaphragm in the extended position, and disposed near to the casing with the rolling diaphragm in the collapsed position;
a pneumatic pump contained within the casing;
an airflow restrictor contained within the casing, the pneumatic pump being pneumatically coupled to the airflow restrictor and the airflow restrictor being pneumatically coupled to the air chamber;
a normally open pressure release valve pneumatically coupled to the air chamber;
a control system contained within the casing and having a user interface accessible to a user from without the casing, the control system being electrically coupled to the pressure transducer, electrically coupled to the pump, and electrically coupled to the normally open pressure release valve for closing the valve during operation of the pneumatic pump;
a battery contained within the casing and electrically coupled to the control system; and
a positioning guide coupled to the casing in proximity to the fulcrum site, the positioning guide having an arc-like shape generally conformal with a cross-section of a human wrist; and
extending toward the sensor from the fulcrum site;
wherein the positioning guide has a hole through which the sensor passes, and a positioning notch for receiving a finger to detect a distal end of a radius bone when the positioning guide in engaged with a patient'"'"'s wrist; and
wherein the second anchor is elongated and extends from the casing and past the positioning guide in a direction generally tangential thereto, the second anchor having a hole therein for accessing the positioning notch with the finger.
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22. An apparatus for portably and non-invasively monitoring blood pressure of a patient, comprising:
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a body comprising a control system;
means for attaching the body to a monitoring site on an anatomical structure of the patient from which noninvasive monitoring of blood pressure may be performed;
means for pneumatically extending a sensor against the monitoring site from the body with a varying hold-down pressure, under control of the control system;
means for obtaining pressure data from the sensor, under control of the control system;
means for calculating arterial blood pressure from the pressure data, under control of the control system; and
means for pneumatically releasing the hold-down pressure from the sensor to retract the sensor, under control of the control system.
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23. A method for portably and non-invasively monitoring blood pressure of a patient, comprising:
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attaching a body to a monitoring site on an anatomical structure of the patient from which noninvasive monitoring of blood pressure may be performed;
pneumatically extending a sensor against the monitoring site from the body with a varying hold-down pressure, under control of a control system disposed in the body;
obtaining pressure data from the sensor, under control of the control system;
calculating arterial blood pressure from the pressure data, under control of the control system; and
pneumatically releasing the hold-down pressure from the sensor to retract the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification