Systems and methods for monitoring gastrointestinal system
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- monitoring a blood glucose concentration in a patient following consumption of a meal by the patient; and
estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the blood glucose concentration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In general, the invention is directed to systems and methods for monitoring the gastrointestinal system of a patient. In one embodiment, the invention includes techniques for monitoring the emptying of the patient'"'"'s stomach. The techniques may employ glucose monitoring, pH monitoring with a consumable sensor, of monitoring the position of a consumable sensor as it exits the stomach. Consumable sensors may be employed to sense conditions, such as temperature or bile concentration, in other segments of the gastrointestinal system. The invention also includes systems for tracking the position of one or more consumable sensors as the sensors transit the gastrointestinal system, and monitoring the conditions sensed by the sensors.
35 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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monitoring a blood glucose concentration in a patient following consumption of a meal by the patient; and estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the blood glucose concentration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method comprising:
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monitoring a first pH signal from a first device in a gastrointestinal system of a patient; monitoring a second pH signal from a second device in the gastrointestinal system of the patient; and estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the first and second pH signals. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system comprising:
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a first consumable device including a transmitter, the first consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient and to transmit a first signal; a second consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system and to transmit a second signal; at least two receivers to receive the first and second signals signal from the first and second consumable devices when the first and second consumable devices transit the gastrointestinal system; and a processor to compute positions of the first and second consumable devices in the gastrointestinal system as a function of the received first and second signals. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method comprising:
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monitoring a first position signal from a first device in a gastrointestinal system of a patient; monitoring a second position signal from a second device in the gastrointestinal system; estimating the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of first and second position signals. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A system comprising:
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a first consumable device including a transmitter, the first consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of a patient and to transmit a first pH signal; a second consumable device configured to transit the gastrointestinal system of the patient and to transmit a second pH signal; at least one receiver to receive the first and second pH signals signal from the first and second consumable devices when the first and second consumable devices transit the gastrointestinal system; and a processor to estimate the time that gastric emptying occurs in the patient as a function of the first and second pH signals. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 29)
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28. The system of 24, wherein the first consumable device comprises a sensor to generate a sensor signal in response to a condition. signal, and a bile concentration signal.
Specification