System And Method For Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

• US 20090247837A1
• Filed: 03/24/2009
• Published: 10/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett LLC (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Mannheimer, Paul, Amundson, Scott, Ochs, James, Batchelder, Keith
• Application Number:
  US12/409,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247837A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea

Abstract

Various embodiments may provide methods and systems capable of evaluating physiological parameter data. The methods and systems may include monitoring a patient to produce a signal comprising a sequence of numerical values for blood oxygen saturation over a time period. The signal may be analyzed to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period, and at least two numerical differences are calculated between the desaturation patterns. A saturation pattern detection index may be calculated using the numerical differences between the desaturation patterns. The saturation pattern detection index may be used to provide an indication of a physiological condition. Other embodiments may provide a medical device that may be used to evaluate physical parameter data according to the techniques described.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating a physiological parameter, comprising:

monitoring a patient with a monitor to produce physiological parameter data comprising a sequence indicative of blood oxygen saturation over a time period;

analyzing the physiological parameter data with a processor to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period;

determining differences between the two or more desaturation patterns with a processor;

calculating a saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon the differences, with the processor; and

providing an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising using the processor to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising using the processor to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time during which desaturation patterns are present.

6. A medical system, comprising:

a microprocessor capable of processing physiological parameter data; and

a memory capable of storing computer-readable instructions, wherein the contents of the memory comprises computer-readable instructions that if executed are capable of directing the microprocessor to;

analyze the physiological parameter data to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period;

determine differences between the two or more desaturation patterns;

calculate a saturation pattern detection index based at least in pail upon the differences; and

provide an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.

7. The medical system of claim 6, wherein one of the differences comprises a slope over time of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

8. The medical system of claim 6, wherein one of the differences comprises a slope over time of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

9. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of causing the processor to calculate a magnitude comprising the difference between a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during a last desaturation pattern within the time period and a minimum value of the physiological parameter data of the last desaturation pattern within the time period.

10. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of scaling the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period.

11. The medical system of claim 6, wherein the computer-readable instructions, if executed by a processor, are capable of scaling the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time over which desaturation patterns are occurring.

12. A tangible computer readable medium, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to:

obtain physiological parameter data from a measurement device monitoring a patient, wherein the physiological parameter data comprises an indication of blood oxygen saturation over a time period;

analyze the physiological parameter data to identify two or more desaturation patterns within the time period;

determine differences between the two or more desaturation patterns;

calculate a saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon the differences; and

provide an indication of a physiological condition based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.

13. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein the differences comprise a slope of a maximum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, wherein one of the differences comprises a slope of a minimum value of the physiological parameter data during each of the two or more desaturation patterns.

15. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to calculate a magnitude comprising the difference between a maximum value of the oxygen saturation of a last desaturation pattern within the time period and a minimum value of the oxygen saturation of the last desaturation pattern within the time period.

16. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to incrementally scale the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a count of the desaturation patterns present within the time period.

17. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to increase the saturation pattern detection index based at least in part upon a duration of time over which desaturation patterns are present.

18. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to control a treatment device based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.

19. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 12, comprising computer readable code that when executed is configured to control an audio recording device based at least in part upon the saturation pattern detection index.