Apparatus and Method for Maintaining Consistency for Aerosol Drug Delivery Treatments

• US 20090025718A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Respironics Respiratory Drug Delivery (UK) Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Respironics Respiratory Drug Delivery (UK) Ltd. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Dyche, Anthony, Prince, Ivan R., Denyer, Jonathan S.H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,738 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/005 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0085 using ultrasonics spraying or atomising liquids using ultrasonic vibrations in general B05B17/06
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0468 non-physiological
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/40 Respiratory characteristics

Abstract

An aerosol drug delivery apparatus is provided. The apparatus may include a reservoir constructed to contain a predetermined dose of a liquid drug, an aerosol generator in communication with the reservoir, and a power source arranged to deliver power to the aerosol generator in order to produce an aerosolized form of the dose that can be administered to a patient. The apparatus may maintain consistent aerosol drug delivery treatments, for example, by way of a breath measuring mechanism that monitors the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern during the administration of the dose and a controller configured to vary the power level at which the power source during the administration of the dose based on the monitored breathing pattern.

Claims

1. A method for maintaining consistency for aerosol drug delivery treatments, comprising:

administering a predetermined dose of aerosolized drug to a patient using an aerosol generator, the aerosol generator operating at an initial power level;

monitoring the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern during the administration of the dose; and

varying the power level at which the aerosol generator operates during the administration of the dose based on the monitored breathing pattern.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the power level is subject to a minimum level and a maximum level.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the breathing pattern includes a ratio of the patient'"'"'s inhalation with respect to exhalation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein varying the power level includes increasing the power level when the ratio falls below a predetermined threshold.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein varying the power level includes decreasing the power level when the ratio exceeds a predetermined threshold.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the monitored breathing pattern includes a moving average of the ratio calculated over a predetermined number of the patient'"'"'s most recent breaths.

7. The method of claim 1, fiercer comprising storing data for the administered treatment to perform diagnostics relating to the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a nominal treatment time for the treatment;

monitoring an elapsed treatment time for the treatment;

ceasing to vary the power level based on the monitored breathing pattern when the elapsed treatment time reaches a predetermined percentage of the nominal treatment time; and

increasing the power level at which the aerosol generator operates when the elapsed treatment time reaches the predetermined percentage of the nominal treatment time.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the nominal treatment time is a function of a predetermined dosage of a drug to administered by the treatment and a nominal output rate for the aerosol generator.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined percentage occurs at approximately 75% of the nominal treatment time.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising increasing the power level at which the aerosol generator operates when the elapsed treatment time reaches approximately 87.5%, 100%, and/or 125% of the nominal treatment time.

12. A method for maintaining consistency for aerosol drug delivery treatments, comprising:

administering a predetermined dose of an aerosolized drug to a patient using an aerosol generator, the aerosol generator operating at an initial power level;

monitoring an elapsed treatment time for the administration of the dose; and

increasing the power level at which the aerosol generator operates based upon a relationship between the elapsed treatment time and a nominal treatment time.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the relationship comprises a ratio of the elapsed treatment time to the nominal treatment time.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the power level is increased when the elapsed treatment time reaches one or more predetermined percentages of the nominal treatment time.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined percentages occur at approximately 75%, 87.5%, 100%, and/or 125% of the nominal treatment time.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the nominal treatment time is a function of a predetermined dosage of a drug to administered by the treatment and a nominal output rate for the aerosol generator.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the nominal output rate is a function of an initial power level and a grading of a mesh used in the aerosol generator.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising storing data for the administered treatment to perform diagnostics relating to a cleanliness or dirtiness of a mesh used in the aerosol generator.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

monitoring a breathing pattern of the patient; and

varying the power level at which the aerosol generator operates based on the monitored breathing pattern.

20. The method of claim 12, wherein monitoring the elapsed treatment time comprises sensing when the dose is fully administered.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising terminating a current treatment upon sensing that the dose is fully administered, wherein terminating the treatment includes ceasing to monitor the elapsed treatment time.

