SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PULMONARY MONITORING AND TREATMENT

• US 20090281433A1
• Filed: 05/07/2008
• Published: 11/12/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Soundmed, LLC
• Original Assignee: Sonitus Medical, Inc.
• Inventors: SAADAT, Vahid, ABOLFATHI, Amir
• Application Number:
  US12/116,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20090281433A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0088 for oral or dental tissue
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/082 Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0873 using optical means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0878 using temperature sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/25 Bioelectric electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/291 for electroencephalography [EEG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/682 Mouth, e.g., oral cavity; tongue; Lips; Teeth
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/68335 including release sheets or liners
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6834 using vacuum
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6839 Anchoring means, e.g. barbs
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/74 Details of notification to user or communication with user or patient indicating measured values G01D7/00; user input means input or output arrangements for computers G06F3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7455 : characterised by tactile indication, e.g. vibration or electrical stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 : Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14244 : adapted to be carried by the patient, e.g. portable on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0548 : Oral electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3601 : of respiratory organs
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36031 : using physiological parameters for adjustment

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed determining a pulmonary function by mounting one or more sensors intra-orally; capturing intra-oral data; and determining the pulmonary function based on an analysis of the intra-oral data.

Claims

1. A method for determining a pulmonary function, comprising:

a. mounting one or more sensors intra-orally;

b. capturing intra-oral data; and

c. determining the pulmonary function based on an analysis of the intra-oral data.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising determining an intermittent breathing condition from the intra-oral sound or determining a snoring condition from the intra-oral sound.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a custom removable intra-oral appliance.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the appliance is secured to an intra-oral position using a screw, an adhesive, a suction cup, a fastener, or a Velcro mount.

5. The method of claim 1, comprising:

a. measuring a magnitude and a frequency of an intra-oral sound; and

b. determining one or more intervals between breaths from the intra-oral sound.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising measuring oxygen concentration or carbon dioxide saturation.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising measuring oxygen data through a lax stratum corneum or a dermal structure.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising performing a dual-color ratiometric oxygen saturation measurement.

9. The method of claim 1, comprising measuring breath oxygen or carbon dioxide content.

10. The method of claim 1, comprising measuring inhaled and exhaled air for oxygen and/or carbon dioxide content.

11. The method of claim 1, comprising providing a stimulus signal to a patient based on the pulmonary function.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising applying the stimulus signal to a jaw.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising generating a sensation comprising one or more of:

sound, vibration and electrical stimulation.

14. The method of claim 11, comprising altering a depth of sleep through the stimulus signal.

15. The method of claim 11, comprising altering a body position through the stimulus signal.

16. The method of claim 1, comprising measuring cardiac signals.

17. The method of claim 16, comprising measuring EKG signals or ECG signals.

18. The method of claim 16, comprising generating an alarm based on the cardiac signals.

19. The method of claim 1, comprising releasing a drug from an appliance.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the intra-oral sensors are coupled to a custom appliance.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the sensors comprise one of:

temperature sensors, flow velocity sensors, acoustic sensors, heart rate sensors, optical sensors, arterial tone sensors, oxygen sensors, EEG sensors, EKG sensors, pH sensors, or snoring sound sensors.

22. The method of claim 1, comprising detecting one of:

a sleep apnea condition, a snoring condition, a pulmonary condition, and a bruxing condition.

23. The method of claim 1, comprising treating one of:

a sleep apnea condition, a snoring condition, a pulmonary condition, and a bruxing condition.

24. The method of claim 1, comprising providing therapy to a patient.

25. The method of claim 24, comprising delivering a vibration on a tooth or a gum.

26. The method of claim 24, comprising waking a patient.

27. The method of claim 24, comprising delivering sound to wake a patient.

28. The method of claim 24, comprising delivering electrical energy to stimulate nerves.

29. An apparatus for transmitting vibrations via at least one tooth to facilitate communications, comprising:

a housing having a shape which is conformable to at least a portion of the at least one tooth;

an actuatable transducer disposed within or upon the housing and in vibratory communication with a surface of the at least one tooth; and

a pulmonary detector coupled to the transducer.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the housing comprises an oral appliance having a shape which conforms to the at least one tooth.

31. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the housing comprises a custom removable intra-oral appliance.

32. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the housing is secured to a tooth or a mandible using one of:

a screw, an adhesive, a fastener, a suction cup, a Velcro mount.