INTRAVENOUS LINE FLOW SENSOR FOR ADVANCED DIAGNOSTICS AND MONITORING IN EMERGENCY MEDICINE

• US 20180199842A1
• Filed: 07/31/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Physio-Control Incorporated (Stryker Corporation)
• Inventors: WALKER, ROBERT G., CURTIN, BARRY D.
• Granted Patent: US 10,405,767 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/303 Patient cord assembly, e.g. cable harness
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/339 Displays specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/361 Detecting fibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/16863 Occlusion detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3334 Measuring or controlling the flow rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/046 Specially adapted for shock therapy, e.g. defibrillation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3937 Monitoring output parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3993 User interfaces for automatic external defibrillators

Abstract

A portable medical device having an intravenous line flow sensor integrated into a cable. The portable medical device may be a defibrillator having an ECG or electrode cable couple to ECG or electrode leads. The flow sensor may be integrated into the ECG or electrode cable. The portable medical device uses the flow sensor to capture and store information about fluids delivered to a patient being treated with the portable medical device. The information may include total volume provided, flow rate, and the like. The information may then be used to evaluate the treatment provided to the patient.

Claims

1. A medical apparatus, comprising:

a portable monitor having a defibrillator component, the monitor having a cable providing connectivity between the monitor and at least one of a defibrillation electrode or an ECG monitoring electrode, the defibrillator component being operative to deliver a defibrillation shock through the defibrillation electrode; and

a flow sensor coupled to the defibrillator, the flow sensor being operative to detect a flow of fluids through an intravenous line.

2. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the defibrillator component is detachable from the portable monitor.

3. The medical apparatus recited in claim 2, wherein the defibrillator component and a monitor display component are each separable from a monitor connections component of the portable monitor.

4. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the portable monitor comprises a flow meter component for monitoring the flow of fluids through the intravenous line.

5. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the flow sensor comprises an ultrasound-based flow sensor.

6. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the defibrillation electrode and the ECG monitoring electrode are integrated into a unitary component.

7. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is integrated into a yoke portion of the cable, the yoke portion operating to split the cable into a plurality of separate ECG lead wires, each ECG lead wire connecting to a different ECG monitoring electrode.

8. The medical apparatus recited in claim 1, wherein the flow sensor is separate from the cable and joined to the cable by a flow sensor lead.

9. A medical apparatus, comprising:

a portable defibrillator to which a plurality of electrodes may be attached, the defibrillator being configured to deliver a defibrillation shock to a patient through the plurality of electrodes;

the portable defibrillator further having an integrated flow sensor, the defibrillator being further configured to monitor, display, and record a volume of fluid delivered to the patient through an intravenous line.

10. The medical apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the portable defibrillator is further configured to detect that the intravenous line is in a flow stoppage condition, and to issue an alert to the flow stoppage condition.

11. The medical apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the portable defibrillator is further configured to detect to a retrograde flow situation in which blood is flowing back into the intravenous line, and to issue an alert to the retrograde flow situation.

12. The medical apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the portable defibrillator is further configured to conduct substantially real-time surveillance of data from the flow sensor.

13. The medical apparatus recited in claim 12, wherein the portable defibrillator is still further configured to perform analysis of the substantially real-time surveillance combined with patient-condition-specific data to issue feedback on the volume of fluid delivered to the patient through the intravenous line.

14. The medical apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the portable defibrillator is detachable from a portable monitor.

15. The medical apparatus recited in claim 9, wherein the flow sensor comprises an ultrasound-based flow sensor.