Mouthpiece and Airway Congestion Monitoring System

• US 20100249634A1
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Respirtech
• Original Assignee: Respirtech
• Inventors: Hansen, Leland G.
• Application Number:
  US12/728,193
• Publication Number:
  US 20100249634A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/538
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Abstract

A congestion monitoring system includes a generally cylindrical, hollow form to channel a patient'"'"'s breath, a flow restriction within the hollow form, and a pair of air ports. One of the air ports is located on the hollow form at a first side of the flow restriction, and the other air port is located on the hollow form at a second side of the flow restriction. The system also includes a coupling for connecting the pair of air ports to a pair of air lines, a sensor in communication with the air ports via the pair of air lines, and a monitor device. The monitor device converts a pressure signal from the air ports into a signal representative of a flow rate of the patient'"'"'s breath through the hollow form.

Claims

1. A congestion monitoring system comprising:

a generally cylindrical, hollow form to channel a patient'"'"'s breath;

a flow restriction within the hollow form;

a pair of air ports, wherein the first air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a first side of the flow restriction, and the second air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a second side of the flow restriction; and

a coupling for connecting the pair of air ports to a pair of air lines;

a sensor in communication with the air ports via the pair of air lines; and

a monitor device converting a pressure signal from said air ports into a signal representative of a flow rate of said patient'"'"'s breath through said hollow form, and said monitor providing a comparison over time of air flow of said patient to establish whether a lung function of said patient is stable.

2. The congestion monitoring system of claim 1 wherein the flow restriction is a ring form.

3. The congestion monitoring system of claim 2 wherein the ring is positioned generally midway between a pair of ends of the hollow form.

4. A congestion monitoring system comprising:

a mouthpiece comprising a generally cylindrical, hollow form to channel a patient'"'"'s breath, said mouthpiece including a flow restriction within the hollow form and a pair of air ports, wherein the first air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a first side of the flow restriction, and the second air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a second side of the flow restriction;

a pair of air lines coupled to the pair of air ports;

a sensor in communication with the pair of air lines; and

a monitor device, wherein the sensor is adapted to convert a pressure signal from the pair of air lines into an electrical signal which is provided to the monitor device.

5. The congestion monitoring system of claim 4 wherein the sensor is a differential pressure sensor.

6. The congestion monitoring system of claim 4 wherein the sensor is located within the monitor device

7. The congestion monitoring system of claim 4 wherein the monitor device is adapted to calculate an airflow rate based on said pressure signal.

8. The congestion monitoring system of claim 7 wherein the monitor device determines a trend analysis of airflow rates of said patient.

9. The congestion monitoring system of claim 8 wherein the monitor device provides the trend analysis as a visual display of airflow rates of said patient over time, said visual display indicating whether the a lung function of said patient is decreasing or increasing.

10. A method of providing information relating to pulmonary function comprising:

providing a mouthpiece to a patient, said mouthpiece comprising a generally cylindrical, hollow form to channel a breath of the patient, said mouthpiece including a flow restriction within the hollow form and a pair of air ports, wherein the first air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a first side of the flow restriction, and the second air port of the pair of air ports is located on the hollow form at a second side of the flow restriction;

coupling the pair of air ports to a pair of air lines;

receiving a pressure signal from the air lines at a sensor for a predetermined period of time;

converting the pressure signal into an electrical signal representative of a flow rate of said patient; and

transmitting the electrical signal to a monitor device.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the wherein the predetermined period of time is less than approximately 3 seconds.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the predetermined period of time is approximately 1 second.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising calculating an airflow rate based on the electrical signal.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising calculating a volume of airflow based on the electrical signal.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising performing a trend analysis based at least in part on said volume of airflow or said airflow rate.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising displaying the volume of airflow or said airflow rate on the monitor device.