Method for detecting toxic chemical concentration in individuals

• US 6,044,293 A
• Filed: 11/23/1998
• Issued: 03/28/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Altec Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Altec Incorporated
• Inventors: Shichtman, Melvyn J., Lucey, George K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINDENBURG, MAX F
• Application Number:
  US09/197,757
• Time in Patent Office: 491 Days
• Field of Search: 600/544, 600/545, 600/546, 600/547, 600/591
• US Class Current: 600/546
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0412 Low-profile patch shaped housings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0002 Remote monitoring of patients using telemetry, e.g. transmission of vital signals via a communication network A61B5/07 takes precedence; transmission systems for measured values G08C; transmission H04B; transmission of digital information H04L; wireless communication networks H04W
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1106 to assess neuromuscular blockade, e.g. to estimate depth of anaesthesia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/296 for electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

A method for detecting in a human test subject the presence of a harmful level of a chemical-biological agent, the method including the steps of administering a given dose of a predetermined chemical-biological agent to a control subject; extracting control EMG signals from the control subject; processing the control EMG signals to determine given parameters thereof; and storing data obtained in the processing step. The above steps are repeated for a plurality of other control subjects and the resultant data are used to determine the given dose of the predetermined chemical-biological agent a standard range of the given parameters. All of the above steps are repeated with each of a plurality of different sized chemical-biological doses of the predetermined chemical-biological agent and all resultant data are used to determine a normative range of the given parameters for each of the plurality of different sized chemical-biological doses. After establishing the normative ranges, EMG test signals are extracted from the human test subject and processed to determine the given parameters which then are compared to the data normative to determine the concentration in the test subject of the predetermined chemical-biological agent.

Claims

1. A method for detecting in a human test subject the presence of a harmful level of a chemical-biological agent, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) administering a given dose of a predetermined chemical-biological agent to a control subject;

(b) extracting control EMG signals from said control subject;

(c) processing said control EMG signals to determine given parameters thereof;

(d) storing data obtained in said processing step;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other control subjects;

(f) utilizing said data stored in steps (d) to determine for said given dose of said predetermined chemical-biological agent a standard range of said given parameters;

(g) repeating steps (a)-(e) with each of a plurality of different sized chemical-biological doses of said predetermined chemical-biological agent;

(h) utilizing the data obtained in steps (g) to determine a normative range of said given parameters for each of said plurality of different sized chemical-biological doses;

(i) extracting test EMG signals from the human test subject;

(j) processing said test EMG signals to determine said given parameters thereof; and

(k) comparing the data obtained in step (j) to the data obtained in steps (f) and (h) to determine the concentration in said test subject of said predetermined chemical-biological agent.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters are time dependent.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters comprise voltage characteristics of said EMG signals.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters comprise power characteristics of said EMG signals.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters comprise frequency characteristics of said EMG signals.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters comprise median frequency of said EMG signals.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said given parameters comprise voltage, power, and frequency characteristics of said EMG signals.

8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the chemical-biological chemical is a Nerve Agent or a Neuro Toxin.

9. A method according to claim 1 including the steps of responding to a given concentration of said pre-determined agent as determined in step (k) by administering a stimulant to said human test subject, and continuing to extract and process EMG signals from said test subject.

10. A method for detecting in a human test subject the presence of harmful levels of chemical-biological agents, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) sequentially administering a given dose of each of a plurality of different predetermined chemical-biological agents to a control subject;

(b) extracting after each administering step EMG signals from said control subject;

(c) processing said control EMG signals to determine given parameters thereof associated with each said predetermined agent;

(d) storing data obtained in said processing steps;

(e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for a plurality of other control subjects;

(f) utilizing said data stored in steps (d) to determine for said given dose of each said predetermined chemical-biological agent a standard range of said given parameters;

(g) repeating steps (a)-(f) with each of a plurality of different sized chemical-biological doses of each said predetermined chemical-biological agent;

(h) utilizing the data obtained in step (g) to determine a normative range of said given parameters for each of said plurality of different sized doses of each said chemical-biological agent;

(i) extracting test EMG signals from the human test subject;

(j) processing said test EMG signals to determine said given parameters thereof; and

(k) comparing the data obtained in step (j) to the data obtained in steps (f) and (h) to determine the concentrations in said test subject of each said predetermined chemical-biological agent.

11. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters are time dependent.

12. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters comprise voltage characteristics of said EMG signals.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters comprise power characteristics of said EMG signals.

14. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters comprise frequency of said EMG signals.

15. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters comprise median frequency of said EMG signals.

16. A method according to claim 10 wherein said given parameters comprise voltage, power, and frequency characteristics of said EMG signals.

17. A method according to claim 10 wherein the chemical-biological chemical is a Nerve Agent.

18. A method according to claim 10 including the steps of responding to a given concentration of any said predetermined agent as determined in step (k) by administering a stimulant to said human test subject, and continuing to extract and process EMG signals from said test subject.

19. A method according to claim 10 wherein said step (i) comprises the steps of:

providing a detector assembly for extracting EMG signals;

said detector assembly comprising a flexible substrate having an adhesive surface and retaining spaced apart electrodes for extracting EMG signals, a power supply, a differential amplifier for receiving signals from said electrodes, a signal processing means for processing EMG signals, and storage means for storing data provided by said processing means; and

securing said adhesive surface of said detector assembly to the skin of the human test subject.

20. A method according to claim 19 wherein said detector assembly further comprises telemetry and including the step of transmitting data from said detector assembly to a processing unit at a remote location for performance of step (k).

21. A method according to claim 19 including the steps of:

removing said detector assembly from the test subject;

downloading data from said storage means to a processing unit; and

performing step (k) with said processing unit.

22. A method according to claim 21 including the steps of:

recharging said power supply; and

securing the adhesive surface of said detector assembly to the skin of another human test subject.