APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING PATIENTS

• US 20070073132A1
• Filed: 09/27/2006
• Published: 03/29/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Halthion Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Halthion Medical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: VOSCH, MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US11/535,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20070073132A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/393
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1135 by monitoring thoracic expansion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6833 Adhesive patches

Abstract

An apparatus and method for wireless monitoring of a patient includes a disposable patch having a relatively thin and flexible sealed housing with a surface capable of being releasably attached to the patient'"'"'s chest; two electrodes positioned spaced apart in said patch, said two electrodes functioning as an EKG lead I by detecting electrical impulses from the patient'"'"'s heart; a temperature sensor positioned in said patch; a respiration sensor positioned in said patch; an accelerometer capable of detecting a falling motion by the patient; a connector positioned on said patch electrically connected to provide output signals from said two electrodes, said temperature sensor and said respiration sensor; a transceiver connected to said connector to thereby transmit the output signals provided; and a power source connected to supply power to said apparatus.

Claims

1. An apparatus for monitoring a patient for a plurality of physical parameters, said patch comprising:

a disposable patch having a relatively thin and flexible sealed housing with a surface capable of being releasably attached to the patient'"'"'s chest;

two electrodes positioned spaced apart in said housing, said two electrodes functioning as an EKG lead I by detecting electrical impulses from the patient'"'"'s heart;

a temperature sensor positioned in said housing;

a respiration sensor positioned in said hoursing; and

a connector associated with an outer surface of said patch and being electrically connected to provide output signals from said two electrodes, said temperature sensor and said respiration sensor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive disposed along at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing, said adhesive effective for releasably attaching said disposable patch to the patient'"'"'s chest.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a water resistant adhesive disposed along at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing, said adhesive effective for releasably attaching said disposable patch to the patient'"'"'s chest in a substantially water resistant manner.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said respiration sensor comprises a strain gauge.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said respiration sensor comprises a piezoresistive material.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said connector is substantially resistant to moisture.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an accelerometer associated with said disposable patch.

9. An apparatus for wireless monitoring of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

a disposable patch having a relatively thin and flexible sealed housing with a surface capable of being releasably attached to the patient'"'"'s chest;

two electrodes positioned spaced apart in said patch, said two electrodes functioning as an EKG lead I by detecting electrical impulses from the patient'"'"'s heart;

a temperature sensor positioned in said patch;

a respiration sensor positioned in said patch;

an accelerometer capable of detecting a falling motion by the patient;

a connector positioned on said patch electrically connected to provide output signals from said two electrodes, said temperature sensor and said respiration sensor;

a transceiver connected to said connector to thereby wierelessly transmit the output signals provided; and

a power source connected to supply power to said apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising an adhesive disposed along at least a portion of an outer surface of said disposable patch, said adhesive effective for releasably attaching said patch to the patient'"'"'s chest.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, further comprising a water resistant adhesive disposed along at least a portion of an outer surface of the housing, said adhesive effective for releasably attaching said disposable patch to the patient'"'"'s chest in a substantially water resistant manner.

12. The disposable patch of claim 9, wherein said temperature sensor comprises a thermistor.

13. The disposable patch of claim 9, wherein said respiration sensor comprises a strain gauge.

14. The disposable patch of claim 9, wherein said respiration sensor comprises a piezoresistive material.

15. The disposable patch of claim 9, wherein said connector is substantially resistant to moisture.

16. A method of monitoring a patient, the method comprising:

positioning a disposable patch having a relatively thin and flexible sealed housing on the patient'"'"'s chest, the patch having two electrodes positioned spaced apart to function as an EKG lead I, having a temperature sensor, a respiration sensor, an accelerometer and a patch connector electrically connected to provide output signals from the two electrodes, the temperature sensor, the respiration sensor and the accelerometer;

wirelessly transmitting the output signals;

receiving the transmitted output signals; and

generating a display responsive to the received output signals.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein wirelessly transmitting includes a standard wireless protocol.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein wirelessly transmitting includes a standard wireless protocol selected from Bluetooth and 802.11.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving the transmitted output signals comprises a device selected from a personal computer, a personal digital assistant, a pager, a cellular telephone, and combinations thereof.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein transmitting is selected to occur at predetermined time intervals, responsive to polling by a central base station, continuously streaming, and in combinations thereof.

21. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating an alarm responsive to a predetermined output signal.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein multiple patients are monitored substantially simultaneously.

23. The method of claim 16, wherein receiving occurs at a base station remote from the patient'"'"'s location.

24. The method of claim 16, wherein generating a display is effected through a computer network.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein generating a display is effected through a global computer network.