APPARATUS AND METHOD OF MONITORING AND RESPONDING TO RESPIRATORY DEPRESSION

• US 20110290250A1
• Filed: 11/15/2010
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elizabeth Olson, Lloyd Olson
• Original Assignee: Elizabeth Olson, Lloyd Olson
• Inventors: Olson, Lloyd, Olson, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,695,591 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4821 Determining level or depth of anaesthesia A61B5/1106 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4839 combined with drug delivery
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/08 Inhaling devices inserted into the nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0016 by the smell sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0027 by the hearing sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0072 with application of electrical currents
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0077 with application of chemical or pharmacological stimulus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0083 especially for waking up
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/00 Other devices or methods to cause a change in the state of consciousness; Devices for producing or ending sleep by mechanical, optical, or acoustical means, e.g. for hypnosis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0241 Anaesthetics; Analgesics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/50 with microprocessors or computers
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 : Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/208 : pH-value
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 : Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 : partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1452 : pressurised by means of pistons
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 : Monitoring output parameters

Abstract

The present disclosure involves a system for monitoring patients, and more specifically post-operative patients receiving narcotics, and a novel apparatus for automatically delivering a narcotic-reversing agent, including but not limited to the agent commonly known as naloxone, in response to dangerous respiratory conditions such as respiratory depression or other undesired consequences caused by reaction to narcotic dosage.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and treating respiratory depression comprising:

a patient monitoring unit for monitoring patient conditions, the patient conditions comprising at least one of respiratory rate, carbon dioxide content, blood pressure, and heart rate;

an interface unit including a microprocessor and a user interface adapted to provide an interface with a user;

wherein the interface unit is in communication with the patient monitoring unit;

a supply of oxygen;

a patient-controlled analgesia pump; and

a device for dispensing at least one dosage in communication with the interface unit, wherein the device is adapted to receive a signal from the interface unit for indicating at least one patient condition, and if condition is outside a preset condition value, subsequently provide the patient with a substance comprising naloxone based on the signal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the supply of oxygen comprises a contained amount of gas comprising at least 90% oxygen.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the supply of oxygen is provided to a patient through at least one wall outlet.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the interface unit comprises a laptop computer.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the substance comprising naloxone is provided to the patient intravenously.

6. A method for monitoring and treating respiratory depression comprising:

connecting a patient to a supply of oxygen;

connecting the patient to a quantity of narcotic and providing the patient with a patient-controlled analgesic pump for controlling the narcotic;

monitoring patient conditions by connecting a patient monitoring unit to the patient, wherein the patient monitoring unit is capable of monitoring conditions of the patient;

connecting the monitoring unit to an interface unit including a microprocessor and a user interface adapted to provide an interface with a user;

providing patient condition limits for at least one of the patient conditions;

continuously comparing monitored patient conditions to patient condition limits in said interface and generating a signal indicative of said comparison;

in response to a signal from the interface unit representative of at least one monitored patient condition being below a corresponding patient condition limit;

(1) providing an audible signal to the patient;

(2) providing an indicia adapted for communicating that the patient requires assistance;

(3) in the absence of detection of a response to the audible signal, providing the patient with a substance comprising naloxone.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the patient is provided with the substance comprising naloxone within no greater than ten seconds after the audible signal is provided.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the audible signal comprises a pre-recorded instruction to initiate respiratory activities.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the supply of oxygen comprises a contained amount of gas comprising 100% oxygen.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the supply of oxygen is provided to a patient through at least one wall outlet.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the patient condition limit comprises a respiratory rate limit of approximately 8 cycles per minute.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the patient condition limit comprises a respiratory rate of approximately 5 cycles per minute.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the patient is provided with the substance comprising naloxone intravenously.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the substance comprising naloxone is provided to the patient through a nasal cannula.

15. A method for monitoring a patient for respiratory depression in systems where the patient self-administers analgesia utilizing a patient dose request actuator to actuate a patient controlled analgesia pump, comprising:

continuously monitoring patient respiratory conditions including end-tidal carbon dioxide saturation and respiratory rate;

identifying at least one of the patient respiratory conditions as being outside predetermined acceptable levels; and

automatically providing audible indicia and automatically providing the patient with a substance comprising naloxone.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the substance comprising naloxone is provided to the patient through a nasal cannula.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the substance comprising naloxone is provided to the patient intravenously.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the audible indicia comprises an alarm located at a remote station.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the audible indicia comprises a patient-directed command to voluntarily attempt to rectify the patient respiratory conditions being outside predetermined acceptable levels;

and

wherein patient respiratory conditions are not rectified, the provision of the substance comprising naloxone occurs within about five and about ten seconds.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein when at least one of the patient respiratory conditions is identified as being outside predetermined acceptable levels, administering high-flow oxygen to the patient and preventing dispensation of any narcotics to the patient.