Apparatus and Method Pertaining to the Monitoring of Injection Pressure During Administration of Nerve Blocks

• US 20130165904A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B Braun Melsungen AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Original Assignee: B Braun Melsungen AG (B. Braun Holding GmbH & Co. KG)
• Inventors: Hadzic, Admir
• Granted Patent: US 9,662,459 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/512
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/484 Regulating injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/486 Indicating injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/488 Limiting injection pressure

Abstract

A control circuit that operably couples to a display and to a nerve block injection pressure sensor provides a display of both a current nerve block injection pressure value and a current nerve block injection pressure categorical range. That categorical range can comprise, for example, one of a plurality of available categorical ranges which may be visually differentiated from one another by color. The control circuit can also detect (and display) a maximum nerve block injection pressure value (and/or calculate a mean nerve block injection pressure value) as corresponds to a given monitored nerve block injection procedure. The control circuit can also detect negative nerve block injection pressure events and identify those events as aspiration events to facilitate keeping a count of aspiration events during the course of a given nerve block injection procedure. The control circuit can also help ensure observe of the proper patient laterality if desired.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a display;

a control circuit operably coupled to the display and to a nerve block injection pressure sensor, the control circuit configured to provide via the display a display of both a current nerve block injection pressure value and a current nerve block injection pressure categorical range.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display of the current nerve block injection pressure value comprises a display of an integer value.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the display of the current nerve block injection pressure categorical range comprises a highlighting of one of a plurality of categorical ranges.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the plurality of categorical ranges comprise a total of three categorical ranges.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the three categorical ranges respectively represent a below-normal range of nerve block injection pressure values, a normal range of nerve block injection pressure values, and an above-normal range of nerve block injection pressure values.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the three categorical ranges each have a different corresponding color.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to detect via the nerve block injection pressure sensor negative nerve block injection pressure and to count at least some detections of negative nerve block injection pressure as an aspiration event.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the control circuit is further configured to display via the display an aggregated count of the aspiration events.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to display a duration of time as corresponds to a monitored nerve block injection procedure.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

detect a maximum nerve block injection pressure value as occurs during a monitored nerve block injection procedure;

display via the display the maximum injection pressure value.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the control circuit is further configured to:

calculate a mean nerve block injection pressure value as corresponds to a monitored nerve block injection procedure;

display via the display the mean injection pressure value.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a data interface operably coupled to the control circuit;

wherein the control circuit is configured to transmit information regarding nerve block injection pressure values as occurs during a monitored nerve block injection procedure.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the data interface comprises at least one of:

a wireless data interface; and

a non-wireless data interface.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a user-input interface operably coupled to the control circuit;

wherein the control circuit is configured to respond, at least in part, to the user-input interface by resetting monitoring of a monitored nerve block injection procedure.

15. A method comprising:

by a control circuit that is operably coupled to a display and to a nerve block injection pressure sensor;

monitoring nerve block injection pressure via the nerve block injection pressure sensor;

providing via the display a display of a current nerve block injection pressure value;

concurrently providing via the display a current nerve block injection pressure categorical range.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

monitoring a duration of time as corresponds to a monitored nerve block injection procedure;

providing via the display the duration of time as corresponds to the monitored nerve block injection procedure.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting via the nerve block injection pressure sensor negative nerve block injection pressure events;

counting at least some of the detected negative nerve block injection pressure events as aspiration events;

providing via the display an aggregated count of the aspiration events.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

detecting a maximum nerve block injection pressure value as occurs during a monitored nerve block injection procedure;

displaying via the display the maximum injection pressure value.

19. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

calculating a mean nerve block injection pressure value as corresponds to a monitored nerve block injection procedure;

providing via the display the mean injection pressure value.

20. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

transmitting information regarding nerve block injection pressure values as occurs during a monitored nerve block injection procedure.