FOOT PULSE OXIMETER FOR SCREENING CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE BEFORE NEWBORN DISCHARGE

• US 20120046532A1
• Filed: 08/23/2011
• Published: 02/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Original Assignee: Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute At Harbor-Ucla Medical Center (University of California)
• Inventors: CHANG, RUEY-KANG, PAN, YANN PING
• Granted Patent: US 9,763,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/324
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02438 with portable devices, e.g. worn by the patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle

Abstract

A method including placing a portion of a foot of a newborn in a device, the device including a light emitter and a corresponding receiver coupled on opposite sides of the device, the device further including a processor for processing data from the light emitter and receiver; and determining a presence of congenital heart disease. An apparatus including a body including a chamber of a size to accommodate a portion of a newborn'"'"'s foot; at least one light emitter and a corresponding detector coupled on opposite sides of the body, the emitter configured to emit light of a prescribed wavelength into the chamber; and a processor coupled to the body and configured to receive a signal from the at least one detector.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

placing a portion of a foot of a newborn in a device, the device comprising a light emitter and a corresponding receiver coupled on opposite sides of the device, the device further comprising a processor for processing data from the light emitter and receiver; and

determining a presence of congenital heart disease.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the device comprises a chamber, and placing a portion of a newborn'"'"'s foot in the device comprises placing the toes portion of the foot in the chamber.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prior to placing a portion of a newborn'"'"'s foot in the chamber, the method comprises covering the chamber with a cover material.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising three or more light emitter/receiver pairs and a processor for detecting the best quality signals from the newborn'"'"'s foot for display and analysis.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the light emitter/receiver pairs are positioned on the device to detect signals from the dorsalis pedis artery at the first toe of the foot or from the plantar arch artery.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the device further comprises a power button and a display on the device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the display displays SpO₂, heart rate and arterial pulse waveforms in response to data produced by the light emitter and the receiver.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the signal processor comprises an algorithm configured to determine a signal quality to process and display a SpO₂, heart rate and waveform results on a display of the device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising indicating on the device the determination of the presence of congenital heart disease.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining a presence of congenital heart disease comprises determining an arterial saturation of hemoglobin (SpO₂).

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising indicating a presence of congenital heart disease when the SpO₂ is equal to or lower than a predetermined threshold.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the SpO₂ threshold is 94 percent.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the SpO₂ threshold can be configured by a user.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a body comprising a chamber of a size to accommodate a portion of a newborn'"'"'s foot;

at least one light emitter and a corresponding detector coupled on opposite sides of the body, the emitter configured to emit light of a prescribed wavelength into the chamber; and

a processor coupled to the body and configured to receive a signal from the at least one detector.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising three or more light emitter/receiver pairs and a processor for detecting the best quality signals from the newborn'"'"'s foot for display and analysis.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the light emitter/receiver pairs are positioned on the device to detect signals from the dorsalis pedis artery at the first toe of the foot or from the plantar arch artery.

17. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a display coupled to the body.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the display displays SpO₂, heart rate and arterial pulse waveforms in response to data produced by the light emitter and the receiver.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the signal processor comprises an algorithm configured to determine a signal quality to process and display at least one of a SpO₂, heart rate and a waveform result on a display of the device.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising at least one indicator light on the body and the processor is configured to indicate a presence of congenital heart disease based on data the processor processes from the at least one emitter and detector.