22. An aerosol drug delivery apparatus, comprising:

a reservoir constructed to contain a predetermined dose of a liquid drug;

an aerosol generator in communication with the reservoir;

a power source arranged to deliver power to the aerosol generator, the powered aerosol generator producing an aerosolized form of the dose that can be administered to a patient;

a breath measuring mechanism operable to monitor the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern during the administration of the dose; and

at least one controller configured to control the power source, the controller operable to vary the power level at which the power source operates during the administration of the dose based on the monitored breathing pattern.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the power level is subject to a minimum level and a maximum level.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the breathing measuring mechanism includes a sensor operable to measure a ratio of the patient'"'"'s inhalation with respect to exhalation.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, the controller operable to vary the power level by increasing the power level when the ratio falls below a predetermined threshold.

26. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller is operable to vary the power level by decreasing the power level when the ratio exceeds a predetermined threshold.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the controller obtains a moving average of the ratio calculated over a predetermined number of the patient'"'"'s most recent breaths.

28. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a data repository storing data for the administered treatment to perform diagnostics relating to the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern.

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller is further operable to administer the treatment by:

operating a clock when the treatment begins, the clock operable to monitor an elapsed treatment time for the treatment;

ceasing to vary the power level based on the monitored breathing pattern when the elapsed treatment time reaches a predetermined percentage of a nominal treatment time; and

increasing the power level at which the power source operates when the elapsed treatment time reaches the predetermined percentage of the nominal treatment time.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the predetermined percentage occurs at approximately 75% of the nominal treatment time.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the controller is further operable to increase the power level at which the power source operates when the elapsed treatment time reaches approximately 87.5%, 100%, and/or 125% of the nominal treatment time.

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the aerosol generator includes a vibrating mesh having a plurality of apertures.

33. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the aerosol generator further includes an oscillating member constructed and arranged to vibrate the mesh and cause the liquid drug to be forced through the mesh apertures to form the aerosolized form of the drug.

34. The apparatus of claim 32, wherein the nominal treatment time is a function of the predetermined dosage and a nominal output rate for the aerosol generator, the nominal output rate a function of the initial power level and a grading of the mesh.

35. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a data repository storing data for the administered treatment to perform diagnostics relating to a cleanliness or a dirtiness of the mesh.

36. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the controller includes electrical circuitry and a computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions.

37. An aerosol drug delivery apparatus for diagnosing poor patient respiration, comprising:

a reservoir constructed to contain a predetermined dose of a liquid drug;

an aerosol generator in communication with the reservoir;

a power source arranged to deliver power to the aerosol generator, the powered aerosol generator producing an aerosolized form of the liquid drug that can be administered to a patient;

a breath measuring mechanism operable to monitor the patient'"'"'s breathing pattern during administration of the dose; and

a perceptible output device that provides a perceptible output when the monitored breathing pattern indicates that the patient has a poor breathing pattern.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the breathing pattern includes a ratio of the patient'"'"'s inhalation with respect to exhalation.

39. The apparatus of claim 38, wherein the monitored breathing pattern indicates the poor breathing pattern when the ratio falls below a predetermined threshold.

40. The apparatus of claim 39, wherein the monitored breathing pattern includes a moving average of the ratio calculated over a predetermined number of the patient'"'"'s most recent breaths.

41. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the perceptible output device comprises a display.

42. A self-diagnosing aerosol drug delivery apparatus, comprising:

a reservoir constructed to contain a predetermined dose of a liquid drug;

an aerosol generator in communication with the reservoir;

a power source arranged to deliver power to the aerosol generator, the powered aerosol generator producing an aerosolized form of the liquid drug that can be administered to a patient;

a clock that monitors an amount of time that the aerosol generator is active during administration of the dose; and

a perceptible output device that provides a perceptible output indicating that a mesh in the drug delivery apparatus should be changed based on a relationship between the monitored amount of time and a nominal amount of time that the aerosol generator should have been active during the administration of the dose.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the perceptible output device comprises a display.