Apparatus and method for estimating stroke volume of the heart using bio-impedance techniques
First Claim
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1. A method for measuring fluid in a subject'"'"'s lungs, comprising:
- a) placing at least four electrodes around a subject'"'"'s chest;
b) obtaining one or more sets of impedance data, each set consisting of a voltage measured between a first pair of the electrodes while passing current through the subject'"'"'s chest through a second pair of the electrodes, both the electrodes in the second pair not belonging to the first pair; and
c) estimating a degree of fluid in the subject'"'"'s lungs, using one or more of the sets of impedance data obtained from a total of eight or fewer of the electrodes.
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Abstract
A method of estimating stroke volume of the heart is described. In this method, the volume of the heart is estimated from electrical impedance data of the chest, at two different phases of the cardiac cycle. The stroke volume is estimated from the difference between the volumes estimated at the two phases.
51 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method for measuring fluid in a subject'"'"'s lungs, comprising:
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a) placing at least four electrodes around a subject'"'"'s chest; b) obtaining one or more sets of impedance data, each set consisting of a voltage measured between a first pair of the electrodes while passing current through the subject'"'"'s chest through a second pair of the electrodes, both the electrodes in the second pair not belonging to the first pair; and c) estimating a degree of fluid in the subject'"'"'s lungs, using one or more of the sets of impedance data obtained from a total of eight or fewer of the electrodes. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A system for measuring fluid in a subject'"'"'s lungs, comprising:
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a) at least four electrodes adapted for placing around a human subject'"'"'s chest; b) a power supply capable of passing a known current through the subject'"'"'s chest through a first pair of the electrodes, when they are placed on the subject'"'"'s chest; c) a voltage measuring instrument capable of measuring a voltage between a second pair of the electrodes, distinct from the first pair, when the power supply is passing the known current through the subject'"'"'s chest through the first pair of electrodes, and when the first and second pair of electrodes are placed on the subject'"'"'s chest; and d) a controller which estimates a degree of fluid in the subject'"'"'s lungs, using one or more voltages measured between pairs of the electrodes for known currents passed through other pairs of the electrodes, for electrodes placed at no more than eight locations around the chest. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification