USE OF SECONDARY METRICS IN NECK SUCTION THERAPY

• US 20150173997A1
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Published: 06/25/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Grashow, Jonathan Sayer
• Granted Patent: US 10,092,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5092 Optical sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/04 neck
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/00 Devices for suction-kneading massage; Devices for massaging the skin by rubbing or brushing not otherwise provided for electro-medical massage devices applying electric current by contact A61N1/18

Abstract

Provided are systems (100) for control of or determining the effectiveness of a neck suction device using one or more secondary metrics. A sensor device (101) may be used to measure or determine one or more secondary metrics relating to the neck of a patient in response to the application of suction to the neck of the patient proximal to the hyoid bone of the patient by a neck suction device. A processing device (107) may then determine whether to adjust the suction intensity in response to the measured/determined metrics. The metrics may also be use do determine whether neck suction is likely to be effective for a specific patient.

Claims

1. A system for providing neck suction therapy, comprising:

a neck suction device configured to apply suction to an area on a neck of a patient proximal to a hyoid bone of the patient;

a sensor portion configured to measure a characteristic of the area on the neck of the patient during application of suction by the neck suction device; and

a processing device configured to;

receive information regarding the measured characteristic, and

adjust a suction intensity of the neck suction device using the information regarding the measured characteristic.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the measured characteristic is one or more of a force applied to the hyoid bone of the patient by the neck suction device or a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by application of suction by the neck suction device.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of the sensor portion is physically attached to one or more of the area on the neck of the patient or a portion of a patient interface of the neck suction device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the measured characteristic is a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by application of suction by the neck suction device and the sensor portion is an optical sensor positioned to optically capture displacement of the area on the neck of the patient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processing device is configured to adjust the suction intensity by comparing the received information regarding the measured characteristic to a predetermined value.

6. A method for providing neck suction therapy, comprising:

applying suction to an area on a neck of a patient proximal to a hyoid bone of the patient using a neck suction device;

measuring a characteristic of the area on the neck of the patient during application of suction by the neck suction device; and

adjusting a suction intensity of the neck suction device using information regarding the measured characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the measured characteristic is one or more of a force applied to the hyoid bone of the patient by the neck suction device or a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by the neck suction device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the measured characteristic is measured using a sensor, and wherein at least a portion of the sensor is physically attached to one or more of the area on the neck of the patient or a patent interface of the neck suction device.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the measured characteristic is a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by application of suction by the neck suction device and the measured characteristic is measured using an optical sensor positioned to optically capture displacement of the area on the neck of the patient.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the suction intensity is adjusted by comparing the information regarding the measured characteristic to a predetermined value.

11. A system for controlling a neck suction device, comprising:

treatment means for applying suction to an area on a neck of a patient proximal to a hyoid bone of the patient;

sensor means for measuring a characteristic of the area on the neck of the patient during application of suction by the neck suction device; and

processor means for;

receiving information regarding the measured characteristic, and

adjusting a suction intensity of the neck suction device using the information regarding the measured characteristic.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the measured characteristic is one or more of a force applied to the hyoid bone of the patient by the neck suction device or a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by application of suction by the neck suction device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein at least a portion of the sensor means is physically attached to one or more of the area on the neck of the patient or a portion of a patent interface of the neck suction device.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the measured characteristic is a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by application of suction by the neck suction device and the sensor means is an optical sensor positioned to optically capture displacement of the area on the neck of the patient.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the processor means further comprises processor means for adjusting the suction intensity by comparing the received information regarding the measured characteristic to a predetermined value.

16. A method for determining the effectiveness of neck suction therapy, comprising:

measuring a characteristic of an area on a neck of a patient proximal to a hyoid bone of the patient during delivery of neck suction therapy of a specified suction intensity by a neck suction device;

comparing the measured characteristic to stored information relating to the characteristic of one or more additional patients during delivery neck suction therapy of the specified suction therapy; and

determining whether the patient is a candidate for neck suction therapy based on the comparison.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the characteristic is a force applied to a hyoid bone by the neck suction device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the characteristic is a displacement of a hyoid bone caused by delivery of neck suction therapy by the neck suction device.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the characteristic is measured using a sensor at least part of which is physically attached to one or more of the area on the neck of the patient or a patent interface of the neck suction device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the characteristic is a displacement of the hyoid bone of the patient caused by delivery of neck suction therapy by the neck suction device and the characteristic is measured using an optical sensor positioned to optically capture displacement of the area on the neck of the patient.