RESPIRATION MONITOR AND METHOD OF ITS OPERATION

• US 20090054798A1
• Filed: 11/22/2005
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Anaxsys Technology Limited
• Original Assignee: Asthma Alert Limited
• Inventors: Garrett, Michael Ernest, Varney, Mark, Williams, Deryk
• Application Number:
  US11/791,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20090054798A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption

Abstract

An apparatus for monitoring the respiration of a subject, the apparatus comprises means for detecting the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide in an inspired and/or exhaled gaseous stream of a subject; and a display for displaying the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide. A method for monitoring the respiration of a subject comprises analysing the composition of the inspired and/or exhaled gas of the subject and determining the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitric oxide in the gas; and displaying the results of the analysis on a display to provide an indication of the respiratory state of the subject. A method of determining the extent of resuscitation of a patient comprises measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitric oxide in the inspired gas stream and/or exhaled gas stream of the subject.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring the respiration of a subject, the apparatus comprising:

means for detecting the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide in an inspired and/or exhaled gaseous stream of a subject; and

a display for displaying the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is adapted to measure the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide in real-time.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is adapted to measure the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide in a breath-on-breath regime.

4. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the apparatus is adapted to measure the tidal concentration of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide.

5. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, wherein the display is adapted to display the concentrations of the said gases for both the inspired gas stream and exhaled gas stream.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the apparatus is adapted to measure the concentration of the said gases in consecutive inspired and exhaled breaths of the subject, the display being adapted to show a comparison of the composition of the inspired and exhaled streams.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising a processor to calculate the ratio of each of the said gases in the inspired gas stream and the exhaled gas stream.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, further comprising a memory adapted to store data relating to population normal values of the said ratios, the processor further providing a comparison between the measured concentrations and the data stored in the memory.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the processor is adapted to provide an indication of the extent of resuscitation of the subject.

10. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for measuring the differential pressure of the gas flow, and a processor adapted to calculate the volume flow rate of gas.

11. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for measuring the temperature and/or humidity of the gas stream.

12. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for adjusting the temperature and/or humidity of the gas stream.

13. The apparatus according to any preceding claim, further comprising a plurality of sensor modules, each sensor module comprising a conduit, a sensor element for detecting the concentration of a component of a gas stream passing through the conduit, the conduits of each module being connected to an adjacent module to provide for analysis of the gas stream by each sensor element.

14. A method of monitoring the respiration of a subject, the method comprising analysing the composition of the inspired and/or exhaled gas of the subject and determining the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitric oxide in the gas;

and displaying the results of the analysis on a display to provide an indication of the respiratory state of the subject.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide is measured in real-time.

16. The method according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the concentration of each of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide in measured in a breath-on-breath regime.

17. The method according to any of claims 14 to 16, wherein the tidal concentration of oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitric oxide is measured.

18. The method according to any of claims 14 to 17, wherein the concentrations of the said gases for both the inspired gas stream and exhaled gas stream are determined.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the concentration of the said gases in consecutive inspired and exhaled breaths of the subject is measured, the display showing a comparison of the composition of the inspired and exhaled streams.

20. The method according to claim 18, further comprising calculating the ratio of each of the said gases in the inspired gas stream and the exhaled gas stream.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising retrieving from a memory data relating to population normal values of the said ratios, and further providing a comparison between the measured concentrations and the data stored in the memory.

22. The method according to claim 21, further comprising providing an indication of the extent of resuscitation of the subject.

23. The method according to any of claims 14 to 22, further comprising measuring the differential pressure of the gas flow.

24. The method according to any of claims 14 to 23, further comprising measuring the temperature and/or humidity of the gas stream.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising adjusting the temperature and/or humidity of the gas stream.

26. The method according to any of claims 14 to 25, wherein the concentrations of the said gases are measured continuously or periodically.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the concentrations of the said gases are measured periodically every 1 to 100 milliseconds, most preferably about every 10 milliseconds.

28. A method of determining the resuscitation state of a subject, the method comprising measuring the concentration of carbon dioxide, oxygen and nitric oxide in the inspired gas stream and/or exhaled gas stream of the subject.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the concentration of the said gases is measured in both the inspired and exhaled gas stream of the subject.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising calculating a ratio of the concentrations of the said gases in the inspired and exhaled gas streams.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising comparing the ratios thus determined with population normal values for the ratios, and determining the extent of resuscitation of the subject from the results of the comparison.