Integrated patient bed system

• US 8,606,344 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 12/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: DiMaio, John Michael, Watson, James, Melendez, Jose, Moza, Roma, Tibbals, Harry
• Primary Examiner(s): Jung, Unsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, PHONG KY
• Application Number:
  US12/433,597
• Publication Number:
  US 20090275808A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,685 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/425, 600/427, 600/430, 600/473, 600/476, 600/300, 560/0, 560/1, 594/0, 340/573.1
• US Class Current: 600/407
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2576/00 Medical imaging apparatus involving image processing or analysis A61B1/00009, A61B6/52 and A61B8/52 take precedence; image processing per se G06T; details of algorithms for analysing medical images G06T7/0012
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/00 Measuring for diagnostic purposes radiation diagnosis A61B6/00; diagnosis by ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/00; Identification of persons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0059 using light, e.g. diagnosis by transillumination, diascopy, fluorescence A61B5/0093, A61B5/1455, A61B5/02416 and A61B5/0261 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0077 Devices for viewing the surface of the body, e.g. camera, magnifying lens
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/055 involving electronic [EMR] or nuclear [NMR] magnetic resonance, e.g. magnetic resonance imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6887 mounted on external non-worn devices, e.g. non-medical devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/704 Tables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/04 Positioning of patients; Tiltable beds or the like operating tables A61G13/00; operating chairs A61G15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 6/56 Details of data transmission or power supply, e.g. use of slip rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2210/20 for dialysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/015 divided into different adjustable sections, e.g. for Gatch position
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/05769 with inflatable chambers
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/1025 Lateral movement of patients, e.g. horizontal transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/8851 Scan or image signal processing specially adapted therefor, e.g. for scan signal adjustment, for detecting different kinds of defects, for compensating for structures, markings, edges G01N21/8806 and G01N21/93 - G01N21/95692 take precedence; optical measurement of dimensions G01B11/00; optical scanning G02B26/10; image transformation G06T3/00; computerised image enhancement G06T5/00; image processing per se for flaw detection G06T7/0002
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation

Abstract

The present invention includes an integrated system and methods for patient treatment, the system includes a hospital bed; a plurality of patient diagnostic and treatment devices connected to a network, wherein each of the devices can communicate to a network and exchange information with the network about the care of a patient; and a processor accessible adjacent to the bed and connected to the network to integrate information obtained from the devices through the network with one or more additional sources of information databases, wherein the processor can communicate to one or more patient treatment devices either directly or via the network and the processor directs the one or more patient treatment devices to change the treatment of the patient.

Claims

1. A patient support system comprising:

a patient support comprising one or more substrates;

an electromagnetic detector positioned to detect one or more parameters of a patient'"'"'s tissue health, wherein the detector measures tissue in contact with or adjacent to the patient support;

a light source that emits waves;

wherein the electromagnetic detector detects wave reflections from the patient'"'"'s tissue, wherein the wave emissions and reflections are selected to traverse the one or more substrates positioned between the electromagnetic detector and the patient'"'"'s tissue; and

