Conformal pulse oximetry sensor and monitor
First Claim
1. An optoelectronic sensor removably securable to a body portion of a patient, comprising:
- an elastic substrate having an inner surface for disposition towards the body portion and an outer surface for disposition away from the body portion;
a light source assembly mounted on the elastic substrate; and
a light detector assembly mounted on the elastic substrate;
wherein at least one of the light source and light detector assemblies projects away from the inner surface of the elastic substrate, and wherein the elastic substrate is adapted to press the one of the light source and light detector assemblies into firm pressing engagement with the body portion to exert a localized pressure thereon.
13 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An optoelectronic pulse oximetry sensor is described which physically conforms to a body portion of a patient, such as a finger, and provides a firm pressing engagement between the sensor and the patient'"'"'s body portion. The sensor includes a flexible substrate, such as an elastic bandage-type material, which is physically conformable and attachable/adherable to the patient'"'"'s body portion. The sensor also includes a light source assembly for transilluminating the patient'"'"'s body portion, and a light detector assembly for measuring transmitted light. The dimensions of the light source and light detector assemblies are constructed to provide a high aspect ratio relative to the flexible substrate. When the sensor is conformably applied to the patient'"'"'s body portion, localized pressure is exerted on the body portion at the points of contact with the light source and light detector assemblies, thereby stressing the skin and the underlying blood-perfused tissue. The stress imparted to the skin and underlying tissues affects the distributions of blood in the tissues and provides improved accuracy and sensitivity in arterial oxygen saturation measurement, especially in circumstances of low perfusion.
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Citations
40 Claims
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1. An optoelectronic sensor removably securable to a body portion of a patient, comprising:
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an elastic substrate having an inner surface for disposition towards the body portion and an outer surface for disposition away from the body portion; a light source assembly mounted on the elastic substrate; and a light detector assembly mounted on the elastic substrate; wherein at least one of the light source and light detector assemblies projects away from the inner surface of the elastic substrate, and wherein the elastic substrate is adapted to press the one of the light source and light detector assemblies into firm pressing engagement with the body portion to exert a localized pressure thereon. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An optoelectronic sensor removably securable to a body portion of a patient and having a light source for transilluminating the body portion and a light detector for measuring transmitted light, the sensor comprising:
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a flexible substrate having an inner surface for disposition towards the body portion and an outer surface for disposition away from the body portion, the flexible substrate providing a substantially uniform pressure on the body portion; a light source assembly connected to the flexible substrate and projecting from the inner surface a distance that is not less than approximately a distance that the light source assembly extends along the inner surface, the light source assembly thereby adapted to exert a first localized pressure against the body portion beneath the light source assembly to stress skin beneath the light source assembly; and a light detector assembly connected to the flexible substrate and projecting from the inner surface a distance that is not less than approximately a distance that the light detector assembly extends along the inner surface, the light detector assembly thereby adapted to exert a second localized pressure against the body portion beneath the light detector assembly to stress skin beneath the light detector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An optoelectronic sensor removably securable to a body portion of a patient and having a light source for transilluminating the body portion and a light detector for measuring transmitted light, the sensor comprising:
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a flexible substrate physically conformable to the body portion and including an outer layer and an inner layer, the inner layer attached to the outer layer and having a first opening and a second opening; a light source assembly including a first substantially rigid transparent housing enclosing the light source and having a first flange portion and a first cover portion, the flange portion being positioned between the outer and inner layers to secure the light source assembly to the flexible substrate, the first cover portion projecting through the first opening in the inner layer and having an aspect ratio relative to the flexible substrate of not less than approximately 1;
1, the light source assembly thereby adapted to exert a localized pressure against the body portion beneath the light source assembly to stress skin beneath the light source assembly; anda light detector assembly including a second substantially rigid transparent housing enclosing the light detector and having a second flange portion and a second cover portion, the second flange portion being positioned between the outer and inner layers to secure the light detector assembly to the flexible substrate, the second cover portion projecting through the second opening in the inner layer and having an aspect ratio relative to the flexible substrate of not less than approximately 1;
1, the light detector assembly thereby adapted to exert a localized pressure against the body portion beneath the light detector assembly to stress skin beneath the light detector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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18. A pulse oximetry monitoring system, comprising:
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an optoelectronic sensor removably securable to a body portion of a patient, comprising; a flexible substrate having an inner surface for disposition towards, the body portion and an outer surface for disposition away from the body portion; a light source assembly mounted on the flexible substrate, the light source assembly projecting away from the inner surface a distance that is not less than approximately a distance the light source assembly extends along the inner surface, the light source assembly thereby adapted to exert localized pressure on the body portion beneath the light source assembly when the sensor is attached to the body portion; and a light detector assembly mounted on the flexible substrate, the light detector assembly projecting away from the inner surface a distance that is not less than approximately a distance the light detector assembly extends along the inner surface, the light detector assembly thereby adapted to exert localized pressure on the body portion beneath the light detector assembly when the sensor is attached to the body portion; and a pulse oximetry monitor electrically coupled to the optoelectronic sensor, the monitor applying a drive signal to the light source assembly, receiving a signal from the light detector assembly, and determining the percentage of oxygen saturation of blood in tissue in the body portion of the patient between the light emitter assembly and the light detector assembly. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of measuring the arterial oxygen saturation level in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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physically conforming an arterial oxygen saturation level sensor to a body portion of the patient; directing light into the body portion at a light source region of the body portion; detecting light transmitted through the body portion at a light detection region of the body portion; and exerting a localized pressure at one of the light source and light detection regions to stress blood-perfused tissue and partially remove blood from the one of the regions. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
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33. A method of measuring the arterial oxygen saturation level in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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physically conforming an arterial oxygen saturation level sensor to a body portion of the patient; directing light into the body portion at a light source region of the body portion; detecting light transmitted through the body portion at a light detection region of the body portion; partially depleting one of the light source and light detection regions of blood and creating a boundary region separating blood-depleted portions of the one of the regions from surrounding blood-perfused portions; and sensing movement of the boundary region. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of measuring the arterial oxygen saturation level in a patient, comprising the steps of:
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physically conforming an arterial oxygen saturation level sensor to a body portion of the patient; directing light into the body portion at a light source region of the body portion; detecting light transmitted through the body portion at a light detection region of the body portion; substantially eliminating venous pulse effects in one of the light source and light detection regions; and sensing arterial pulse effects in the one of the regions. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40)
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Specification