Ventilator operable in a bioelectric signal-dependent mode, with automatic switching to another mode upon dropout of the bioelectric signal

• US 9,220,857 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Original Assignee: Maquet Critical Care AB (Getinge AB)
• Inventors: Blomberg, Urban, Jalde, Fredrik, Larsson, Ake, Strom, Christer
• Primary Examiner(s): DOUGLAS, STEVEN O
• Application Number:
  US13/904,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20130255686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 944 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.23, 128/204.18, 128/204.21
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0003 Accessories therefor, e.g. sensors, vibrators, negative pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0875 Connecting tubes

Abstract

A ventilator intended to be connected to a patient for breathing therapy has a control unit having an input for receiving EMG signals from an EMG detector and an output for an EMG based control signal and a pneumatic unit for generating breathing gas flows dependent on the EMG based control signal is described. The ventilator has a detector for determining a parameter related to breathing dynamics for the patient, this detector being connected to the control unit and control unit controlling the pneumatic unit dependent on the parameter related to breathing dynamics in the case of loss of EMG signals at the input.

Claims

1. A control unit for a ventilator configured for connection to a patient for breathing therapy, said control unit comprising:

a first control input that receives, from a first detector, at least one bioelectrical signal representing electrical activity generated in the patient due to breathing by the patient;

control circuitry supplied with said at least one bioelectrical signal and configured to operate a pneumatic unit of the ventilator in a first mode in which a first mode control signal is generated from the electrical activity represented by said bioelectric signal;

a control output configured to output the first mode control signal to the pneumatic unit;

a second control input that receives, from a second detector, a breathing parameter related to mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient; and

said control circuitry being configured to determine when said bioelectrical signal is absent from said first control input and to analyze said breathing parameter to identify whether the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that the bioelectric signal generated by the patient is not registered, or if the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that no bioelectric signal is generated by the patient, and, if said bioelectric signal is absent, to switch from operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode to operate said pneumatic unit in a second mode in which a second mode control signal is generated from the mechanical breathing dynamics related to said breathing parameter, and in which said control output outputs said second control signal to said pneumatic unit.

2. A control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuitry is configured to generate said second mode control signal in a mode for supported ventilation, as said second mode, if said control circuitry determines that the patient is attempting to breath.

3. A control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuitry is configured to generate said second mode control signal in a mode for controlled ventilation according to preprogrammed control parameters, as said second mode, if said control circuit determines that the patient is not attempting to breathe.

4. A control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control circuitry returns to operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode if a bioelectrical signal is detected while the control circuitry is operating said pneumatic unit in said second mode.

5. A control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first input receives an EMG signal as said bioelectrical signal.

6. A control unit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first input receives a nerve signal as said bioelectrical signal.

7. A ventilator comprising:

a first detector that detects electrical activity generated in a patient due to breathing activity by the patient, and that emits at least one bioelectric signal representing said electrical activity;

a second detector that detects mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient and that emits a breathing parameter related to said mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient;

a pneumatic unit configured for connection to the patient to provide breathing therapy to the patient; and

a control unit comprising a first control input that receives said at least one bioelectrical signal from said first detector, control circuitry supplied with said at least one bioelectrical signal from said first control input and configured to control said pneumatic unit in a first mode in which a first mode control signal is generated from the electrical activity represented by said bioelectric signal, a control output configured to output the first mode control signal to the pneumatic unit, a second control input that receives said breathing parameter from said second detector, said control circuitry being supplied with said breathing parameter from said second control input and said control circuitry being configured to determine when said bioelectrical signal is absent from said at least one first control input and to analyze said breathing parameter to identify whether the absence of said at least one bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that the bioelectric signal generated by the patient is not registered, or if the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that no bioelectric signal is generated by the patient, and, if said control bioelectric signal is absent, to switch from operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode to operate said pneumatic unit in a second mode in which a second mode control signal is generated from the mechanical breathing dynamic related to said breathing parameter, and in which said control output outputs said second control signal to said pneumatic unit.

8. A ventilator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said control unit is an integral component of the ventilator.

9. A ventilator as claimed in claim 7 comprising a display connected to said control unit that displays breaths of the patient dependent on said breathing parameter.

10. A ventilator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first detector emits an EMG signal as said at least one bioelectrical signal.

11. A ventilator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said first detector emits a nerve signal as said at least one bioelectrical signal.

12. A method for operating a ventilator configured for connection to a patient for breathing therapy, said ventilator comprising a control unit and a pneumatic unit, said method comprising:

detecting a bioelectrical signal representing electrical activity generated in the patient due to breathing by the patient with a first detector;

supplying said bioelectrical signal to said control unit and from the control unit, operating the pneumatic unit of the ventilator in a first mode in which a first mode control signal is generated from the electrical activity represented by said bioelectric signal;

also detecting, with a second detector, a breathing parameter related to mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient and supplying said breathing parameter to said control unit; and

in said control unit, determining when said bioelectrical signal is absent and analyzing said breathing parameter to identify whether the absence of the bioelectric signal is due to that the bioelectric signal generated by the patient is not registered, or if the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that no bioelectric signal is generated by the patient, and, if said bioelectric signal is absent, switching from operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode to operating said pneumatic unit from the control unit in a second mode in which a second mode control signal is generated in the control unit from the mechanical breathing dynamics related to said breathing parameter.

13. A method as claimed in claim 12 comprising determining whether said patient is attempting to breathe and generating said second mode control signal in a mode for supported ventilation, as said second mode, dependent on whether the patient is attempting to breath.

14. A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising, if the patient is not attempting to breath, generating said second mode control signal in a mode for controlled ventilation of the patient according to pre-programmed control parameters, as said second mode.

15. A method as claimed in claim 13 comprising, if the patient is attempting to breathe, generating supported ventilation of the patient.

16. A method as claimed in claim 12 comprising determining whether the patient is attempting to breathe dependent on the breathing parameter.

17. A method as claimed in claim 12 comprising, if said bioelectrical signal was not present and is subsequently determined to be present, automatically switching to controlling said pneumatic unit dependent on said bioelectrical signal.

18. A method as claimed in claim 12 comprising employing an EMG signal from an EMG detector as said bioelectrical signal.

19. A method as claimed in claim 12 comprising employing a nerve signal from a nerve detector as said bioelectrical signal.

20. A non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium encoded with programming instructions and being loadable into a control unit of a ventilator configured for connection to a patient for breathing therapy, said ventilator also comprising a pneumatic unit, said storage medium being loaded into said control unit and said programming instructions causing said control unit to:

receive, from a detector, a bioelectrical signal representing electrical activity generated in the patient due to breathing by the patient;

generate a first mode control signal from the electrical activity represented by said bioelectric signal and operate the pneumatic unit of the ventilator in a first mode using said first mode control signal;

also receive a breathing parameter related to mechanical breathing dynamics of the patient; and

determine when said bioelectrical signal is absent and to analyze said breathing parameter to determine whether the absence of the bioelectric signal is due to that the bioelectric signal generated by the patient is not registered, or if the absence of the bioelectric signal from said first control input is due to that no bioelectric signal is generated by the patient, and, if said bioelectric signal is absent, switch from operating said pneumatic unit in said first mode to operating said pneumatic unit from the control unit in a second mode in which a second mode control signal is generated in the control unit from the mechanical breathing dynamics related to said breathing parameter.