DEVICES FOR DIAGNOSING SLEEP APNEA OR OTHER CONDITIONS AND RELATED SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20160038084A1
• Filed: 08/10/2015
• Published: 02/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Louis J. Wilson
• Original Assignee: Louis J. Wilson
• Inventors: Wilson, Louis J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,820,694 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0204 Acoustic sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/08 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0803 Recording apparatus specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0826 Detecting or evaluating apnoea events A61B5/4818 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6847 mounted on an invasive device
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/687 Oesophagus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7278 Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00

Abstract

A system includes a sensor device having a body configured to be inserted into an airway of a patient and one or more sensors mounted in or on the body. The one or more sensors are configured to collect sensor data associated with the airway of the patient. The system also includes a signal analyzer configured to analyze the sensor data. The one or more sensors could include one or more microphones. The signal analyzer could identify volume and/or pitch characteristics of the sensor data, perform pattern recognition to identify one or more patterns using the volume and/or pitch characteristics, and use the one or more patterns to identify a type, a location, and/or a degree of airway obstruction. This could be done, for instance, to determine if the patient suffers from obstructive sleep apnea or other condition that affects his or her airway.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

at least one interface configured to receive sensor data comprising vibrational or acoustic data captured at multiple spaced-apart locations within an esophagus of a patient and associated with an airway of the patient; and

at least one processing device configured to analyze the sensor data to determine if the patient suffers from a specified condition affecting the airway of the patient.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one interface is configured to receive the sensor data from multiple sensors that are inserted through a mouth or nose of the patient into the esophagus of the patient in order to position the sensors in the airway of the patient.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to identify at least one of:

volume characteristics and pitch characteristics of the sensor data.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to perform pattern recognition in order to identify one or more patterns using at least one of the volume characteristics and the pitch characteristics of the sensor data.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to use the one or more patterns to identify at least one of:

a type, a location, and a degree of an obstruction within the airway of the patient.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to identify one or more locations of one or more sounds within the airway of the patient using the sensor data.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to identify one or more areas of greatest obstruction within the airway of the patient using the sensor data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one processing device is configured to analyze the sensor data to determine if the patient suffers from obstructive sleep apnea.

9. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data comprising vibrational or acoustic data captured at multiple spaced-apart locations within an esophagus of a patient and associated with an airway of the patient; and

analyzing the sensor data to determine if the patient suffers from a specified condition affecting the airway of the patient.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the sensor data is received from multiple sensors that are configured to be inserted through a mouth or nose of the patient into the esophagus of the patient in order to position the sensors in the airway of the patient.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises identifying at least one of:

volume characteristics and pitch characteristics of the sensor data.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises performing pattern recognition in order to identify one or more patterns using at least one of the volume characteristics and the pitch characteristics of the sensor data.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises using the one or more patterns to identify at least one of:

a type, a location, and a degree of an obstruction within the airway of the patient.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises identifying one or more locations of one or more sounds within the airway of the patient using the sensor data.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises identifying one or more areas of greatest obstruction within the airway of the patient using the sensor data.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the sensor data comprises determining if the patient suffers from obstructive sleep apnea.

17. An apparatus comprising:

interface circuitry configured to receive sensor data comprising vibrational or acoustic data captured at multiple spaced-apart locations within an esophagus of a patient and associated with an airway of the patient; and

analysis circuitry configured to analyze the sensor data to determine if the patient suffers from a specified condition affecting the airway of the patient.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the interface circuitry is configured to receive the sensor data from multiple sensors that are inserted through a mouth or nose of the patient into the esophagus of the patient in order to position the sensors in the airway of the patient.

19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the analysis circuitry configured to:

identify at least one of;

volume characteristics and pitch characteristics of the sensor data;

perform pattern recognition in order to identify one or more patterns using at least one of the volume characteristics and the pitch characteristics of the sensor data; and

use the one or more patterns to identify at least one of;

a type, a location, and a degree of an obstruction within the airway of the patient.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the analysis circuitry configured to at least one of:

identify one or more locations of one or more sounds within the airway of the patient using the sensor data; and

identify one or more areas of greatest obstruction within the airway of the patient using the sensor data.