Ventilator-initiated prompt regarding detection of fluctuations in resistance

• US 8,595,639 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Milne, Gary, Hensley, Kirk, Doyle, Peter R., Kimm, Gardner
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US12/955,523
• Publication Number:
  US 20120137250A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,093 Days
• Field of Search: 715/771, 715/808, 715/809, 340/573.1, 340/635
• US Class Current: 715/771
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/026 specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1065 in the expiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/502 User interfaces, e.g. screens or keyboards
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/584 having a color code
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/1014 Diaphragm
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/20 Blood composition characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 Composition of exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/46 Resistance or compliance of the lungs
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring ventilatory parameters, analyzing ventilatory data associated with those parameters, and providing useful notifications and/or recommendations to clinicians. For example, many clinicians may not easily identify or recognize data patterns and correlations indicative of a fluctuation in resistance during mechanical ventilation of a patient. Furthermore, clinicians may not easily determine potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance and/or steps for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance. According to embodiments, a ventilator may be configured to monitor and evaluate diverse ventilatory parameters to detect fluctuations in resistance and may issue suitable notifications and recommendations to the clinician based on potential causes of the fluctuation, ventilatory and/or patient data, etc. The suitable notifications and recommendations may further be provided in a hierarchical format such that the clinician may selectively access information regarding the fluctuation in resistance.

Claims

1. A ventilator-implemented method for issuing a prompt in response to detecting a fluctuation in resistance during ventilation of a patient, the method comprising:

retrieving ventilatory data;

identifying a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold for resistance;

trending resistance during ventilation of the patient;

detecting a fluctuation in resistance when the trended resistance breaches one of the maximum threshold and the minimum threshold; and

displaying a notification regarding detection of the fluctuation in resistance.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising retrieving patient data, wherein the patient data comprises at least one of:

a patient diagnosis, a patient predicted body weight (PBW), and a patent gender.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance based at least in part on the retrieved patient data.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance based on the determined one or more potential causes and at least some patient data; and

displaying the one or more recommendations.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance based at least in part on the retrieved ventilatory data.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance based on the determined one or more potential causes and at least some ventilatory data; and

displaying the one or more recommendations.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein displaying further comprises:

displaying an icon for accessing the one or more recommendations, wherein upon activating the icon the one or more recommendations are displayed.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

displaying the notification regarding detection of the fluctuation in resistance on an expandable prompt; and

displaying an icon for expanding the prompt to display one or more of;

the one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance and the one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance.

9. A ventilatory system for issuing a prompt in response to detecting a fluctuation in resistance during ventilation of a patient, comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory, communicatively coupled to the at least one processor and containing instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, cause a controller to;

retrieve ventilatory data;

identify a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold for resistance;

trend resistance during ventilation of the patient;

detect a fluctuation in resistance when the trended resistance breaches one of the maximum threshold and the minimum threshold; and

display a notification regarding detection of the fluctuation in resistance.

10. The ventilatory system of claim 9, further causing the controller to:

determine one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance based at least in part on the retrieved ventilatory data.

11. The ventilatory system of claim 10, further causing the controller to:

determine one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance based on the determined one or more potential causes and at least some ventilatory data; and

display the one or more recommendations.

12. The ventilatory system of claim 11, wherein the display step further comprises:

display an icon for accessing the one or more recommendations, wherein upon activating the icon the one or more recommendations are displayed.

13. The ventilatory system of claim 10, wherein the display step further comprises:

display an icon for accessing the one or more potential causes, wherein upon activating the icon the one or more potential causes are displayed.

14. A graphical user interface for displaying one or more prompts in response to detecting a fluctuation in resistance, the ventilator configured with a computer having a user interface including the graphical user interface, the graphical user interface comprising:

at least one window; and

one or more elements within the at least one window comprising at least one prompt element for communicating information regarding detection of a fluctuation in resistance, wherein the at least one prompt element displays a notification regarding the fluctuation in resistance; and

wherein detecting the fluctuation in resistance comprises trending resistance during ventilation of a patient and detecting that the trended resistance breaches one of a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold.

15. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the at least one prompt element displays one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance.

16. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the at least one prompt element displays one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance.

17. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the at least one prompt element is an expandable prompt element, the expandable prompt element further comprising:

a selectable icon, wherein upon selection the expandable prompt element displays one or more potential causes for the fluctuation in resistance.

18. The graphical user interface of claim 14, wherein the at least one prompt element is an expandable prompt element, the expandable prompt element further comprising:

a selectable icon, wherein upon selection the expandable prompt element displays one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance.

19. A ventilator processing interface for displaying one or more prompts in response to detecting a fluctuation in resistance, comprising:

means for retrieving at least some ventilatory data;

means for determining the fluctuation in resistance, wherein determining the fluctuation in resistance comprises trending resistance during ventilation of a patient and detecting that the trended resistance breaches one of a maximum threshold and a minimum threshold; and

means for displaying a prompt comprising a notification of the fluctuation in resistance.

20. The ventilator processing interface of claim 19, wherein the prompt further comprises one or more recommendations for mitigating the fluctuation in resistance.