Method and Apparatus for Autonomic Nervous System Sensitivity-Point Testing

• US 20140371621A1
• Filed: 06/13/2013
• Published: 12/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DyAnsys, Inc.
• Original Assignee: DyAnsys, Inc.
• Inventors: Nageshwar, Srini
• Granted Patent: US 10,130,275 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/554
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0533 Measuring galvanic skin response
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4035 Evaluating the autonomic nervous system

Abstract

A method for autonomic nervous system sensitivity-point testing on a skin of a patient is described. The method includes generating an electrotherapy signal that stimulates a vagal response of an autonomic nervous system of the patient when the patient is tested. The method further includes providing an electrically conductive tip that electrically contacts but does not puncture the skin when the patient is tested and coupling the electrotherapy signal to the electrically conductive tip.

Claims

1. A method for autonomic nervous system sensitivity-point testing on a skin of a patient, the method comprising:

generating an electrotherapy signal that stimulates a vagal response of an autonomic nervous system of the patient when the patient is tested;

providing an electrically conductive tip that electrically contacts but does not puncture the skin when the patient is tested; and

coupling the electrotherapy signal to the electrically conductive tip.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein generating the electrotherapy signal includes wirelessly setting a characteristic of the electrotherapy signal.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a frequency, an amplitude, a pulse shape, and a duty cycle.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

generating an electrical resistance-measuring signal; and

coupling the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

choosing a first portion of skin of the patient;

applying the electrotherapy signal to the first portion of skin with the electrically conductive tip;

measuring a first sympathovagal balance of the patient; and

determining a response outcome based on the first sympathovagal balance, the response outcome being positive when the first sympathovagal balance moves towards the vagal response, the response outcome being negative when the first sympathovagal balance does not move towards the vagal response.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

choosing a second portion of skin of the patient abutting the first portion of skin when the response outcome is negative; and

repeating applying the electrotherapy signal, measuring the first sympathovagal balance, and determining the response outcome until the response outcome is positive or until a first predetermined number of portions of skin are tested.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein choosing a first portion of skin includes obtaining a preliminary location of the first portion of skin from a graphical user interface coupled to a computer executing a program responsive to a symptom of the patient.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the first portion of skin is located on an ear of the patient.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein applying the electrotherapy signal includes applying an electrode to a second portion of the skin, the electrode being a return signal path for the electrotherapy signal thereby enabling a gloved medical practitioner to facilitate applying the electrotherapy signal.

10. The method of claim 5 wherein measuring a first sympathovagal balance includes:

coupling an autonomic nervous system monitor to the patient; and

analyzing the state of the autonomic nervous system of the patient from a time-varying signal representing a chaotic series of time intervals between quasi-periodical events produced by a cardiac system of the patient.

11. The method of claim 5 further comprising inserting an electrotherapy needle at the first portion of skin when the response outcome is positive.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

measuring a second sympathovagal balance of the patient; and

determining a reversal outcome based on the second sympathovagal balance, the reversal outcome being positive when the second sympathovagal balance reverses from a sympathetic response towards a vagal response, the reversal outcome being negative when the second sympathovagal balance does not reverse from a sympathetic response towards a vagal response.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

removing the electrotherapy needle from the first portion of skin when the reversal outcome is negative;

choosing a second portion of skin of the patient abutting the first portion of skin;

repeating inserting, measuring the second sympathovagal balance, and determining the reversal outcome until the reversal outcome is positive or until a second predetermined number of portions of skin are tested.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

determining a number of inserted electrotherapy needles when the reversal outcome is positive;

finishing the testing when the number of inserted electrotherapy needles is equal to a predetermined number of electrotherapy needles; and

repeating choosing, applying the electrotherapy signal, measuring the first sympathovagal balance, determining the response outcome, inserting, measuring the second sympathovagal balance, and determining the reversal outcome when the number of inserted electrotherapy needles is less than the predetermined number of electrotherapy needles.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the predetermined number of electrotherapy needles is equal to three.

16. The method of claim 5 wherein choosing the first portion of skin includes:

generating an electrical resistance-measuring signal;

coupling the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip;

applying the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the first portion of skin with the electrically conductive tip;

measuring the electrical resistance at the first portion of skin;

providing an indication responsive to a value of the electrical resistance; and

moving the electrically conductive tip in response to the indication to selectively find a low resistance location of skin near the first portion of skin.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein applying the resistance-measuring signal includes applying an electrode to a second portion of the skin, the electrode being a return signal path for the resistance-measuring signal thereby enabling a gloved medical practitioner to facilitate applying the electrical resistance-measuring signal.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein applying the electrotherapy signal includes switching the electrical probe from a resistance-measuring mode to an autonomic nervous system mode.

19. An electrical apparatus for autonomic nervous system sensitivity-point testing on a skin of a patient, the electrical apparatus comprising:

a circuit adapted to generate an electrotherapy signal that stimulates a vagal response of an autonomic nervous system of the patient when the patient is tested; and

an electrically conductive tip adapted to electrically contact but not puncture the skin when the patient is tested, wherein the electrotherapy signal is coupled to the electrically conductive tip.

20. The electrical apparatus of claim 19 further comprising an electrode adapted to be applied to a second portion of the skin, the electrode being a return signal path for the electrotherapy signal thereby enabling a gloved medical practitioner to facilitate applying the electrotherapy signal to the patient.

