IMPLANTED AIR PASSAGE SENSORS

• US 20070249950A1
• Filed: 04/20/2006
• Published: 10/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Hatlestad, John, Huelskamp, Paul, Piaget, Thomas, Stahmann, Jeffrey
• Granted Patent: US 7,744,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0242 adapted to measure environmental factors, e.g. temperature, pollution
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/036 by means introduced into body tracts A61B5/032 and A61B5/035 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68 Arrangements of detecting, measuring or recording means, e.g. sensors, in relation to patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise

Abstract

A physiological sensor is located within the airway of the subject'"'"'s body, such as for measuring barometric pressure and communicating this value to a blood pressure or other monitoring device, which can derive gauge pressure using the barometric pressure and a measured absolute pressure within the body. The physiological sensor may also detect one or more other physiological parameters such as air flow, sound, or a chemical property. It may be anchored within the airway with the ability to communicate wirelessly to one or more other medical devices, such as an implanted cardiac function management device. Methods of use are also described.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a first sensor module, at least a portion of which is adapted to reside within an airway of a subject'"'"'s body, wherein the first sensor module comprises;

a first detector configured to detect a physiological or external first parameter;

a communication module, coupled to the first detector, the communication module configured to transmit information about the first parameter; and

an energy storage device, coupled to at least one of the first detector and the communication module; and

an anchor, attached to the first sensor module, the anchor configured to fixate at least a portion of the first sensor module within the airway.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the physiological or external first parameter includes at least one of an airway pressure, an airway flow, an airway gas concentration, an airway dimension, an airway particulate, a thoracic motion, a thoracic pressure, a thoracic sound, a thoracic voltage, and a transthoracic impedance.

3. The system of claim 1, including a processor to receive information about the first parameter and to provide a responsive indication of at least one of heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, cardiac ischemia, hypertension, sleep disordered breathing, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cheyne-Stokes respiration, asthma, respiratory congestion, and pulmonary edema.

4. The system of claim 1, comprising:

an implantable medical device, separate from and unattached to the first sensor module, the implantable medical device including a processor and a communication module to wirelessly receive information about the first parameter from the communication module of the first sensor module.

5. The system of claim 4, comprising a second detector, communicatively coupled to the processor of the implantable medical device, the second detector configured to detect a physiological or external second parameter, wherein the second detector includes a communication module configured to transmit information about the second parameter to the processor.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor measures a physiological parameter using information received from the first and second detectors.

7. The system of claim 4, comprising:

an absolute physiological pressure sensor module, at least a portion of which is adapted to reside within a circulatory system of the body, wherein the absolute physiological pressure sensor module comprises;

an absolute physiological pressure detector configured to detect absolute pressure;

a communication module, coupled to the absolute physiological pressure detector, configured to transmit information about the absolute pressure to the implantable medical device;

an energy storage device, coupled to at least one of the absolute physiological pressure detector and communication module; and

an anchor configured to fixate at least a portion of the absolute physiological pressure detector within the circulatory system; and

wherein the implantable medical device is separate from and unattached to the absolute physiological pressure sensor module and includes a communication module to receive information about the absolute pressure from the communication module of the absolute physiological pressure sensor module.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first sensor module comprises a barometric pressure detector to detect an external barometric pressure from within the airway, and wherein the processor of implantable medical device is configured to derive information about the absolute pressure at least in part by using information received from the barometric pressure sensor.

9. The system of claim 1, in which the anchor includes an expandable stent-like structure configured to maintain airway patency.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the anchor includes an antenna.

11. The system of claim 1, in which the communication module of the first sensor module comprises an inductor for communication.

12. The system of claim 1, in which the communication module of the first sensor module is configured to transmit information wirelessly, and comprises one or more of an ultrasonic transmitter, an inductive transmitter, and a radio frequency (RF) transmitter.

13. A method comprising:

detecting a first sensed parameter from an at least partially implantable sensor at a first location within an airway of a subject'"'"'s body; and

communicating information about the first sensed parameter from the first location to a second location that is outside the airway of the subject'"'"'s body.

14. The method of claim 13, in which detecting the first sensed parameter includes detecting a barometric pressure.

15. The method of claim 13, in which detecting the first sensed parameter includes detecting a physiologic sound.

16. The method of claim 13, in which detecting the first sensed parameter includes detecting a chemical property.

17. The method of claim 13, in which the communicating information about the first sensed parameter comprises wirelessly communicating the information to a separate and unattached implantable medical device.

18. The method of claim 17, comprising detecting or receiving, at the implantable medical device, information about a second sensed parameter.

19. The method of claim 17, comprising measuring, at the implantable medical device, a physiological parameter using information about the first and second sensed parameters.

20. The method of claim 17, comprising:

receiving at the implantable medical device information about an absolute pressure;

detecting a barometric pressure as the first sensed parameter; and

adjusting information about the absolute pressure using information about the barometric pressure.

21. The method of claim 20, comprising using the adjusted information about the absolute pressure as a control for delivering therapy.

22. The method of claim 20, comprising trending the adjusted information about the absolute pressure over time.

23. The method of claim 13, in which the communicating includes one or more of acoustic communication, radio frequency communication, inductive communication, and communication using the body as an electrical signal conductor.

24. The method of claim 13, comprising anchoring at least a portion of a first sensor within the airway from which to detect the first sensed parameter.

25. The method of claim 24, in which the anchoring comprises expanding an anchor.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising receiving or transmitting a communication signal using the anchor as an antenna.

27. A system comprising:

an implantable medical device, including;

a first sensor interface circuit, configured to communicate with a remotely located implanted first detector used to detect a physiological or external first parameter from within the airway of a subject'"'"'s body;

a second sensor interface circuit, configured to communicate with a remotely located implanted second detector used to detect a physiological or external second parameter; and

a biocompatible housing, configured to include at least a portion of the first and second interface circuits.

28. The system of claim 27, comprising:

a first sensor module, at least a portion of which is adapted to reside within an airway of a subject'"'"'s body, separate and remote from and unattached to the implantable medical device, wherein the first sensor module comprises;

a first detector, configured to detect external barometric pressure from within the airway;

a first communication module, coupled to the first detector, configured to transmit information about the barometric pressure to the first sensor interface circuit;

an energy storage device, coupled to at least the first detector and the first communication module; and

an anchor, configured to fixate at least a portion of the first detector within the airway.

29. The system of claim 28, comprising:

a second sensor module, at least a portion of which is adapted to reside within a circulatory system of the body, separate and remote from and unattached to the implantable medical device and the first sensor module, wherein the second sensor module comprises;

a second detector, configured to detect an absolute physiological pressure;

a second communication module, coupled to the second detector, configured to transmit information about the absolute pressure to the second sensor interface circuit; and

an anchor configured to fixate at least a portion of the second detector within the circulatory system.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the implantable medical device includes a processor configured to derive a gauge pressure using information about the absolute pressure received from the second detector and using barometric pressure information received from the first detector.