Synergistic use of medical devices for detecting medical disorders

• US 20050076909A1
• Filed: 09/13/2004
• Published: 04/14/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers Incorporated (Boston Scientific Corporation)
• Inventors: Stahmann, Jeffrey E., Hartley, Jesse W., Lee, Kent, Ni, Quan
• Granted Patent: US 7,610,094 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.230
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0468 Built-in electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02405 Determining heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/053 Measuring electrical impedance or conductance of a portion of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0809 by impedance pneumography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/103 Detecting, measuring or recording devices for testing the shape, pattern, colour, size or movement of the body or parts thereof, for diagnostic purposes A61B5/08 takes precedence; measuring aids for tailors A41H1/00; measuring instruments specially adapted for dentistry A61C19/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1116 Determining posture transitions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/285 Endotracheal, oesophageal or gastric probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/287 Holders for multiple electrodes, e.g. electrode catheters for electrophysiological study [EPS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/363 Detecting tachycardia or bradycardia
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/389 Electromyography [EMG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/398 Electrooculography [EOG], e.g. detecting nystagmus; Electroretinography [ERG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/686 : Permanently implanted devices, e.g. pacemakers, other stimulators, biochips A61B5/6861 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7275 : Determining trends in physiological measurement data; Predicting development of a medical condition based on physiological measurements, e.g. determining a risk factor
• 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 16/10 : Preparation of respiratory gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 : with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 : in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0042 : in the expiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 : local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 : Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/10 : Electroencephalographic signals
• 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 2230/60 : Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/63 : Motion, e.g. physical activity
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/65 : Impedance, e.g. conductivity, capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3627 : for treating a mechanical deficiency of the heart, e.g. congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3629 : in combination with non-electric therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36514 : controlled by a physiological quantity other than heart potential, e.g. blood pressure controlled by two or more physical parameters A61N1/36585
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36535 : controlled by body position or posture
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36578 : controlled by mechanical motion of the heart wall, e.g. measured by an accelerometer or microphone
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36592 : controlled by the heart rate variability
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37 : Monitoring; Protecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 90/10 : Information and communication technologies [ICT] supporting adaptation to climate change, e.g. for weather forecasting or climate simulation

Abstract

Methods and systems for detecting medical disorders through synergistic use of one or more medical devices are described. One or more medical devices are selected to sense one or more physiological parameters associated with a medical disorder. A presence of the medical disorder is assessed based on the sensed parameters. The medical devices used for sensing may be selected from a plurality of patient internal and/or patient-external medical devices.

Claims

1. An automated method for detecting a presence of a medical disorder, comprising:

selecting one or more medical devices to sense one or more physiological conditions associated with the medical disorder;

sensing the one or more physiological conditions using the selected one or more medical devices; and

assessing the presence of the medical disorder based on the sensed physiological conditions.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more medical devices comprises selecting the one or more medical devices from a plurality of patient internal and patient-external medical devices.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more medical devices comprises selecting a patient external medical device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more medical devices comprises selecting an implantable device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more medical devices comprises altering the selection of the one or more medical devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the one or more medical devices comprises selecting based on one or more sensing characteristics associated with the selected one or more medical devices.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein assessing the presence of the medical disorder comprises:

comparing the sensed physiological conditions to one or more thresholds indicative of symptoms of the medical disorder; and

detecting the presence of the medical disorder based on the comparison.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising delivering therapy to treat the detected medical disorder.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein delivering the therapy comprises delivering one or both of a respiratory therapy and a cardiac therapy.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

collecting data based on the sensed physiological conditions; and

trending the collected data, wherein assessing the presence of the medical disorder comprises assessing the presence of the medical disorder based on the data trend.

11. A system for assessing a disease presence, comprising:

a plurality of medical devices, each medical device comprising a sensing system configured to sense one or more physiological conditions;

a selection processor coupled to the plurality of medical devices, the selection processor configured to select one or more medical devices to sense one or more physiological conditions; and

a diagnosis processor coupled to the sensing systems of the plurality of medical devices and configured to assess a presence of a medical disorder based on the one or more physiological conditions.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein:

the plurality of medical devices comprises a plurality of patient internal and patient-external medical devices; and

the selection processor is configured to select the one or more medical devices from the plurality of patient internal and patient-external medical devices.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the selection processor is further configured to alter the selection of the one or more medical devices based on one or more sensing characteristics of the one or more medical devices.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a monitoring unit configured to store data based on the one or more sensed physiological conditions.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the diagnosis processor is configured to compare the stored data to one or more thresholds indicative of the medical disorder and to detect the presence of the medical disorder based on the comparison.

16. The system of claim 11, further comprising a therapy unit configured to deliver patient therapy to treat the detected medical disorder.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the therapy unit comprises a cardiac therapy unit configured to deliver cardiac electrical therapy.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the therapy unit comprises a respiratory therapy unit configured to deliver an external respiratory therapy.

19. A system for detecting a presence of a medical disorder, comprising:

means for selecting one or more medical devices to sense one or more physiological conditions associated with the medical disorder;

means for sensing the one or more physiological conditions using the selected one or more medical devices; and

means for detecting the presence of the medical disorder based on the sensed physiological conditions.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for delivering a therapy to treat the medical disorder.

21. The system of claim 19, further comprising:

means for collecting data based on the one or more physiological conditions;

means for trending the collected data; and

means for assessing the medical disorder based on a data trend.