SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MONITORING THE CONDITION OF AN INTERNAL ORGAN

• US 20100210958A1
• Filed: 02/16/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kim H. Manwaring, Preston K. Manwaring, Ryan J. Halter
• Original Assignee: Kim H. Manwaring, Preston K. Manwaring, Ryan J. Halter
• Inventors: Manwaring, Kim H., Halter, Ryan J., Manwaring, Preston K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,764,672 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/506
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/027 using catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/031 Intracranial pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0536 Impedance imaging, e.g. by tomography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4076 Diagnosing or monitoring particular conditions of the nervous system A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0002 with a pressure sensor at the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/0076 Unidirectional valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0693 Brain, cerebrum
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1032 Trachea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/0067 characterised by the distal end, e.g. tips A61M25/0054, A61M25/04 take precedence; balloon catheters A61M25/10
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/007 Side holes, e.g. their profiles or arrangements; Provisions to keep side holes unblocked
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 27/006 Cerebrospinal drainage; Accessories therefor, e.g. valves

Abstract

A system, method and device for monitoring the condition of an internal organ, such as a brain, by providing an internal electrode. The internal electrode is operatively connected to at least one surface, external, electrode, and a system handler. A signal is generated between the electrodes such that the electrical properties, including conductivity and impedance among others, can be measured at and across the electrodes. The electrode arrangement allows for continuous monitoring of an internal organ and, where desired, mapping of the electrical properties thereof. The system obtains pressure readings, nodal conductivity and/or electrode impedance to monitor, map and report the condition of the internal organ. A correlation procedure is provided for generating a graphical representation of the condition of an internal organ from the gathered data. A medical treatment method is also provided for monitoring the status of the brain, and includes providing an internal electrode for measuring electrical properties of the internal organ.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a status of an internal organ, the system comprising:

at least one internal electrode constructed and arranged to be placed adjacent to at least a portion of the internal organ and in communication with a system handler to provide a measurement thereto of electrical properties of the internal organ; and

at least one exterior electrode placed proximate and exterior to the at least one internal electrode to generate a signal therebetween in order to return a state of electrical properties of the internal organ, such that the electrical properties of the internal organ indicate the status of the internal organ.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure within the internal organ.

3. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a second exterior electrode in communication with the at least one electrode and the system handler to determine the electrical properties of the internal organ.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the system handler comprises instrumentation for measuring and mapping the electrical properties of the internal organ.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a plurality of internal electrodes for measuring the electrical properties of the internal organ.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the internal electrode is provided on an intracranial catheter that is constructed and arranged to be placed within the brain to monitor a condition of the brain as a measurement of electrical properties thereof, and further comprising:

a intracranial pressure sensor for monitoring intracranial pressure within the brain by providing a measurement of pressure of the brain.

7. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the intracranial catheter is inserted into a shunt in the brain of a patient such that a saline pathway formed by the shunt provides a conductive pathway for the current to flow between the electrodes.

8. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the intra-cranial electrode is provided as a side-mounted insulated lead with an exposed tip that serves as the intracranial electrode, which is interfaced with the system handler through a needle electrode containing a conductive plate within a tapping reservoir of the intracranial catheter.

9. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the electrical properties include a measurement of pressure within a region of interest of the brain, and a crosscorrelation is performed to provide the state of electrical properties of the brain by correlating the intra-cranial pressure and the blood flow within a region of interest in the brain.

10. The system as set forth in claim 6 wherein the electrode measures electrical properties within a white matter region of the brain and a gray matter region of the brain.

11. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electrical properties include impedance measured across an internal electrode and the at least one exterior electrode.

12. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a display for displaying the status of the internal organ based upon the state of electrical properties of the internal organ, as thresholded into one of a plurality of predetermined categories.

13. A method for monitoring an internal organ region comprising the steps of:

gathering data by measuring electrical properties of the internal organ region including an internal electrode operatively connected to at least one exterior electrode and to a system handler;

processing data by comparing the electrical properties of the organ over time with at least one other measurement of related properties of the organ to provide a status of the organ based upon a scaled value corresponding to the electrical properties of the organ; and

monitoring on a continual basis the status of the organ to perform medical treatment as appropriate in response to a monitored condition of the internal organ region.

14. The method as set forth in claim 13 wherein the at least one other measurement of related properties of the organ is a pressure measurement obtained by a pressure sensor operatively connected

15. A medical treatment method comprising the steps of:

introducing an intracranial electrode for use in an electrical conductivity-based blood flow monitoring system;

monitoring blood flow and intracranial pressure to determine a state of an internal organ;

providing a technique for mapping electrical properties of the state of the internal organ;

generating a framework of brain compliance, provided as a plurality of discrete frames in the framework of a graphical representation of the brain compliance.

16. The medical treatment method of claim 15 further comprising the step of:

providing a score for the graphical representation based upon a scaled rendering of the state of the internal organ.

17. The medical treatment method of claim 15 wherein the score is provided as a color indicating the state of the internal organ, the color being at least one of Green, Yellow and Red.