Integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system for animal research

• US 7,857,768 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2008
• Issued: 12/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: STARR Life Sciences Corp.
• Original Assignee: STARR Life Sciences Corp.
• Inventors: Ayers, Eric J, Hete, Bernard F., Starr, Eric W
• Primary Examiner(s): Marmor, II; Charles A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi; Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/249,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20090099425A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 600322-324, 600/481, 600/484, 600/485, 600/500, 600/529, 600/483
• US Class Current: 600/483
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2503/40 Animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02255 the pressure being controlled by plethysmographic signals, e.g. derived from optical sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor

Abstract

An integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system includes a tail blood flow occlusion member configured to selectively occlude blood flow through the tail; a sensor coupled to the tail blood flow occlusion member detecting a degree of operation thereof; Light sources coupled to the tail closer to the distal end of the tail than the tail blood flow occlusion member, and selectively directing light of two different wavelengths into the tail; a light receiver coupled to the tail and selectively receiving a signal associated with light directed into the tail from the light sources; and a controller configured to selectively determine blood pressure parameters from the data and pulse oximeter parameters from the data.

Claims

1. An integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system comprising:

A tail blood flow occlusion member configured to be secured to a subject'"'"'s tail and selectively occlude blood flow through the tail;

A sensor coupled to the tail blood flow occlusion member configured to detect a degree of operation of the tail blood flow occlusion member;

Light sources configured to be coupled to the tail in a position closer to the distal end of the tail than the position of the tail blood flow occlusion member, and configured to selectively direct light of at least two different wavelengths into the tail;

At least one Light receiver configured to be coupled to the tail in a position closer to the distal end of the tail than the position of the tail blood flow occlusion member, and configured to selectively receive a signal associated with light that has been directed into the tail from the light sources;

Controller coupled to the tail blood flow occlusion member for controlling the tail blood flow occlusion member, and coupled to the sensor and the at least one light receivers for receiving data there from, wherein the controller is configured to selectively determine blood pressure parameters from the data and pulse oximeter parameters from the data, wherein said pulse oximeter parameters include breath rate, pulse distention, and breath distention.

2. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 1 wherein the tail blood flow occlusion member includes at least one inflatable tail cuff portion.

3. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 1 wherein the tail blood flow occlusion member includes two housing halves that are selectively movable toward and away from each other.

4. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 3 wherein a spring bias holds the two housing halves in a relaxed, non-blood flow occluding position.

5. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 3 wherein the movement of the housing halves toward each other is configured to selectively cut off blood flow through the tail.

6. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 1 wherein the tail blood flow occlusion member includes an inflatable tail cuff portion that is wrapped around the tail.

7. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 1 further including an animal holder for containing the animal and wherein the tail blood flow occlusion member is secured to the holder.

8. An integrated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system comprising:

A blood flow occlusion member configured to be secured to a subject'"'"'s appendage and selectively occlude blood flow through the appendage;

A sensor coupled to the blood flow occlusion member configured to detect a degree of operation of the blood flow occlusion member;

A mounting clip attachable to the appendage in a position closer to the distal end of the appendage than the position of the blood flow occlusion member;

Light sources carried on the mounting clip and configured to direct light of at least two different wavelengths into the appendage;

At least one Light receiver carried on the mounting clip and configured to selectively receive a signal associated with light that has been directed into the appendage from the light sources;

Controller coupled to the blood flow occlusion member for controlling the blood flow occlusion member, and coupled to the sensor and the at least one light receivers for receiving data there from, wherein the controller is configured to selectively determine blood pressure parameters from the data and pulse oximeter parameters from the data, wherein said pulse oximeter parameters include breath rate, pulse distention, and breath distention.

9. The integrated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 8 wherein the blood flow occlusion member includes two housing halves that are selectively movable toward and away from each other.

10. The integrated tail mounted blood pressure monitor and pulse system oximeter according to claim 9 wherein a spring bias holds the two housing halves in a relaxed, non-blood flow occluding position.

11. The integrated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 9 wherein the movement of the housing halves toward each other is configured to selectively cut off blood flow through the appendage.

12. The integrated blood pressure monitor and pulse oximeter system according to claim 8 wherein the blood flow occlusion member includes an inflatable cuff portion that is wrapped around the appendage, and further including a subject holder containing the subject and wherein the blood flow occlusion member is secured to the holder.