Methods and apparatus for stroke patient treatment
First Claim
1. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
- a mask;
a blower to supply breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to said mask;
a flow sensor to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a computer to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator from said flow signal, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said flow signal to determine an occurrence of central apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said airflow to determine an occurrence of obstructive apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control a calculation of said stroke indicator as a function of a ratio of said occurrence of central apnea and said occurrence of said obstructive apnea.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Methods and apparatus for assessing the condition of and treating patients for stroke during the delivery of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are disclosed. By determining central and obstructive apnea occurrences or the percentile of pressure delivered to the patient from patient airflow, stroke indicators may be calculated and analyzed to provide information on the type of stroke a patient has suffered and the degree of a patient'"'"'s neuro-recovery. The apparatus may be programmed with a particular protocol intended to identify between alternative forms of CPAP treatment appropriate for the patient based upon an assessment of the patient'"'"'s condition. The device can select and recommend between the various treatment forms, identify billing reimbursement codes and generate data to track patient response to stroke treatments.
53 Citations
36 Claims
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1. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a mask;
a blower to supply breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to said mask;
a flow sensor to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a computer to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator from said flow signal, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said flow signal to determine an occurrence of central apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said airflow to determine an occurrence of obstructive apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control a calculation of said stroke indicator as a function of a ratio of said occurrence of central apnea and said occurrence of said obstructive apnea. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a mask;
a blower to supply breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to said mask;
a pressure sensor to generate a pressure signal indicative of the pressure delivered to the patient; and
a computer to process said pressure signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control a determination of a first percentile pressure from pressure delivered to a patient in a current session and a comparison of said first percentile pressure with a second percentile pressure determined from pressure delivered to said patient in a prior session. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a mask;
a blower to supply breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to said mask;
a flow sensor to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a processor to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said processor is configured and adapted for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator from said flow signal, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said stroke indicator is a function of a ratio of a number of occurrences of central apnea and a number of occurrences of obstructive apnea.
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13. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a means for supplying breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient;
a flow sensor means to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a computer means to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator from said flow signal, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said flow signal to determine an occurrence of central apnea and said instructions calculate said stroke indicator as a function of said occurrence of central apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control an analysis of said airflow to determine an occurrence of obstructive apnea and said instructions calculate said stroke indicator as a function of said occurrence of obstructive apnea, and wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control a calculation of said stroke indicator as a function of a ratio of said occurrence of central apnea and said occurrence of said obstructive apnea. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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16. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a means for supplying breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient;
a pressure sensor means to generate a pressure signal indicative of the pressure delivered to the patient; and
a processing means to process said pressure signal and control said blower wherein said processor is programmed with instructions for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said instructions for calculating said stroke indicator control a determination of a first percentile pressure from pressure delivered to a patient in a current session and a comparison of said first percentile pressure with a second percentile pressure determined from pressure delivered to said patient in a prior session. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a means for supplying breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient;
a flow sensor means to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a means for processing said flow signal and controlling said blower wherein said means for processing is configured and adapted for;
controlling said blower to deliver breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient; and
calculating a stroke indicator from said flow signal, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said stroke indicator is a function of a ratio of a number of occurrences of central apnea and a number of occurrences of obstructive apnea.
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25. A medium with stored instructions for use by an electronic processor to control the evaluation of the condition of a patient after stroke, said instructions for controlling the execution of the step of:
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calculating a stroke indicator from a measure of airflow of a patient, said airflow measured during the delivery of a pressure of breathable gas above atmospheric, said stroke indicator representing information about the patient'"'"'s condition, wherein said stroke indicator is a function of a ratio of a number of occurrences of central apnea and a number of occurrences of obstructive apnea. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28)
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29. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a mask;
a blower to supply breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to said mask;
a flow sensor to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a computer to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
during a first period delivering breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to the patient;
determining a first index as a function of the total number of hypopneas and apneas experienced by the patient during said first period;
comparing said first index to a threshold value and if said first index exceeds said threshold value then selecting between different types of CPAP treatment wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for determining a second index as a ratio of the number of central apneas and the number of obstructive apneas experienced by said patient during said first period, wherein said step of selecting between forms of CPAP treatment is a function of said second index. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. An apparatus for evaluating the condition of a patient after stroke comprising:
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a means for supplying breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to a patient;
a flow sensor means to generate a flow signal indicative of the patient'"'"'s airflow; and
a computer means to process said flow signal and control said blower wherein said computer is programmed with instructions for;
during a first period delivering breathable gas at a pressure above atmospheric to the patient;
determining a first index as a function of the total number of hypopneas and apneas experienced by the patient during said first period;
comparing said first index to a threshold value and if said first index exceeds said threshold value then selecting between forms of CPAP treatment, wherein said computer means is programmed with instructions for determining a second index as a ratio of the number of central apneas and the number of obstructive apneas experienced by said patient during said first period, wherein said step of selecting between forms of CPAP treatment is a function of said second index. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
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Specification