System and method for the infusing of tocolytic drugs in response to the onset of premature labor detected by ultrasonic monitoring of the dilatation and/or effacement of the cervix os
First Claim
1. A system for the postponement of labor/spontaneous abortion in a pregnant human female patient, the system comprising:
- a ultrasonic cervimeter monitor of the dilatation and/or effacement of the cervix os of a pregnant human female patient; and
an infusion pump responsive to certain conditions indicative of labor sensed by the monitor to infuse a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The onset of spontaneous abortion or premature labor of a pregnant human female is continuously monitored, potentially for periods of several months and longer, by a real-time transit-time ultrasonic monitor of the dilatation and/or effacement of the cervix os, preferably by a computerized ambulatory monitor. The preferred computerized monitor sounds an alarm upon the detection of variably present conditions, normally the compound conditions of five or more 10% cyclical variations in the dilatation or effacement of the cervix os within a period of one hour, coupled with a greater than 1 centimeter increase over baseline of either dilatation or effacement, which compound conditions normally indicate the early onset of labor. The monitor connects to an infusion pump, likewise preferably ambulatory, for directing and controlling the infusion of one or more tocolytic, labor-preventing, drugs if labor continues. In this manner patient activity and patient chemistry can be early detected, early alarmed and early beneficially altered even before it is possible to receive the diagnosis or treatment of a physician of other health care provider.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A system for the postponement of labor/spontaneous abortion in a pregnant human female patient, the system comprising:
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a ultrasonic cervimeter monitor of the dilatation and/or effacement of the cervix os of a pregnant human female patient; and an infusion pump responsive to certain conditions indicative of labor sensed by the monitor to infuse a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for the postponement of labor/spontaneous abortion in a pregnant human female patient, the system comprising:
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an ultrasonic transmitter in the substantial shape of a three-dimensional, non-planar, body characterized in that ultrasound is emitted from the transmitter along a multiplicity of axis in multiple different directions; an ultrasonic receiver in the substantial shape of a three-dimensional, non-planar, body characterized in that ultrasound is received along a multiplicity of axis from multiple different directions; a means for securing the ultrasonic transmitter, and also the ultrasonic receiver, to the wall of the cervix uteri of human female at spaced apart positions so that a straight line ultrasonic acoustic path at least partially through the cervix exists between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver, the path being simultaneously along at least one ultrasound emission axis of the ultrasonic transmitter and at least one ultrasound reception axis of the ultrasonic receiver; an ultrasonic transit time micrometer for detecting a delay in the propagation of ultrasound from the ultrasonic transmitter to the ultrasonic receiver as an indication of the dilatation of the cervix uteri; electrical wires connecting both the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver in their positions secured to the wall of the cervix to the ultrasonic transit time micrometer; and an infusion pump responsive to certain conditions indicative of labor sensed by the ultrasonic transit time micrometer to infuse a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An ultrasonic transit time cervical dilatation monitor comprising:
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an ultrasonic transmitter; an ultrasonic receiver; a means for securing the ultrasonic transmitter, and also the ultrasonic receiver, to the wall of the cervix uteri of human female at spaced apart positions so that an ultrasonic acoustic path at least partially through the cervix exists between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver; an ultrasonic transit time micrometer, connected to both the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver in their positions secured to the wall of the cervix, for detecting a delay in the propagation of ultrasound from the ultrasonic transmitter to the ultrasonic receiver as an indication of the dilatation of the cervix uteri; a monitor of the indicated dilatation of the cervix uteri for causing an alarm if a predetermined condition of dilatation is detected; and an infusion pump responsive to certain conditions indicative of labor sensed by the monitor to infuse a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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16. An automated method of infusing a tocolytic drug into a pregnant human female patient in response to monitoring of cervical dilatation comprising:
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securing an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver at spaced-apart positions upon the wall of the cervix uteri; energizing the secured ultrasonic transmitter and ultrasonic receiver with and by an ultrasonic transit time micrometer; detecting the ultrasound propagation transit time from the ultrasonic transmitter to the ultrasonic receiver with and by use of the ultrasonic transit time micrometer in order to provide an indication of the corresponding dilatation of the cervix uteri; electronically monitoring the detected transit time, and the indicated dilatation of the cervix uteri corresponding to the detected transit time, in order so as to sound an alarm if a predetermined condition of dilatation is detected; and infusing a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient in response to certain conditions indicative of labor detected by the electronic monitoring. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A real-time system for the infusing of a tocolytic drug into a pregnant human female patient in response to monitoring of cervical dilatation of the cervix uteri, the system comprising;
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an ultrasonic transmitter; an ultrasonic receiver; a means for securing the ultrasonic transmitter, and also the ultrasonic receiver, to the wall of the cervix uteri of human female at spaced apart positions so that a straight line ultrasonic acoustic path at least partially within the cervix exists between the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver; and a case suitable for attachment to the body containing an ultrasonic transit time micrometer, electrically connected to both the ultrasonic transmitter and the ultrasonic receiver in their positions secured to the wall of the cervix, for detecting a delay in the propagation of ultrasound from the ultrasonic transmitter to the ultrasonic receiver as an indication of the dilatation of the cervix uteri, a memory for storing the delays as are detected over time as an indication of the dilatation of the cervix uteri over time, and a display for displaying at times each of the present dilatation of the cervix uteri, and also the dilatation of the cervix uteri over time; and an infusion pump responsive to certain conditions indicative of labor sensed by the ultrasonic transit time micrometer to infuse a tocolytic drug into the pregnant human female patient. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23)
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Specification