Pulse oximetry sensor and technique for using the same on a distal region of a patient's digit

• US 20060224058A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,548,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/323
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips

Abstract

A sensor may be placed on a distal portion of a patient'"'"'s finger or toe to obtain pulse oximetry measurements. The distal portion of a digit contains few if any large vascular structures that could adversely affect pulse oximetry measurements, but the distal portion does contain microvasculature that carries arterial blood that facilitates pulse oximetry measurements. The sensor may include an emitter and a detector that are spaced apart by an appropriate distance so that they may be located on the distal portion of a patient'"'"'s digit during pulse oximetry measurements.

Claims

10. A method for performing pulse oximetery, the method comprising:

placing an emitter and a detector of a pulse oximetery sensor on a distal region of a distal portion of a patent'"'"'s digit, wherein distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit includes a distal bone covered with skin and tissue and wherein the distal portion has a length L as measured from a tip of the distal portion to a transverse fold of skin located generally at a joint between the distal bone and an adjacent bone, and wherein the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 30% of the length L from the tip.

11. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein placing comprises:

wrapping an adhesive bandage about the patient'"'"'s digit to hold the emitter and the detector of the pulse oximetry sensor in place on the distal region.

12. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein placing comprises:

clipping a sensor to the patient'"'"'s digit to hold the emitter and the detector of the pulse oximetry sensor in place on the distal region.

13. The method, as set forth in claim 10, comprising:

positioning the emitter on a top portion of the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit;

positioning the detector on a bottom portion of the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit; and

operating the emitter and the detector in a transmission mode.

14. The method, as set forth in claim 10, comprising:

positioning the emitter and the detector on a top portion of the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit; and

operating the emitter and the detector in a reflectance mode.

15. The method, as set forth in claim 10, comprising:

positioning the emitter and the detector on a bottom portion of the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit; and

operating the emitter and the detector in a reflectance mode.

16. The method, as set forth in claim 10, comprising:

positioning the emitter and the detector side by side in the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit; and

operating the emitter and the detector in a transmission mode.

17. The method, as set forth in claim 10, wherein the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 20% of the length L from the tip.

18-1. The method, as set forth in claim 18, wherein fabricating comprises:

disposing the emitter and the detector on a structure that comprises a flat substrate.

23. A pulse oximetry system comprising:

a pulse oximetry monitor; and

a pulse oximetery sensor having an emitter and a detector adapted to be located on a distal region of a distal portion of a patient'"'"'s digit, wherein the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit includes a distal bone covered with skin and tissue and wherein the distal portion has a length L as measured from a tip of the distal portion to a transverse fold of skin located generally at a joint between the distal bone and an adjacent bone, and wherein the distal region is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 30% of the length L from the tip.

24. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the sensor comprises:

a substrate on which the emitter and detector are disposed; and

a wrap on which the substrate is disposed, the wrap being configured to secure the emitter and detector to the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit.

25. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the emitter and the detector are adapted to operate in a transmission mode.

26. The pulse oximetery system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the emitter and the detector are wholly disposed in the distal region.

27. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the emitter and the detector have center points that are located in the distal region.

28. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 27, wherein a portion of at least one of the emitter and the detector is located on the distal portion outside the distal region.

29. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the patient'"'"'s digit comprises a finger, and wherein the distal bone comprises a distal phalange.

30. The pulse oximetry system, as set forth in claim 23, wherein the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 20% of the length L from the tip.

31. A pulse oximetery sensor adapted for use on a patient'"'"'s digit, the pulse oximetery sensor comprising:

an emitter adapted to transmit light into the patient'"'"'s digit; and

a detector adapted to receive the transmitted light from the patient'"'"'s digit, the detector being positioned to receive at least approximately 50% of the received light from a distal region of a distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit, wherein the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit includes a distal bone covered with skin and tissue and wherein the distal portion has a length L as measured from a tip of the distal portion to a transverse fold of skin located generally at a joint between the distal bone and an adjacent bone, and wherein the distal region is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 30% of the length L from the tip.

32. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 31, comprising:

a substrate on which the emitter and detector are disposed; and

a wrap on which the substrate is disposed, the wrap being configured to secure the emitter and detector to the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit.

33. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the emitter and the detector are adapted to operate in a transmission mode.

34. The pulse oximetery sensor, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the emitter and the detector are adapted to be wholly disposed in the distal region.

35. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the emitter and the detector have center points that are adapted to be located in the distal region.

36. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 35, wherein a portion of at least one of the emitter and the detector is adapted to be located on the distal portion outside the distal region.

37. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the patient'"'"'s digit comprises a finger, and wherein the distal bone comprises a distal phalange.

38. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the distal region of the distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit is measured as extending from the tip of the distal portion to a location spaced no more than approximately 20% of the length L from the tip.

39. The pulse oximetry sensor, as set forth in claim 31, wherein the detector adapted to receive the transmitted light from the patient'"'"'s digit, the detector being positioned to receive approximately 50% to 80% of the received light from a distal region of a distal portion of the patient'"'"'s digit.