Method and apparatus useful in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea of a patient

• US 20050283089A1
• Filed: 07/21/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/1987
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Lynch, Colin Sullivan
• Original Assignee: Christopher Lynch, Colin Sullivan
• Inventors: Lynch, Christopher, Sullivan, Colin
• Granted Patent: US 7,141,021 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/529
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6814 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/003 Detecting lung or respiration noise
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 5/56 Devices for preventing snoring by influencing the respiratory system by gas treatment A61M16/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0024 with an on-off output signal, e.g. from a switch
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• 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 2230/18 Rapid eye-movements [REM]
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/60 Muscle strain, i.e. measured on the user

Abstract

Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient'"'"'s apnea problem can be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising an apparatus for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the respiratory parameter being monitored;

and means to process said signal indicative of said respiratory parameter.

26. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored;

and means to process said signal indicative of said respiratory parameter to provide at least one index useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea.

27. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and the monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored, and means for processing said signal to generate an index that provides a sleep disorders clinical professional information in a form to be useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea without the requirement for clinical sleep supervision.

28. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to monitor the breathing of a patient and comprising means for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said means for monitoring being in communication with a nasal mask and said monitoring providing a signal of the parameter being monitored;

and means for monitoring a non-respiratory parameter.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein said non-respiratory parameter includes pulse oximetry or ECG measurement.

30. An apparatus useful in the diagnosis of sleep-disordered breathing of a patient, said apparatus comprising means for monitoring a plurality of respiratory parameters of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring providing a signal indicative of the parameters being monitored, said monitoring means being fitted to a nasal mask adapted to be worn by said patient to cover said patient'"'"'s mouth.

31. A method useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea of a patient, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a monitoring apparatus for monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask and said monitoring apparatus being configured for non-clinical use to provide a signal indicative of the parameter being monitored;

b) monitoring at least one respiratory parameter of said patient using said monitoring apparatus; and

c) providing said signal to a sleep disorders clinical professional in the diagnosis of said sleep apnea.

32. A method of monitoring one or more respiratory parameters of a patient while sleeping substantially unsupervised in a non-clinical setting, said one or more respiratory parameters being useful in the diagnosis of sleep apnea, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing a nasal mask to substantially surround said patient'"'"'s nasal passages;

b) providing said nasal mask with access to a source of breathable gas to said patient;

c) providing said nasal mask with a sensor capable of measuring one or more respiratory parameters and transmitting one or more signals indicative of values of said parameters; and

d) providing additional sensors used in conjunction with said sensor for monitoring a non-respiratory parameter.

33. A method in accordance with claim 32 wherein said non-respiratory parameter is pulse oximetry.

34. A method of diagnosing whether a patient has sleep apnea, comprising the steps of:

providing the patient with apnea monitoring apparatus configured for home use to monitor at least one parameter of breathing of said patient, said monitoring apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask configured to be worn over the nasal passages of the patient;

allowing the patient to sleep at home while being monitored by said sleep apnea monitoring apparatus;

generating data indicative of said breathing parameter during the patient'"'"'s home sleep;

analyzing said breathing parameter data; and

diagnosing the presence of sleep apnea on the basis of said breathing parameter data.

35. A method of diagnosing a patient for the condition of sleep apnea comprising the steps of:

providing said patient with an apparatus configured for home monitoring of the frequency and severity of the patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea, said apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask;

generating data at said patient'"'"'s home indicative of the frequency and severity of said patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea; and

diagnosing the presence of sleep apnea on the basis of said data.

36. A method for determining by home monitoring whether a patient requires diagnosis of sleep apnea in a sleep clinic comprising the steps of:

providing said patient with an apparatus configured for home monitoring of data indicative of the frequency and severity of said patient'"'"'s snoring, hypopnea and apnea, said apparatus being in communication with a nasal mask; and

analyzing said data for the presence of snoring, hypopnea and apnea patterns during said home monitoring to determine whether the patient requires a clinic environment for further observation and testing.