DRUG DELIVERY IN ASSOCIATION WITH MEDICAL OR SURGICAL PROCEDURES

• US 20090314290A1
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: HICKLE, Randall S.
• Application Number:
  US12/511,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20090314290A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1106 to assess neuromuscular blockade, e.g. to estimate depth of anaesthesia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/162 Testing reaction times
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/417 the bone marrow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4821 Determining level or depth of anaesthesia A61B5/1106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0078 Breathing bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0084 self-reinflatable by elasticity, e.g. resuscitation squeeze bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/009 Removing used or expired gases or anaesthetic vapours filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air in drainage systems A61M1/784; bacterial filters in the expiratory path A61M16/1065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0093 by adsorption, absorption or filtration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/026 specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1015 using a gas flush valve, e.g. oxygen flush valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 19/00 Local anaesthesia syringes therefor A61M5/00; Hypothermia A61M5/42 takes precedence; cooling blood in a bypass of the arterial system A61M1/36
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/1025 the O2 concentration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/276 preventing unwanted use
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3303 Using a biosensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3379 : Masses, volumes, levels of fluids in reservoirs, flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 : local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 : Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 : Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 : Composition of exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 : partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/17 : delivered via infusion or injection
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 : Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]

Abstract

Disclosed is drug delivery for facilitating medical and/or procedures that are performed without “general anesthesia,” which is also described in the specification as the state of patient “unconsciousness” resulting from a drug administered by an anesthetist or anesthesiologist. Mixtures of sedative and analgesic drugs are adapted for safe and effective administration by devices to provide and maintain drug infusions that do not push the patient into unconsciousness and/or general anesthesia. Drug delivery devices are also disclosed that include the use of stored parameters and/or values that correlate to drug mixture delivery during a procedure, and a patient health monitor to measure and send signals regarding a patient health condition to a processor.

Claims

1. A method for medicating a patient in connection with the patient undergoing one or more medical and/or surgical procedures, said method comprising:

connecting to a patient a drug delivery device capable of controllable drug delivery to the patient during said procedure, said drug delivery device being coupled to an electronic controller which manages the delivery of drugs to the patient;

providing a drug mixture from a drug source to said drug delivery device, said drug mixture comprising an analgesic drug to provide pain relief for the patient and a sedative drug to provide sedation for the patient;

selecting an appropriate subprogram for the drug mixture for use by said electronic controller during said procedure;

attaching at least one patient health monitor device to a patient, said health monitor device generating a signal reflecting at least one monitored physiological condition of the patient during said procedure;

delivering the drug mixture to the patient during said procedure with said drug delivery device, said drug being delivered at a desired supply rate;

sending said signal from said health monitor device to said controller during said procedure, said signal communicating a present value reflecting said monitored physiological condition of the patient;

accessing parameters for said monitored physiological condition associated with said selected subprogram, said parameters indicating values for said measurements of said monitored physiological condition that correlate to levels of desired sedation during said procedure;

comparing said measurements reflected in said received signal with said parameters; and

modifying said desired supply rate of the drug mixture as necessary in response to said comparing in order to maintain said patient safely within said levels of desired sedation during said procedure.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said analgesic drug is selected from the group consisting of fentanyl, remifentanil, morphine and meperidine.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein said sedative drug is propofol.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said analgesic drug is remifentanil.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein said sedative drug is propofol.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said analgesic drug is remifentanil.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said patient health monitor is selected from the group consisting of an electrocardiograph, a pulse oximeter, a brain activity monitor, a capnometer and a patient consciousness monitor.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said values define a preset normal range of said measurements for a patient undergoing said procedure, and wherein said changing of said drug delivery rate comprises decreasing a current drug delivery rate or raising an alarm if said monitored physiological condition of the patient moves outside of said preset normal range.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein said preset normal range is identified by at least one threshold for said measurements.

11. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein said values define measurements of said monitored physiological condition that evidence the onset of potentially undesirable patient conditions during said procedure.

12. The method as recited in claim 11, wherein said values further define measurements of said monitored physiological condition that evidence the onset of potentially unsafe patient conditions during said procedure.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the delivering of said drug mixture is performed by a mechanism selected from the group consisting of continuous infusion, target controlled infusion, bolus infusion, and combinations thereof.

10. The method as recited in 9, wherein said values define at least two thresholds concerning said physiological condition, and wherein said thresholds designate different levels of concern for said patient when measurements are outside of said preset normal range.

14. The method for medicating a patient in connection with the patient undergoing one or more medical and/or surgical procedures, said method comprising:

connecting to a patient a drug delivery device capable of controllable drug delivery to the patient during said procedure, said drug delivery device being coupled to an electronic controller which manages the delivery of drugs to the patient;

selecting a drug mixture to provide to said patient, said drug mixture comprising an analgesic drug to provide pain relief for the patient and a sedative drug to provide sedation for the patient;

selecting and inputting an appropriate subprogram for the drug mixture for use by said electronic controller during said procedure;

attaching at least one patient health monitor device to a patient, said health monitor device generating a signal reflecting at least one monitored physiological condition of the patient during said procedure;

delivering the drug mixture to the patient during said procedure with said drug delivery device;

sending said signal from said health monitor device to said controller during said procedure, said signal communicating a present value reflecting said monitored physiological condition of the patient;

accessing parameters for said monitored physiological condition associated with said selected subprogram, said parameters indicating condition values for said measurements of said monitored physiological condition that correlate to levels of desired sedation during said procedure;

comparing said measurements reflected in said received signal with said parameters; and

said electronic controller modifying delivery of the drug mixture as necessary in response to said comparing in order to maintain said patient safely within said levels of desired sedation during said procedure.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein said sedative drug is propofol.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein said analgesic drug is remifentanil.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein said sedative drug is propofol.

18. The method as recited in claim 14, wherein said condition values define a preset normal range of said measurements for a patient undergoing said procedure, and wherein said modifying comprises decreasing a current drug delivery rate or raising an alarm if said monitored physiological condition of the patient moves outside of said preset normal range.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein said preset normal range is identified by at least one threshold for said measurements.

20. The method as recited in 19, wherein said values define at least two thresholds concerning said physiological condition, and wherein said thresholds designate different levels of concern for said patient when measurements are outside of said preset normal range.