APPARATUSES FOR DETECTING AND/OR DIAGNOSING SWALLOWING DISORDERS

• US 20150112150A1
• Filed: 06/19/2013
• Published: 04/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA (Nestle SA)
• Original Assignee: Nestec SA (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Bernhard, Hans, Jedwab, Michael, Burbidge, Adam, Gortchacow, Elise
• Granted Patent: US 10,537,278 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0285 Apparatus for single use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/11 Measuring movement of the entire body or parts thereof, e.g. head or hand tremor, mobility of a limb for measuring pulse A61B5/02 ;A61B5/1038 takes precedence; motion detection to correct for motion artifacts in physiological signals A61B5/721
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4205 Evaluating swallowing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6822 Neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/683 Means for maintaining contact with the body A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6831 Straps, bands or harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7282 Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/008 Detecting noise of gastric tract, e.g. caused by voiding

Abstract

Apparatuses for detecting swallowing disorders and methods for using same are provided. In a general embodiment, the apparatuses include a disposable sensor base and a sensor that is received by the disposable sensor base. The sensor base includes a sensor interface having a predetermined cut-away shape and a directionally-keyed mating surface. The sensor includes a handle portion having a shape that corresponds to the predetermined shape of the sensor interface, a support portion configured to be received by the directionally-keyed mating surface when the sensor is inserted into the sensor interface, and electronics configured to collect data sensed by the sensor. The apparatuses of the present disclosure can be attached to a patient'"'"'s neck to detect and/or diagnose swallowing disorders during a swallowing test.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a disposable sensor base comprising a sensor interface having a predetermined shape and a directionally-keyed mating surface; and

a sensor comprising

a handle portion having a shape that corresponds to the predetermined shape of the sensor interface,

a support portion configured to be received by the directionally-keyed mating surface when the sensor is inserted into the sensor interface, and

electronics configured to collect data sensed by the sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the predetermined shape of the sensor interface is substantially semi-circular and the handle portion has a substantially cylindrical shape.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disposable sensor base comprises at least one slot that is so constructed and arranged to provide flexibility to the disposable sensor base.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the directionally-keyed mating surface extends into an interior portion of the disposable sensor base such that the support portion of the sensor can slide into the directionally-keyed mating surface and fit fully within a perimeter of the disposable sensor base.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least one disposable strap attached to the disposable sensor base, the disposable strap is so constructed and arranged to attach the disposable sensor base to an individual using an attachment mechanism selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, velcro, a buckle, a hook and eye closure, a button, a snap, and combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the disposable strap includes a rail and the disposable sensor base includes at least one clasp that slidingly attaches to the rail.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the disposable sensor base comprises a curved shape on a side configured to contact a patient'"'"'s neck so as to follow the anatomical shape of the patient'"'"'s neck.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a device selected from the group consisting of an accelerometer, an acoustic device, and combinations thereof.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronics are configured to detect a swallowing condition typically associated with dysphagia.

17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor further includes at least one indentation on a top surface of the support portion that is configured to prevent movement of the sensor when the sensor is inserted into the disposable sensor base.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a disposable sensor base comprising a sensor interface having a directionally-keyed mating surface comprising at least one notch; and

a sensor comprising

a handle portion,

a support portion including a projection having a shape that corresponds to a shape of the notch such that the projection mates with the notch when the sensor is received by the sensor interface, and

electronics configured to collect data sensed by the sensor.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the projection is located on a bottom surface of the support portion.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the directionally-keyed mating surface extends into an interior portion of the disposable sensor base such that the support portion of the sensor can slide into the directionally-keyed mating surface and fit fully within a perimeter of the disposable sensor base.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the handle portion has a shape selected from the group consisting of cylindrical, rectangular, square, and combinations thereof.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising at least one disposable strap attached to the disposable sensor base, the disposable strap is so constructed and arranged to attach the disposable sensor base to an individual using an attachment mechanism selected from the group consisting of an adhesive, velcro, a buckle, a hook and eye closure, a button, a snap, and combinations thereof.

15. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the disposable sensor base comprises a curved shape on a side configured to contact a patient'"'"'s neck so as to follow the anatomical shape of the patient'"'"'s neck.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the disposable strap includes a rail and the disposable sensor base includes at least one clasp that slidingly attaches to the rail.

18. A method for detecting a swallowing disorder, the method comprising:

using an apparatus comprising

a disposable sensor base comprising a sensor interface having a predetermined shape and a directionally-keyed mating surface, and a sensor comprising a handle portion having a shape that corresponds to the predetermined shape of the sensor interface, and a support portion configured to be received by the directionally-keyed mating surface when the sensor is inserted into the sensor interface;

attaching the apparatus to an individual'"'"'s neck; and

sensing, with the sensor, a physiological occurrence during an individual'"'"'s swallow.

19. The method of claim 18 comprising diagnosing a swallowing disorder if the physiological occurrence is sufficiently abnormal.