Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

• US 8,317,776 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gearbox LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: The Invention Science Fund I, L.L.C. (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Ferren, Bran, Hagen, Jeffrey John, Hyde, Roderick A., Ishikawa, Muriel Y., Leuthardt, Eric C., Rivet, Dennis J., Wood, Lowell L. Jr., Wood, Victoria Y. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mehta, Bhisma
• Application Number:
  US12/154,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,653 Days
• Field of Search: 604/65, 604/66, 604/67, 604/266, 604/891.1
• US Class Current: 604/891.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0233 Special features of optical sensors or probes classified in A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/046 in a matrix array
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/015 By temperature mapping of body part
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/412 Detecting or monitoring sepsis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/415 the glands, e.g. tonsils, adenoids or thymus
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/418 lymph vessels, ducts or nodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6804 Garments; Clothes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6807 Footwear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6848 Needles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6862 Stents
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6876 Blood vessel
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/06 : Measuring blood flow measuring volume flow in general G01F, e.g. G01F1/66, G01F1/72; measuring speed of fluids in general G01P5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4472 : Wireless probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/4483 : characterised by features of the ultrasound transducer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2250/0002 : for data transfer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2005/1726 : the body parameters being measured at, or proximate to, the infusion site
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/1052 : for temporarily occluding a vessel for isolating a sector
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/2413 : designed to reduce and or shut-off the flow when a certain maximum flow limit is exceeded
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/242 : designed to open when a predetermined pressure or flow rate has been reached, e.g. check valve actuated by fluid
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2039/248 : Ball-valve
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/04 : implanted
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3507 : with implanted devices, e.g. external control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 : local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 31/00 : Devices for introducing or retaining media, e.g. remedies, in cavities of the body A61M25/00 takes precedence ; introducing or retaining ophthalmic products into the ocular cavities A61F9/0008
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 39/24 : Check- or non-return valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/14276 : specially adapted for implantation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/16831 : Monitoring, detecting, signalling or eliminating infusion flow anomalies low-level float-valves causing cut-off A61M5/40; indicating or recording presence, absence or direction of flow in general G01P13/0066
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 : using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 : Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for obtaining and acting upon information indicative of circulatory health and related phenomena in human beings or other subjects. Some involve implementing or deploying therapeutic administration systems, for example, for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens and accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens.

Claims

1. A therapeutic administration system comprising:

means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens; and

means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens;

in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises means for obtaining a concentration-indicative scalar of the one or more indications of the lytic material.

2. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

circuitry for detecting a marker material indicative of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens.

3. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing at least a statin to be dispensed as the lytic material.

4. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for dispensing the lytic material into an upstream portion of the one or more body lumens.

5. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing the portion of the lytic material to be drawn into an artificial vessel.

6. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for reversing a flow direction of at least some of the lytic material.

7. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for signaling at least one of the one or more indications of the lytic material via a wireless signal.

8. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing the lytic material to be urged into the one or more body lumens.

9. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for accelerating a dispensation of the lytic material transluminally into the one or more body lumens as a programmed response to one or more pathology-indicative signals.

10. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing a lytic activity inhibitor dispensation into the one or more body lumens.

11. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1, further comprising:

a thrombolytic-agent-containing dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material.

12. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1, further comprising:

an implant-site-targeting dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material.

13. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1, further comprising:

a first dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material;

a second dispenser operable for targeting an implant site by dispensing at least the lytic material; and

a wireless-communication device operable for communicating a selection of one or more of the first dispenser or the second dispenser.

14. A therapeutic administration system comprising:

means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens; and

means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens;

in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises means for detecting a marker material indicative of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens.

15. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

circuitry for obtaining a concentration-indicative scalar of the one or more indications of the lytic material.

16. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

circuitry for causing the portion of the lytic material to be drawn into an artificial vessel.

17. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

circuitry for causing a lytic activity inhibitor dispensation into the one or more body lumens.

18. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14, further comprising:

an implant-site-targeting dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material.

19. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

circuitry for causing at least a statin to be dispensed as the lytic material;

circuitry for obtaining a concentration-indicative scalar of the one or more indications of the lytic material;

circuitry for dispensing the lytic material into an upstream portion of the one or more body lumens;

circuitry for permitting the lytic material to perfuse one or more organs in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens;

circuitry for signaling at least one of the one or more indications of the lytic material via a wireless signal;

circuitry for causing the lytic material to be urged into the one or more body lumens;

circuitry for accelerating a dispensation of the lytic material transluminally into the one or more body lumens as a programmed response to one or more pathology-indicative signals;

a flow-force-responsive element; and

one or more of a sonic sensor or an ion sensor.

20. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14, further comprising:

a first dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material;

a second dispenser operable for targeting an implant site by dispensing at least the lytic material; and

a wireless-communication device operable for communicating a selection of one or more of the first dispenser or the second dispenser.

21. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for permitting the lytic material to perfuse one or more organs in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens.

22. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing the lytic material to be exposed to a lytic-material-absorbent element.

23. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for reversing a flow direction of at least some of the lytic material.

24. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing the lytic material to be urged into the one or more body lumens.

25. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

means for accelerating a dispensation of the lytic material transluminally into the one or more body lumens as a programmed response to one or more pathology-indicative signals.

26. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens comprises:

means for causing a lytic activity inhibitor dispensation into the one or more body lumens.

27. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14, further comprising:

a thrombolytic-agent-containing dispenser operable for dispensing at least the lytic material.

28. A therapeutic administration method comprising:

invoking means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens; and

invoking means for accelerating a decrease in a local concentration of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens by causing one or more elements to extract at least a portion of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens in response to the one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens;

in which the invoking means for obtaining one or more indications of the lytic material in the vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises detecting a marker material indicative of the lytic material in the vicinity of the one or more body lumens.

29. The therapeutic administration method of claim 28 in which the invoking means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

invoking circuitry for causing at least a statin to be dispensed as the lytic material.

30. The therapeutic administration method of claim 28 in which the invoking means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

invoking circuitry for obtaining a concentration-indicative scalar of the one or more indications of the lytic material.

31. The therapeutic administration method of claim 28 in which the invoking means for obtaining one or more indications of a lytic material in a vicinity of one or more body lumens comprises:

invoking circuitry for accelerating a dispensation of the lytic material transluminally into the one or more body lumens as a programmed response to one or more pathology-indicative signals.