Method for monitoring the level of an osmotically active component in body fluid and device for carrying out said method

• US 6,224,550 B1
• Filed: 06/10/1999
• Issued: 05/01/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lifecare Holdings Incorporated (Hospital Acquisition LLC)
• Original Assignee: Lifecare Holdings Incorporated (Hospital Acquisition LLC)
• Inventors: Ellingsen, Olav
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): CARTER, RYAN CHRISTOPHER
• Application Number:
  US09/319,839
• Time in Patent Office: 691 Days
• Field of Search: 600/365-366, 600/373, 600/345, 600/347, 600/573, 600/584, 600/377, 73/64.47, 204/403, 204/406, 204/415-416
• US Class Current: 600/366
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 13/04 Investigating osmotic effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/66 involving blood sugars, e.g. galactose

Abstract

A method for monitoring changes in the level of an osmotically active component, such as for instance glucose, or in healthy humans, such as athletes for monitoring the level of lactic acid in the muscles is described. The key feature of the method is that the osmotic movement back and forth over a membrane is used to activate a sensing device, whereby the physical changes that take place in the fluid may be recorded by a receiver situated outside the body. A device for carrying out said method is likewise described.

Claims

1. Method of monitoring the changes in the level of an osmotically active component in a body or for monitoring the level of lactic acid in muscles, wherein an osmotic movement in a fluid back and forth over a membrane is used to activate a sensing device, whereby the physical changes that take place in the fluid may be recorded by a receiver situated outside the body.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the membrane used is a hollow fiber membrane, a sheet formed membrane or a corrugated membrane containing an osmotic, calibrated fluid, which fluid is placed in contact with a void in the device where means for monitoring/detecting volume changes of he calibrated fluid as a result of the flux of fluid through the membrane are present.

3. Method according to claim 2 wherein the monitoring/detection of the volume change is effected by action on an oscillating circuit arranged in a housing of the device, whereby the frequency of the oscillating circuit is changed in relation to the volume changes, in a manner selected from the group consisting of changing the gap between the capacitors and changes of the inductance of a coil, in that the volume changes may affect any detector means that is able to generate a signal that may be recorded in a certain distance from the device.

4. Device for carrying out the method according to claim 1 wherein said device comprises a receiver consisting of variable oscillating circuit that is able to record the oscillating circuit in a sensor and wherein the corresponding frequency is presented in a display in a value relevant to the measurement in question, as a suitable unit, and means for storing the recorded a data, whereby the device also comprises a means for calculating average values, and also comprising an integrated circuit which with the help of an algorithm is capable of computing the need for medication related to the measured values, and whereby the device optionally is equipped with an alarm for preset height and low values.