a processor connected to the detector that stores one or more parameters of the tissue'"'"'s condition that are indicative of tissue health, wherein an indication of tissue health is used to change conditions at or about the site of tissue contact.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected to one or more support repositioning devices that automatically move the patient if a change in tissue health is detected.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein portions of tissue that show a change in tissue health are marked for continued monitoring.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is connected to one or more devices at the patient support that heat, cool, increase or decrease humidity, deliver pharmaceuticals, increase oxygen delivery, decrease pressure, increase pressure of the tissue at or about a site in need of treatment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient support comprises at least a portion of a hospital bed.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic detector detects electromagnetic waves that are visible, infrared, near infrared or hyperspectral.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic detector detects signals that the processor converts into at least one measurement of change in tissue conditions, wherein the at least one measurement is selected from tissue blood flow, tissue oxygenation, tissue temperature, tissue humidity, tissue compression, tissue shear or combinations thereof.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor may further store additional patient data selected from age, gender, weight, patient blood pressure, tissue oxygenation, body temperature, humidity or combinations thereof over time to create one or more images of locations for therapy prior to tissue degradation, during treatment of tissue degradation or following treatment for tissue degradation.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor generates an image of the potential tissue degradation on the patient'"'"'s body for use in treating the tissue prior to tissue deterioration.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the electromagnetic detector comprises at least one of spectral imagers, digital sensors, analog sensors, photomultiplier tubes, bolometers or microbolometers, charge coupled device sensors, charge injection sensors, linear scan sensors, surface acoustic wave sensors, quartz crystal resonators, metal oxide sensors, dye-coated fiber optic sensors, dye-impregnated bead arrays, micromachined cantilever arrays, chemically-sensitive resistor or capacitor films, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors, infrared sensors, ultraviolet sensors, and bulk organic conducting polymeric sensors.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the patient support comprises an array of chambers, wherein a pressure within each chamber can be varied individually or in groups.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the tissue health is selected from bed sores, cancerous lesions, skin grafts, skin temperature, skin oxygenation, burns, skin trauma, skin diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and combinations thereof.

13. An integrated system for patient treatment,

the system comprising:

a patient support comprising one or more substrates;

an electromagnetic detector positioned to detect one or more parameters of a patient'"'"'s tissue health, wherein the detector measures tissue in contact with or adjacent to the patient support;

a light source that emits waves;

wherein the electromagnetic detector detects wave reflections from the patient'"'"'s tissue, wherein the wave emissions and reflections are selected to traverse the one or more substrates positioned between the electromagnetic detector and the patient'"'"'s tissue;

a processor connected to the detector that stores one or more parameters of the tissue'"'"'s condition that are indicative of tissue health, wherein an indication of tissue health is used to change conditions at or about the site of tissue contact; and

one or more patient diagnostic and treatment devices connected to a network, wherein each of the devices can communicate to a network and exchange information with the network about the care of a patient; and

wherein the processor is accessible adjacent to the bed and connected to the network to integrate information obtained from the devices through the network with one or more additional sources of information databases, wherein the processor can communicate to one or more patient treatment devices and the processor either directly or via the network directs the one or more patient treatment devices to change the treatment of the patient.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a storage media in communication with the processor to store the patient'"'"'s tissue health information and a display monitor in communication with the processor to display the patient'"'"'s tissue health information.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is connected to one or more support repositioning devices that automatically move the patient if a change in tissue health is detected.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein portions of tissue that show a change in tissue health are marked with a fiducial for continued monitoring.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is connected to one or more devices at the patient support that heat, cool, increase, decrease humidity, systemic pharmaceuticals, increased oxygen delivery, decrease pressure, increase pressure of the tissue at or about a site in need of treatment.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the one or more patient treatment devices comprise at least one of a ventilator;

a vacuum hose;

an intravenous pump;

a catheter;

a dialysis machine;

a blood occlusion regulator;

an oxygen administration device;

an infusion unit; and

a nitrous oxide administration device;

a chemotherapy device;

a radiotherapy device;

an enteral feeding device;

or a defibrillator.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the patient diagnostic devices is at least one of an x-ray detector, hematology measuring device, a sphygmomanometer;

a tonometer;

an electroencephalograph;

an impedance cardiography device;

a carbon dioxide measuring device, a pulse oximeter;

an electrocardiogram;

a bispectral index;

a scale;

a pressure, flow and/or volume measurement device;

a non-invasive blood pressure device;

an invasive blood pressure device;

a thermometer;

a transcutaneous Doppler device;

a transesophageal Doppler device;

or a fluorescence activated cell sorter;

a conductance meter or a hyperspectral imager.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein one of the patient diagnostic and treatment devices is a monitor for displaying a patient'"'"'s condition.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the tissue health is selected from bed sores, cancerous lesions, skin grafts, skin temperature, skin oxygenation, burns, skin trauma, skin diseases, autoinflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and combinations thereof.