SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR RESPIRATION MONITORING

• US 20110021941A1
• Filed: 07/23/2009
• Published: 01/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
• Original Assignee: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
• Inventors: Watson, James N., Wolstencroft, James, Addison, Paul Stanley
• Application Number:
  US12/508,172
• Publication Number:
  US 20110021941A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/529
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/085 Measuring impedance of respiratory organs or lung elasticity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6823 Trunk, e.g., chest, back, abdomen, hip
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/684 Indicating the position of the sensor on the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7207 of noise induced by motion artifacts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/726 using Wavelet transforms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence

Abstract

According to embodiments, techniques for determining respiratory parameters are disclosed. More suitable probe locations for determining respiratory parameters, such as respiration rate and respiratory effort, may be identified. The most suitable probe location may be selected for probe placement. A scalogram may be generated from the detected signal at the more suitable location, resulting in an enhanced breathing band for determining respiratory parameters. Flexible probes that allow for a patient'"'"'s natural movement due to respiration may also be used to enhance the breathing components of the detected signal. From the enhanced signal, more accurate and reliable respiratory parameters may be determined.

Claims

1. A probe used in determining a respiratory parameter of a patient, the probe comprising:

at least one energy emitter;

at least one energy detector; and

at least one flexible member connecting at least one of the at least one energy emitter and at least one of the at least one energy detector, wherein the at least one energy detector connected to the at least one energy emitter by the flexible member is free to move relative to the at least one energy emitter when positioned on the patient.

2. The probe of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy emitter comprises at least one light emitter.

3. The probe of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy detector comprises at least one photodetector.

4. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a wireless transmission device coupled to the at least one energy detector.

5. The probe of claim 1 wherein the flexible member comprises material selected from the group consisting of an elastoplastic, a rubber, a synthetic polymer, a coil, a spring, and a wire.

6. The probe of claim 1 further comprising a housing for the at least one energy detector, wherein at least one of the at least one energy emitter is rigidly coupled to the housing.

7. The probe of claim 6 wherein the at least one energy detector comprises a photodetector and the at least one energy emitter rigidly coupled to the housing comprises a red light emitter.

8. The probe of claim 6 wherein the at least one energy detector comprises a photodetector and the at least one energy emitter rigidly coupled to the housing comprises a infrared light emitter.

9. The probe of claim 1 wherein the flexible member comprises a hinge or pivot.

10. The probe of claim 9 wherein the hinge or pivot restrains motion of the at least one energy emitter relative to the at least one energy detector in one or more planes.

11. The probe of claim 1 wherein the at least one energy detector comprises at least two energy detectors in a flexible array covering a local area of the patient.

12. A method for determining at least one respiratory parameter of a patient, comprising:

positioning at least one energy emitter on the patient;

positioning, at a location exhibiting movement due to the respiration of the patient, at least one energy detector on the patient, wherein the at least one energy emitter and the at least one energy detector are connected by at least one flexible member;

receiving a signal from the at least one energy detector; and

determining at least one respiratory parameter from the received signal.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the at least one respiratory parameter is selected from the group consisting of respiration rate and respiratory effort.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein positioning at least one energy emitter comprises positioning at least one light emitter.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein positioning at least one energy detector comprises positioning at least one photodetector.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein determining at least one respiratory parameter from the received signal comprises:

performing a continuous wavelet transform on the received signal to produce a transformed signal; and

generating a scalogram based at least in part on the transformed signal.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

identifying a breathing band in the scalogram; and

identifying a scale or characteristic frequency of the breathing band.

18. The method of claim 12 wherein determining at least one respiratory parameter from the received signal comprises filtering the received signal to remove at least one pulse component from the received signal.

19. The method of claim 12 wherein positioning at least one energy emitter on the patient comprises positioning the at least one energy emitter on the chest of the patient.

20. The method of claim 12 wherein positioning at least one energy detector on the patient comprises positioning the at least one energy emitter on the chest of the patient.