Circulatory monitoring systems and methods

• US 8,403,881 B2
• Filed: 05/19/2008
• Issued: 03/26/2013
• 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:
  US12/154,138
• Publication Number:
  US 20090157056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 604/65, 604/66, 604/67, 604/266, 604/891.1
• US Class Current: 604/65
• 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 a flow-change-indicative measurement and signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement.

Claims

1. A therapeutic administration system comprising:

a first dispenser operable for dispensing at least a clot-reducing agent;

circuitry for obtaining a flow-change-indicative measurement;

circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement;

a second dispenser operable for targeting an implant site; and

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

2. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

circuitry for deciding upon at least one of the one or more clot-reducing agents in response to obtaining an anomalous values as the flow-change-indicative measurement.

3. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

circuitry for causing one or more dispensations in response to an apparent problem in the flow-change-indicative measurement.

4. The therapeutic administration system of claim 1 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

circuitry for deciding upon at least one of the one or more clot-reducing agents in response to obtaining an anomalous value as the flow-change-indicative measurement;

circuitry for signaling at least an anticoagulant in response to an apparent flow degradation, the anticoagulant being one of the one or more clot-reducing agents; and

circuitry for causing one or more dispensations in response to an apparent problem in the flow-change-indicative measurement.

5. A method of using the therapeutic administration system of claim 1 comprising:

providing the flow-change-indicative measurement to the circuitry for signaling the decision whether to administer the one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement; and

receiving the decision whether to administer the one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement from the circuitry for signaling the decision whether to administer the one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement.

6. A therapeutic administration system comprising:

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

circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on a flow-change-indicative measurement, the lytic material being one of the one or more clot-reducing agents;

a second dispenser operable for targeting an implant site; and

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

7. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

circuitry for deciding upon at least one of the one or more clot-reducing agents as a conditional response to obtaining an anomalous valve as the flow-change-indicative measurement.

8. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether or not to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

circuitry for causing one or more dispensations of the one or more clot reducing agents as a conditional response to an apparent problem in the flow-change-indicative measurement.

9. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6, further comprising:

circuitry for obtaining the flow-change-indicative measurement comprising a flow-force-responsive element.

10. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6, further comprising:

circuitry for obtaining the flow-change-indicative measurement comprising a reflectance sensor.

11. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6, further comprising:

circuitry for obtaining the flow-change-indicative measurement comprising an ion sensor.

12. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6 in which the second dispenser comprises:

a thrombolytic-agent-containing dispenser responsive to the decision whether or not to administer the one or more clot-reducing agents operable for targeting an implant site.

13. The therapeutic administration system of claim 6 in which the second dispenser comprises:

an implant-site-targeting dispenser responsive to the decision whether or not to administer the one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement.

14. A therapeutic administration system comprising:

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

circuitry for obtaining a flow-change-indicative measurement;

circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement, including;

(1) one or more of a flow-force-responsive element, an optical sensor, or an auditory sensor;

(2) circuitry for deciding upon at least one of the one or more clot-reducing agents in response to obtaining an anomalous value as the flow-change-indicative measurement;

(3) circuitry for causing one or more dispensations in response to an apparent problem in the flow-change-indicative measurement;

(4) circuitry for signaling an anticoagulant in response to an apparent flow degradation, the anticoagulant being one of the one or more clot-reducing agents;

a second dispenser operable for targeting an implant site; and

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

15. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

one or more sensors configured to obtain the flow-change-indicative measurement, the one or more sensors including at least one of a reflectance sensor or a transmittance sensor.

16. The therapeutic administration system of claim 14 in which the circuitry for signaling a decision whether to administer one or more clot-reducing agents at least partly based on the flow-change-indicative measurement comprises:

one or more sensors configured to obtain the flow-change-indicative measurement, the one or more sensors including at least one of a sonic sensor or an ion sensor.