Method for the diagnosis of sleep apnea
First Claim
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1. A method of evaluating a patient for diagnosis of sleep apnea using an oximeter having a sensor, the method comprising steps of:
- (1) disposing said oximeter sensor adjacent a human body part, said oximeter having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood and a processor element responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation, and generating an oxygen saturation waveform as a function of time,(2) using a computer for;
a) repetitively calculating slopes along said oxygen saturation waveform,b) continuously comparing said slopes to a first predetermined range of slopes and identifying a first slope comprising a desaturation slope which falls within said first predetermined range of slopes,c) further comparing said slopes to a second predetermined range of slopes and said computer identifying a second slope comprising a resaturation slope which falls within the second predetermined range of slopes, immediately following said desaturation slope,d) comparing said desaturation slope to said resaturation slope to identify at least one coupled pair of desaturation and resaturation slopes wherein said comparison yields a result consistent with said coupled pair of slopes being induced by sleep apnea,e) continuously repeating at least steps b through d along said waveform,(3) using at least said comparing step d) to determine the diagnosis of sleep apnea.
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Abstract
A device for diagnosing sleep apnea by identifying desaturation and resaturation events in oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood. The slope of the events is determined and compared against various information to determine sleep apnea.
280 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method of evaluating a patient for diagnosis of sleep apnea using an oximeter having a sensor, the method comprising steps of:
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(1) disposing said oximeter sensor adjacent a human body part, said oximeter having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood and a processor element responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation, and generating an oxygen saturation waveform as a function of time, (2) using a computer for; a) repetitively calculating slopes along said oxygen saturation waveform, b) continuously comparing said slopes to a first predetermined range of slopes and identifying a first slope comprising a desaturation slope which falls within said first predetermined range of slopes, c) further comparing said slopes to a second predetermined range of slopes and said computer identifying a second slope comprising a resaturation slope which falls within the second predetermined range of slopes, immediately following said desaturation slope, d) comparing said desaturation slope to said resaturation slope to identify at least one coupled pair of desaturation and resaturation slopes wherein said comparison yields a result consistent with said coupled pair of slopes being induced by sleep apnea, e) continuously repeating at least steps b through d along said waveform, (3) using at least said comparing step d) to determine the diagnosis of sleep apnea. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of evaluating a patient for diagnosis of sleep apnea using an oximeter having a sensor, the method of comprising steps of:
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a) disposing said oximeter sensor adjacent a human body part, said oximeter having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood and processor element responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation, and generating an oxygen saturation waveform as a function of time, b) defining a primary interval for calculation of a slope of oxygen saturation as a function of time, c) using a computer for continuously calculating said slope along said waveform over said interval, and d) identifying a first slope, comprising a desaturation slope, which falls within a first predetermined slope range, and, e) identifying a second slope, comprising a resaturation slope, which falls within a second predetermined slope range, immediately following said desaturation slope, f) mathematically comparing, using said computer, said desaturation slope to said resaturation slope to identify at least one coupled pair of desaturation and resaturation slopes consistent with sleep apnea, g) continuously repeating steps b through f along said waveform; h) using at least said step of mathematically comparing to determine the diagnosis of sleep apnea. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of evaluating a patient for diagnosis of sleep apnea comprising steps of:
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a) using a pulse oximeter to detect the cardiovascular pulse of a patient, said oximeter having a sensor, said oximeter having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood and a processor element responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation and generating an oxygen saturation waveform as a function of time, b) disposing said pulse oximeter sensor adjacent a human body part, c) defining an interval for calculation of a slope of oxygen saturation, d) using a computer for repetitively calculating sequential slopes along said waveform at said interval, and for, e) identifying a first slope, comprising a desaturation slope, which falls within a first predetermined slope range, and for, f) identifying a second slope, comprising a resaturation slope, which falls within a second predetermined slope range, immediately following said desaturation slope, g) mathematically comparing, using said computer, said desaturation slope to said resaturation slope to identify at least one coupled pair of desaturation and resaturation slopes consistent with sleep apnea, h) automatically repeating at least steps c through f i) determining the diagnosis of sleep apnea based on at least said comparing. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method of evaluating a patient for diagnosis of sleep apnea using an oximeter having a sensor, the method of comprising steps of:
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1) disposing said oximeter sensor adjacent a human body part, said oximeter having an output signal indicating an oxygen saturation of a patient'"'"'s blood and a processor element responsive to said signal indicating oxygen saturation and generating an oxygen saturation waveform as a function of time, 2) using a computer for; a) repetitively calculating slopes along said oxygen saturation waveform, b) continuously comparing said slopes to a first predetermined range of slopes and identifying a first slope comprising a desaturation slope which falls within said first predetermined range of slope, c) further comparing said slopes to a second predetermined range of slopes and said computer identifying a second slope comprising a resaturation slope which falls within the second predetermined range of slopes, immediately following said desaturation slope, d) comparing said desaturation slope to said resaturation slope to identify at least one coupled pair of desaturation and resaturation slopes wherein said comparison yields a result consistent with said coupled pair of slopes being induced by sleep apnea, e) continuously repeating at least steps b through d, f) calculating a frequency of said coupled slopes as a function of time, g) determining the diagnosis of sleep apnea based on at least said frequency calculation, h) plotting said oxygen saturation waveform for visual inspection and comparison with said sleep apnea determination. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification