Method and a system for controlling discomfort level

• US 9,724,469 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Singapore Health Services Pte Limited (MOH Holdings Pte Limited)
• Original Assignee: Singapore Health Services Pte Limited (MOH Holdings Pte Limited)
• Inventors: Sia, Tiong Heng Alex
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, QUYNH-NHU HOANG
• Application Number:
  US14/006,898
• Publication Number:
  US 20140081235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,968 Days
• Field of Search: 604500, 604502-503, 604 65- 66
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/142 Pressure infusion, e.g. using pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 5/1723 using feedback of body parameters, e.g. blood-sugar, pressure measurement of body parameters A61B5/00

Abstract

Present invention relates to a method of controlling the discomfort level experienced by a subject. The method comprises receiving a signal from the subject to initiate comfort relief, determining vital sign data of the subject, determining whether the vital sign data fulfills a predetermined criterion, and performing an infusion regime of infusing a comfort relief drug into the subject based on whether the vital sign data fulfills the predetermined criterion.

Claims

1. A method of controlling the discomfort level experienced by a subject,

comprising:

receiving a signal from the subject to initiate comfort relief;

determining vital sign data of the subject;

determining whether the vital sign data fulfils a predetermined criterion; and

performing an infusion regime of infusing a comfort relief drug into the subject based on whether the vital sign data fulfils the predetermined criterion, wherein the infusion regime comprises controlling one or a plurality of infusion devices to infuse one or a plurality of comfort relief drugs into the subject, wherein each of the one or a plurality of infusion devices is adapted to infuse a comfort relief drug of one or a plurality of different loadings into the subject, wherein at least one infusion device is controlled to infuse the comfort relief drug of a first loading into the subject if the subject sends a first signal to initiate the comfort relief, wherein at least one infusion device is controlled to infuse the comfort relief drug of a second loading into the subject if the subject sends a second signal to initiate the comfort relief after having been infused with the first loading within a pre-determined period, wherein at least one infusion device is controlled to infuse the comfort relief drug of a third loading into the subject if the subject sends a third signal to initiate the comfort relief after having been infused with the second loading within the pre-determined period, wherein the third loading comprises a loading higher than the second loading and the second loading comprises a loading higher than the first loading, wherein each of the one or a plurality of infusion devices is controlled to infuse the comfort relief drug of a limit loading at a continuous infusion rate into the subject if the subject sends a further signal to initiate the comfort relief.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the vital sign data of the subject comprises obtaining a pulse oximetry data indicating the oxygen concentration of the blood of the subject.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining whether the vital sign data fulfils a predetermined criterion comprises determining whether the obtained pulse oximetry data is above a predetermined threshold pulse oximetry value.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the vital sign data of the subject comprises obtaining a heart rate data indicating the heart rate of the subject.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein determining whether the vital sign data fulfils a predetermined criterion comprises determining whether the obtained heart rate data is above a predetermined threshold heart rate value.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the heart rate data further comprises a fetal heart rate data indicating the heart rate of a fetal carried by the subject.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined threshold heart rate value further comprises a predetermined threshold fetal heart rate value.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the infusion regime of infusing the comfort relief drug into the subject is performed if the vital sign data fulfils the predetermined criterion.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of infusion devices is adapted to infuse a comfort relief drug of a different loading into the subject.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein if on expiry of the pre-determined period the patient has not been infused with a further loading since the first loading of the comfort relief drug then the bolus level is set at a minimum bolus.

11. A system of controlling the discomfort level experienced by a subject, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a signal from the subject to initiate comfort relief;

at least one monitor configured to determine vital sign data of the subject;

a determining circuit configured to determine whether the vital sign data fulfils a predetermined criterion;

at least one infusion device configured to infuse a comfort relief drug into the subject; and

a control unit configured to control the at least one infusion device to infuse the comfort relief drug into the subject, based on whether the vital sign data fulfils a predetermined criterion, wherein the control unit is configured to control the at least one infusion device to infuse the comfort relief drug of a first loading into the subject if the subject sends a first signal to initiate the comfort relief, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the at least one infusion device to infuse the comfort relief drug of a second loading into the subject if the subject sends a second signal to initiate the comfort relief after having been infused with the first loading within a pre-determined period, and wherein the control unit is adapted to control the at least one infusion device to infuse the comfort relief drug of a third loading into the subject if the subject sends a third signal to initiate the comfort relief after having been infused with the second loading within the pre-determined period, wherein the third loading comprises a loading higher than the second loading and the second loading comprises a loading higher than the first loading, wherein each of the one or a plurality of infusion devices is controlled to infuse the comfort relief drug of a limit loading at a continuous infusion rate into the subject if (i) the subject sends a further signal to initiate the comfort relief or (ii) if on expiry of the pre-determined period if no further signal is sent.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the control unit is adapted to control the at least one infusion device to infuse the comfort relief drug of a limit loading at a continuous infusion rate into the subject if the subject sends a further signal to initiate the comfort relief.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least one infusion device comprises a plurality of infusion devices.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of infusion devices is adapted to infuse a comfort relief drug of a different loading into the subject.