ADVANCED THORACIC FLUID MONITORING CAPABILITY WITH IMPEDANCE

• US 20130310703A1
• Filed: 05/03/2013
• Published: 11/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Hess, Michael F.
• Application Number:
  US13/886,697
• Publication Number:
  US 20130310703A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/547
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0537 Measuring body composition by impedance, e.g. tissue hydration or fat content
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0538 invasively, e.g. using a catheter
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36521 the parameter being derived from measurement of an electrical impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 controlled by body position or posture

Abstract

Advanced thoracic fluid monitoring capabilities using impedance are disclosed. An implantable medical device used for detection of changes in impedance in a patient can have means for measuring impedances of the patient in a supine position and in an upright position. Impedance differences can be generated which correspond to a diurnal delta value showing impedance differences between the supine and upright positions.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium programmed with instructions for performing a method in an implantable medical device, the medium comprising instructions for causing a programmable processor to:

measure impedances of a patient in a supine position;

measure impedances of the patient in an upright position; and

generate a diurnal delta corresponding to impedance differences between the supine and upright positions.

2. A medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to reset certain impedance data after receipt of a reset input.

3. A medium according to claim 1, wherein an alarm is initiated if the supine position impedance measurements drop below a threshold.

4. A medium according to claim 1, wherein an alarm is initiated if the upright position impedance measurements drop below a threshold.

5. A medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to detect when the patient is in the supine position.

6. A medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to wait a predetermined time limit before measuring impedances when the patient is first detected in the supine position.

7. A medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to determine whether the diurnal delta values are increasing or decreasing over time.

8. A medium according to claim 1, further comprising instructions to determine whether a predetermined time limit has elapsed during which the delta value was increasing or decreasing.