Respiratory monitoring, diagnostic and therapeutic system

• US 7,101,341 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2003
• Issued: 09/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sierra Medical Technology
• Original Assignee: Sierra Medical Technology
• Inventors: Tsukashima, Ross, Schipper, Jeffery D., Wolf, Erich H., Roucher, Leo R. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nasser, Robert L.
• Application Number:
  US10/413,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20040210151A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,239 Days
• Field of Search: 600/532, 73/233, 422/84
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14539 for measuring pH
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/0003 with means for dispensing more than one drug
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/14 by mixing different fluids, one of them being in a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3569 sublocal, e.g. between console and disposable
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 Composition of exhalation

Abstract

Disclosed is a system and method for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating certain respiratory conditions, such as asthma. The system includes a mask apparatus fitted with a pH sensor and thermocouple, a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device, a processing receiver, and a therapeutic nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier device. The mask apparatus, CPAP device and therapeutic nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier device are connected by a pneumatic means. The pH sensor and the thermocouple are in electrical communication with the processing receiver that controls, through an electronic means, the CPAP device and therapeutic nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier device. The electrical communications can be in the form of a plurality of wires or employ wireless means.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a respiratory condition:

an apparatus for exposing a sensor to an individual'"'"'s breath;

said sensor in close proximity to an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

a processing receiver; and

said sensor providing a continuous, real-time signal indicative of breath chemistry to said receiver.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus is a general mask.

3. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said sensor is designed to monitor pH.

4. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said respiratory condition is asthma.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication is accomplished by a plurality of wires.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said communication is accomplished by a wireless means.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said apparatus includes a means to condense the individual'"'"'s breath to form a liquid pool in contact with said sensor.

8. The system as recited in claim 7, wherein said apparatus has a means to continuously circulate and replace said sample of liquefied breath with a fresh sample of liquefied condensed breath.

9. A system for monitoring and diagnosing a respiratory condition:

an apparatus for exposing a sensor to an individual'"'"'s breath;

said sensor exposed to an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

a processing receiver;

said sensor providing a continuous, real-time signal indicative of breath chemistry to said receiver; and

said processing receiver processing said information for determining various diagnoses.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said apparatus is a general mask.

11. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said respiratory condition is asthma.

12. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said communication is accomplished by a plurality of wires.

13. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said communication is accomplished by a wireless means.

14. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said sensor is designed to monitor pH.

15. The system as recited in claim 9, wherein said apparatus includes a means to condense the individual'"'"'s breath to form a liquid pool in contact with said sensor.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, wherein said apparatus has a means to continuously circulate and replace said sample of liquefied breath with a fresh sample of liquefied condensed breath.

17. A system for monitoring, diagnosing, and treating a respiratory condition:

an apparatus for exposing a pH sensor to an individual'"'"'s breath;

said sensor in close proximity to an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

a processing receiver;

said sensor providing a continuous, real-time signal indicative of breath chemistry to said receiver;

said processing receiver processing said information for determining various diagnoses and treatments; and

said processing receiver in a second communication with at least one treatment device to administer at least one therapeutic dose.

18. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said apparatus is a general mask.

19. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said respiratory condition is asthma.

20. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first communication is accomplished by a plurality of wires.

21. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said first communication is accomplished by a wireless means.

22. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said second communication is accomplished by a plurality of wires.

23. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said second communication is accomplished by a wireless means.

24. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said sensor is designed to monitor pH.

25. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said treatment is a biocompatible agent capable of neutralizing an acidic condition.

26. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said treatment is sodium bicarbonate.

27. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a communication between said processing receiver and a nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier.

28. The system as recited in claim 17, further comprising a third communication between said processing receiver and a continuous positive airway pressure device.

29. The system as recited in claim 17, wherein said apparatus includes a means to condense the individual'"'"'s breath to form a liquid pool in contact with said sensor.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein said apparatus has a means to continuously circulate and replace said sample of liquefied breath with a fresh sample of liquefied condensed breath.

31. An apparatus for monitoring breath chemistry comprising:

a sensor;

an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means in physical engagement with said sensor;

said cooling means reducing the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of a patient'"'"'s breath such that the patient'"'"'s breath condenses into a liquid; and

said sensor at least partially immersed into said liquefied breath to provide an output of a parameter of the breath.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 31, further comprising an exit means to expel and replenish liquefied patient'"'"'s breath condensate.

33. A method of monitoring a respiratory condition:

monitoring a chemical parameter of a patient'"'"'s breath with a pH sensor, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath; and

communicating said chemical parameter in real-time under a sampling frequency from said sensor to a computing receiver.

34. A method of monitoring and diagnosing a respiratory condition:

monitoring a chemical parameter of a patient'"'"'s breath with a pH sensor, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

communicating said chemical parameter in real-time under a sampling frequency from said sensor to a computing receiver; and

processing said chemical parameter information by a computing receiver to diagnose a patients'"'"' breath chemistry.

35. A method of monitoring, diagnosing and treating a respiratory condition:

monitoring a chemical parameter of a patient'"'"'s breath with a pH sensor, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

communicating said chemical parameter in real-time under a sampling frequency from said sensor to a computing receiver;

processing said chemical parameter information by a computing receiver to diagnose a patients'"'"' breath chemistry;

performing a function on the occurrence of a threshold level; and

communicating with a treatment nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier such that when the chemical parameter threshold level is reached, said computing receiver instructs said treatment nebulizer/atomizer/humidifier to dispense one or more medicaments.

36. A method of monitoring a respiratory condition:

exposing a sensor to an environment that assesses a chemical parameter of the breath of a patient, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

transferring in real-time said chemical parameter information to a processing receiver; and

converting the chemical parameter information communicated to the processing receiver to a digitized format.

37. A method of monitoring and diagnosing a respiratory condition:

exposing a sensor to an environment that assesses a chemical parameter of the breath of a patient, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

transferring in real-time said chemical parameter information to a processing receiver; and

converting the chemical parameter information communicated to the processing receiver to a digitized format to diagnose said chemical parameter information.

38. A method of monitoring, diagnosing and treating a respiratory condition:

exposing a sensor to an environment that assesses a chemical parameter of the breath of a patient, said sensor in close proximity with an electronically activated cooling means, said cooling means functions to reduce the temperature of said sensor below the dew point of said individual'"'"'s breath;

transferring in real-time said chemical parameter information to a processing receiver;

converting the chemical parameter information communicated to the processing receiver to a digitized format to diagnose said chemical parameter information; and

processing said chemical parameter information for determining various treatments.