Detection of pleural effusion using transthoracic impedance
First Claim
1. A system for the detection of thoracic fluid in a subject, the system comprising:
- an implantable thoracic impedance measurement circuit, adapted to sense a thoracic impedance signal from the subject; and
a processor, coupled with the thoracic impedance measurement circuit to receive the thoracic impedance signal, wherein the processor is adapted to recognize a significant thoracic impedance signal, and wherein the processor is adapted to detect a pleural effusion indication upon recognition of the significant thoracic impedance signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This patent document discusses systems, devices, and methods for increasing a sensitivity or specificity of thoracic fluid detection in a subject and differentiating between pleural effusion and pulmonary edema. In one example, a thoracic impedance measurement circuit senses a thoracic impedance signal. In another example, a processor receives the thoracic impedance signal and determines whether such thoracic impedance signal is “significant.” A significant thoracic impedance signal indicates the presence of thoracic fluid and may be recognized by comparing the thoracic impedance signal (or variation thereof) to a thoracic impedance threshold. When a significant thoracic impedance signal is recognized, the processor is adapted to detect one or both of: a pleural effusion indication and a pulmonary edema indication using one or a combination of: physiologic information, patient symptom information, and posture information. In another example, the thoracic impedance threshold is adjusted using such physiologic, patient symptom, or posture information.
149 Citations
34 Claims
-
1. A system for the detection of thoracic fluid in a subject, the system comprising:
-
an implantable thoracic impedance measurement circuit, adapted to sense a thoracic impedance signal from the subject; and
a processor, coupled with the thoracic impedance measurement circuit to receive the thoracic impedance signal, wherein the processor is adapted to recognize a significant thoracic impedance signal, and wherein the processor is adapted to detect a pleural effusion indication upon recognition of the significant thoracic impedance signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A system for the detection of thoracic fluid in a subject, the system comprising:
-
a thoracic impedance measurement circuit, adapted to sense a thoracic impedance signal from the subject;
a processor, coupled with the thoracic impedance measurement circuit to receive the thoracic impedance signal; and
a differentiation module, adapted to differentiate a pleural effusion indication and a pulmonary edema indication using, at least in part, one or a combination of;
the thoracic impedance signal, physiologic information, patient symptom information, and posture information. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
-
-
22. A method for the detection of thoracic fluid in a subject, the method comprising:
-
sensing a thoracic impedance signal using an implantable device from a thorax of the subject;
recognizing a significant thoracic impedance signal in the subject; and
detecting a pleural effusion indication upon recognizing the significant thoracic impedance signal, wherein recognizing the significant thoracic impedance signal includes comparing the thoracic impedance signal to a thoracic impedance threshold. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
-
Specification