Method and apparatus for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level relative to a saturation threshold value
First Claim
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1. A method for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level within a subject'"'"'s tissue during a period of time, comprising:
- providing a near infrared spectrophotometric (NIRS) apparatus that includes at least one sensor having at least one light source and at least one light detector, an analyzer having at least one processor, and an input device, wherein the at least one processor is in signal communication with the at least one sensor and the input device;
applying the at least one sensor to a skin surface of the subject;
inputting one or more subject characteristics specific to the subject into the processor using the input device;
using the at least one processor to execute instructions stored in a memory device, which instructions cause the at least one processor to;
control the at least one light source to emit light into the subject'"'"'s tissue and to detect the emitted light after the emitted light has passed through the user'"'"'s tissue using the at least one light detector, wherein the light detector produces signals representative of the detected light;
periodically determine a value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue based on the signals representative of the detected light;
determine a threshold oxygen saturation value based on the one or more subject characteristics specific to the subject;
compare the periodically determined value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue to the determined threshold oxygen saturation value;
determine a cumulative under threshold value for the period of time using a plurality of the periodically determined values representative of the oxygen saturation level and the determined threshold oxygen saturation value; and
communicate to a user the cumulative under threshold value.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level within a subject'"'"'s tissue is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) sensing the subject'"'"'s tissue using a near infrared spectrophotometric oximeter, and producing a value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the sensed tissue; b) comparing the determined saturation value to a predetermined threshold oxygen saturation value; and c) determining at least one of a time under threshold (TUT) value or an area under threshold (AUT) value using the determined saturation value and the threshold value.
13 Citations
14 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level within a subject'"'"'s tissue during a period of time, comprising:
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providing a near infrared spectrophotometric (NIRS) apparatus that includes at least one sensor having at least one light source and at least one light detector, an analyzer having at least one processor, and an input device, wherein the at least one processor is in signal communication with the at least one sensor and the input device; applying the at least one sensor to a skin surface of the subject; inputting one or more subject characteristics specific to the subject into the processor using the input device; using the at least one processor to execute instructions stored in a memory device, which instructions cause the at least one processor to; control the at least one light source to emit light into the subject'"'"'s tissue and to detect the emitted light after the emitted light has passed through the user'"'"'s tissue using the at least one light detector, wherein the light detector produces signals representative of the detected light; periodically determine a value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue based on the signals representative of the detected light; determine a threshold oxygen saturation value based on the one or more subject characteristics specific to the subject; compare the periodically determined value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue to the determined threshold oxygen saturation value; determine a cumulative under threshold value for the period of time using a plurality of the periodically determined values representative of the oxygen saturation level and the determined threshold oxygen saturation value; and communicate to a user the cumulative under threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An apparatus for monitoring a blood oxygen saturation level within a subject'"'"'s tissue during a period of time, comprising:
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a near infrared spectrophotometric (NIRS) apparatus that includes at least one sensor having at least one light source and at least one light detector, an analyzer having at least one processor, and an input device, wherein the at least one processor is in signal communication with the at least one sensor and the input device; wherein the at least one processor is in communication with a memory device storing instructions, which instructions when executed cause the at least one processor to selectively; control the at least one light source to emit light into the subject'"'"'s tissue and to detect the emitted light after the emitted light has passed through the user'"'"'s tissue using the at least one light detector, wherein the light detector produces signals representative of the detected light; periodically determine a value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue based on the signals representative of the detected light; determine a threshold oxygen saturation value based on one or more subject characteristics specific to the subject input into the at least one processor using the input device; compare the periodically determined value representative of the oxygen saturation level within the tissue to the determined threshold oxygen saturation value; determine a cumulative under threshold value for the period of time using a plurality of the periodically determined values representative of the oxygen saturation level and the determined threshold oxygen saturation value; and communicate to a user the cumulative under threshold value. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification