Medical ventilator and method of controlling same

• US 20040003813A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Banner, Michael J., Principe, Jose C., Euliano, Neil R., Blanch, Paul B.
• Granted Patent: US 7,066,173 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7264 Classification of physiological signals or data, e.g. using neural networks, statistical classifiers, expert systems or fuzzy systems neural networks per se G06N3/00; expert systems per se G06N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7267 involving training the classification device
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/026 specially adapted for predicting, e.g. for determining an information representative of a flow limitation during a ventilation cycle by using a root square technique or a regression analysis
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/12 by mixing different gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/005 Parameter used as control input for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/30 Blood pressure A61M2230/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/435 partial O2 pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 : for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/924 : using artificial intelligence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/925 : Neural network

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the specification and drawings include an apparatus and method of controlling pulmonary ventilation for a ventilator supplying a breathing gas to a patient via a breathing circuit that is in fluid communication with the lungs of the patient. The ventilator has a plurality of selectable ventilator setting controls governing the supply of ventilation support from the ventilator, each setting control selectable to a level setting. The ventilator preferably receives at least one ventilator setting parameter signal, each ventilator setting parameter signal indicative of the level settings of one ventilator setting control, monitors a plurality of output signals to determine the sufficiency of the ventilation support received by the patient, and controls the level settings of the ventilator setting controls in response to the received ventilator setting parameter signal and the output signals. The ventilator preferably utilizes a trainable neural network to determine the desired level settings of the ventilator setting controls. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that is will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims. 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b).

Claims

1. A method of controlling pulmonary ventilation for a ventilator supplying a breathing gas to a patient via a breathing circuit in fluid communication with at least one lung of the patient, the ventilator having a plurality of selectable ventilator setting controls governing supply of ventilation support from the ventilator, each setting control selectable to a level setting, the method comprising:

receiving at least one ventilator setting parameter signal, each ventilator setting parameter signal indicative of the level setting of one ventilator setting control;

monitoring a plurality of sensors to determine the sufficiency of ventilation support received by the patient, each sensor operatively connected to a select one of the patient or the breathing circuit, each sensor generating an output signal; and

controlling the level settings of the ventilator setting controls in response to the received ventilator setting parameter signal and the output signals.