21. The electrical apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuit includes:

a wireless radio transceiver; and

a control circuit adapted to set a characteristic of the electrotherapy signal, the characteristic received by an input of the wireless transceiver.

22. The electrical apparatus of claim 21 wherein the wireless radio transceiver operates on a transmission standard selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth®

, 6LoWPAN®

, ZigBee®

, DASH7®

, Z-Wave®

, MiWi®

, and OSION®

.

23. The electrical apparatus of claim 21 wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a frequency, an amplitude, a pulse shape, and a duty cycle.

24. The electrical apparatus of claim 19 wherein the circuit is further adapted to generate an electrical resistance-measuring signal, wherein the electrical resistance-measuring signal is coupled to the electrically conductive tip responsive to a switch position that selectively couples the electrotherapy signal or the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip.

25. The electrical apparatus of claim 24 further comprising an electrode adapted to be applied to a second portion of the skin, the electrode being a return signal path for the electrical resistance-measuring signal thereby enabling a gloved medical practitioner to facilitate applying the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the patient.

26. The electrical apparatus of claim 24 further comprising an indicator responsive to a value of electrical resistance measured by the circuit.

27. The electrical apparatus of claim 26 wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a visual indicator, a sonic indicator, and a vibrational indicator.

28. An electrical testing apparatus comprising:

a battery;

a circuit adapted to generate a periodic signal in time; and

an electrically conductive tip adapted to electrically contact but not puncture a first portion of a surface when the surface is tested, wherein the periodic signal is coupled to the electrically conductive tip.

29. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 28 further comprising an electrode adapted to be applied to a second portion of the surface, the electrode being a return signal path for the periodic signal thereby enabling a gloved tester to facilitate applying the periodic signal to the first portion of the surface when the surface is tested.

30. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 28 further comprising a housing having an insulating surface and at least a first orifice in the insulating surface, the electrically conductive tip adapted to protrude outside the housing through the first orifice, the housing enclosing the battery and the circuit, the housing having a shape being adapted to be hand held when the surface is tested.

31. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 30, wherein the housing is adapted to hermetically seal the electrical testing apparatus.

32. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the circuit includes:

a wireless radio transceiver; and

a control circuit adapted to set a characteristic of the periodic signal, the characteristic received by an input of the wireless transceiver.

33. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 32 wherein the wireless radio transceiver operates on a transmission standard selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth®

, 6LoWPAN®

, ZigBee®

, DASH7®

, Z-Wave®

, MiWi®

, and OSION®

.

34. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 32 wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a frequency, an amplitude, a pulse shape, and a duty cycle.

35. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 28 wherein the circuit is further adapted to generate an electrical resistance-measuring signal, wherein the electrical resistance-measuring signal is coupled to the electrically conductive tip responsive to a switch position that selectively couples the periodic signal or the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip.

36. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 35 further comprising an electrode adapted to be applied to a second portion of the surface, the electrode being a return signal path for the electrical resistance-measuring signal thereby enabling a gloved tester to facilitate applying the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the surface when the surface is tested.

37. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 35 further comprising an indicator responsive to a value of electrical resistance measured by the circuit.

38. The electrical testing apparatus of claim 37 wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a visual indicator, a sonic indicator, and a vibrational indicator.

39. A method for electrical testing comprising:

providing a battery;

generating a periodic signal in time from a circuit;

providing an electrically conductive tip adapted to electrically contact but not puncture a first portion of a surface when the surface is tested; and

coupling the periodic signal to the electrically conductive tip.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising;

applying an electrode to a second portion of the surface, the electrode being a return signal path for the periodic signal; and

enabling a gloved tester to facilitate applying the periodic signal to the first portion of the surface when the surface is tested.

41. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

providing a housing having an insulating surface and at least a first orifice in the insulating surface;

protruding the electrically conductive tip outside the housing through the first orifice;

enclosing the battery and the circuit with the housing; and

shaping the housing to be hand held when the surface is tested.

42. The method of claim 41 further comprising hermetically sealing the electrical testing apparatus with the housing.

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

providing a wireless radio transceiver;

setting a characteristic of the periodic signal via a control circuit; and

receiving the characteristic by an input of the wireless transceiver.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the wireless radio transceiver operates on a transmission standard selected from the group consisting of Bluetooth®

, 6LoWPAN®

, ZigBee®

, DASH7®

, Z-Wave®

, MiWi®

, and OSION®

.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the characteristic is selected from the group consisting of a frequency, an amplitude, a pulse shape, and a duty cycle.

46. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

generating an electrical resistance-measuring signal by the circuit; and

coupling the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip responsive to a switch position that selectively couples the periodic signal or the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the electrically conductive tip.

47. The method of claim 46 further comprising:

applying an electrode to a second portion of the surface, the electrode being a return signal path for the electrical resistance-measuring signal; and

enabling a gloved tester to facilitate applying the electrical resistance-measuring signal to the surface when the surface is tested.

48. The method of claim 46 further comprising:

providing an indicator responsive to a value of electrical resistance measured by the circuit when the surface is tested.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the indicator is selected from the group consisting of a visual indicator, a sonic indicator, and a vibrational indicator.