Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

• US 20100036263A1
• Filed: 08/07/2008
• Published: 02/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Searete LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Ferren, Bran, Wood, Lowell L. JR., Rivet, Dennis J., Hyde, Roderick A., Wood, Victoria Y.H., Leuthardt, Eric C., Hagen, Jeffrey John
• Application Number:
  US12/228,151
• Publication Number:
  US 20100036263A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/481
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/08 Detecting organic movements or changes, e.g. tumours, cysts, swellings A61B8/02 - A61B8/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 Wireless probes

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for obtaining and acting upon information indicative of circulatory health and related phenomena in human beings or other subjects.

Claims

1. A medical or veterinary monitoring system comprising:

circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature; and

circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure.

2. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for obtaining information about an object apparently adjacent an implant.

3. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for obtaining data indicating that the abnormal structure has grown upstream.

4. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for activating an energy emitter within a proximity of the vasculature.

5. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for detecting one or more reflective properties of an apparent clot in the vasculature.

6. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a notification mode to be selected partly based on an indication of hemodynamic instability, partly based on the direction of the apparent movement, and partly based on an apparent position of the abnormal structure relative to an anatomical feature.

7. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of a criterion partly based on an apparent position of an item in the vasculature.

8. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for detecting the apparent movement of the abnormal structure within the vasculature via a series of two or more ultrasound images.

9. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for facilitating an indication of whether a detected item is apparently normal.

10. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of the notification responsive to data indicating that a speed of the apparent movement exceeds a speed threshold.

11. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of a warning responsive to an object larger than a size threshold traveling in a downstream direction.

12. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for indicating the direction of the apparent movement by identifying at least an anatomical structure.

13. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, further comprising:

a physiological support including at least a sensor of the circuitry for obtaining the indication of the apparent movement of the abnormal structure within the vasculature.

14. The medical or veterinary system of claim 13, in which the physiological support comprises:

at least one of a cast or a wrap.

15. The medical or veterinary system of claim 13, in which the physiological support comprises:

a seat.

16. The medical or veterinary system of claim 13, in which the physiological support comprises:

a bed.

17. The medical or veterinary system of claim 13, in which the physiological support comprises:

a garment.

41. The medical or veterinary system of claim 13, in which the physiological support comprises:

at least one of a cast, a wrap, a seat, a bed, or a garment.

42. The medical or veterinary system of claim 41, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for activating an energy emitter within a proximity of the vasculature;

circuitry for obtaining information about an object apparently adjacent an implant; and

circuitry for detecting one or more reflective properties of an apparent clot in the vasculature.

43. The medical or veterinary system of claim 41, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of a criterion partly based on an apparent position of an item in the vasculature;

circuitry for causing a selection of the notification responsive to data indicating that a speed of the apparent movement exceeds a speed threshold and to an object larger than a size threshold traveling in a downstream direction; and

circuitry for indicating the direction of the apparent movement by identifying at least an anatomical structure.

44. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

circuitry for activating an energy emitter within a proximity of the vasculature.

circuitry for facilitating an indication of whether a detected item is apparently normal;

circuitry for obtaining data indicating that the abnormal structure has grown upstream; and

circuitry for detecting the apparent movement of the abnormal structure within the vasculature via a series of two or more ultrasound images.

45. The medical or veterinary system of claim 44, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of a criterion partly based on an apparent position of an item in the vasculature;

circuitry for causing a notification mode to be selected partly based on an indication of hemodynamic instability, partly based on the direction of the apparent movement, and partly based on an apparent position of the abnormal structure relative to an anatomical feature; and

circuitry for indicating the direction of the apparent movement by identifying at least an anatomical structure.

46. The medical or veterinary system of claim 1, in which the circuitry for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

circuitry for causing a selection of a criterion partly based on an apparent position of an item in the vasculature;

circuitry for causing a selection of the notification responsive to data indicating that a speed of the apparent movement exceeds a speed threshold; and

circuitry for indicating the direction of the apparent movement by identifying at least an anatomical structure.

18. A medical or veterinary monitoring system comprising:

means for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature; and

means for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure.

19. The medical or veterinary system of claim 18, in which the means for obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

means for obtaining information about an object apparently adjacent an implant.

24. The medical or veterinary system of claim 18, in which the means for transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

means for causing a selection of a criterion partly based on an apparent position of an item in the vasculature.

20-23. -23. (canceled)

25-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A medical or veterinary monitoring method comprising:

obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature; and

transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure.

33. The medical or veterinary method of claim 29, in which the obtaining an indication of an apparent movement of an abnormal structure within a vasculature comprises:

detecting one or more reflective properties of an apparent clot in the vasculature.

39. The medical or veterinary method of claim 29, in which the transmitting a notification partly based on a direction of the apparent movement and partly based on an additional indication of the abnormal structure comprises:

causing a selection of a warning responsive to an object larger than a size threshold traveling in a downstream direction.

30-32. -32. (canceled)

34-38. -38. (canceled)

40. (canceled)