SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CONTROLLING A VENTILATOR

• US 20140083426A1
• Filed: 12/02/2013
• Published: 03/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Chen, Bo, McKenna, Edward M.
• Application Number:
  US14/093,844
• Publication Number:
  US 20140083426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4836 Diagnosis combined with treatment in closed-loop systems or methods A61B5/0036 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/026 specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/202 partial carbon oxide pressure, e.g. partial dioxide pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature

Abstract

A method and system for controlling a ventilator is disclosed. Oxygen saturation values from pulse oximeters may be used to adjust the settings of a ventilator. Multiple sensors and multiple oxygen saturation values in a fault tolerant pulse oximeter configuration may be used to provide a backup value or confidence measure, thereby increasing reliability and patient safety.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a ventilator, the system comprising:

a ventilator capable of supplying oxygen to a patient;

a first sensor attached to the patient capable of generating a first oxygen saturation value;

a second sensor attached to the patient capable of generating a second oxygen saturation value; and

a processor coupled to the ventilator configured to;

determine at least one setting for the ventilator based at least in part on the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value, wherein the determined at least one setting comprises a fractional inspired oxygen setting of the ventilator; and

apply the at least one setting.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating a difference between the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by using a historical oxygen saturation value when the difference is greater than a threshold.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by determining whether at least one of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value is greater than a threshold.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein one of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value is determined to be greater than the threshold and wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by using the oxygen saturation value that is less than the threshold.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by:

calculating a first change in the oxygen saturation of the patient by taking the difference between the first oxygen saturation value and a respective first previous oxygen saturation value;

calculating a second change in the oxygen saturation of the patient by taking the difference between the second oxygen saturation value and a respective second previous oxygen saturation value; and

determining whether at least one of the first change and the second change is greater than a threshold.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating an average of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating a weighted average of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value, wherein the weights are based at least in part on signal quality information.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to apply the at least one setting by modifying the fractional inspired oxygen setting of the ventilator.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display one or more of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

11. A system for controlling a ventilator, the system comprising:

oximetry equipment configured to;

receive first and second physiological signals of a subject from respective first and second sensors;

calculate a first oxygen saturation value based on the first physiological signal; and

calculate a second oxygen saturation value based on the second physiological signal; and

a fractional inspired oxygen level controller configured to;

receive the first and second oxygen saturation values; and

determine at least one setting for the ventilator based at least in part on the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating a difference between the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by using a historical oxygen saturation value when the difference is greater than a threshold.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by determining whether at least one of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value is greater than a threshold.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein one of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value is determined to be greater than the threshold and wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by using the oxygen saturation value that is less than the threshold.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by:

calculating a first change in the oxygen saturation of the patient by taking the difference between the first oxygen saturation value and a respective first previous oxygen saturation value;

calculating a second change in the oxygen saturation of the patient by taking the difference between the second oxygen saturation value and a respective second previous oxygen saturation value; and

determining whether at least one of the first change and the second change is greater than a threshold.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating an average of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to determine the at least one setting by calculating a weighted average of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value, wherein the weights are based at least in part on signal quality information.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the fractional inspired oxygen level controller is configured to apply the at least one setting by modifying the fractional inspired oxygen setting of the ventilator.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising a display configured to display one or more of the first oxygen saturation value and the second oxygen saturation value.