Systems, Devices and Methods For Preventing, Detecting, And Treating Pressure-Induced Ischemia, Pressure Ulcers, And Other Conditions

• US 20160278691A1
• Filed: 06/03/2016
• Published: 09/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leaf Healthcare, Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Original Assignee: Leaf Healthcare, Inc. (Smith & Nephew PLC)
• Inventors: LARSON, Barrett J., SHEN, Daniel Z.
• Granted Patent: US 10,682,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/02 Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0219 Inertial sensors, e.g. accelerometers, gyroscopes, tilt switches
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0223 Magnetic field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0247 Pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0261 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/029 Humidity sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/043 in a linear array
• 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 5/0205 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular conditions and different types of body conditions, e.g. heart and respiratory condition
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/026 Measuring blood flow A61B3/1233, A61B3/1241 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0531 Measuring skin impedance
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1113 Local tracking of patients, e.g. in a hospital or private home
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1114 Tracking parts of the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1115 Monitoring leaving of a patient support, e.g. a bed or a wheelchair
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1117 Fall detection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1118 : Determining activity level
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/113 : occurring during breathing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14542 : for measuring blood gases A61B5/14551 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 : for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/447 : specially adapted for aiding the prevention of ulcer or pressure sore development, i.e. before the ulcer or sore has developed
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4866 : Evaluating metabolism A61B5/083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4884 : inducing physiological or psychological stress, e.g. applications for stress testing
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6801 : specially adapted to be attached to or worn on the body surface
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/683 : Means for maintaining contact with the body A61B5/6802 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6843 : Monitoring or controlling sensor contact pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6891 : Furniture
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6892 : Mats
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7246 : using correlation, e.g. template matching or determination of similarity
• 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: A61B 5/7282 : Event detection, e.g. detecting unique waveforms indicative of a medical condition A61B5/4094, A61B5/4818, A61B5/349, A61B5/0823 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/00 : Instruments for auscultation
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/32 : for force
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/34 : for pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/42 : for inclination
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/46 : for temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2205/60 : using magnetic or electronic identifications, e.g. chips, RFID, electronic tags
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 7/057 : Arrangements for preventing bed-sores or for supporting patients with burns, e.g. mattresses specially adapted therefor ventilation openings in mattresses A47C21/042; pneumatic or hydraulic mattresses A47C27/08
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/00 : ICT specially adapted for therapies or health-improving plans, e.g. for handling prescriptions, for steering therapy or for monitoring patient compliance
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/10 : relating to drugs or medications, e.g. for ensuring correct administration to patients
• 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

Abstract

A system for monitoring medical conditions including pressure ulcers, pressure-induced ischemia and related medical conditions comprises at least one sensor adapted to detect one or more patient characteristic including at least position, orientation, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, stress, heart rate, respiration rate, and blood oxygenation, a host for processing the data received from the sensors together with historical patient data to develop an assessment of patient condition and suggested course of treatment. In some embodiments, the system can further include a support surface having one or more sensors incorporated therein either in addition to sensors affixed to the patient or as an alternative thereof. The support surface is, in some embodiments, capable of responding to commands from the host for assisting in implementing a course of action for patient treatment. The sensor can include bi-axial or tri-axial accelerometers, as well as resistive, inductive, capactive, magnetic and other sensing devices, depending on whether the sensor is located on the patient or the support surface, and for what purpose.

Claims

1. A method for detecting if a sensor for detecting a patient'"'"'s orientation is properly attached or proximate to the patient comprising the steps of

providing at least one sensor for detecting patient orientation and further for detecting at least one patient parameter from a group comprising biometric parameters, data range parameters, and patient movement parameters,

comparing the at least one detected patient parameter to values representing at least one predetermined threshold value of the at least one detected patient parameter,

generating an output indicating that the sensor is not properly attached to the patient if the comparison determines that the detected patient parameter exceeds a predetermined threshold.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the threshold is at least one of a minimum threshold and a maximum threshold.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the group comprises biometric parameters and the predetermined threshold is based on known physiological behavior.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the biometric parameters are selected from a group comprising skin capacitance, respiratory rate, heart rate, and temperature, stress, shear, and blood oxygenation.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the group comprises data range parameters of raw data from the sensor selected from a group comprising acceleration, resistance, capacitance, and inductance.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the data range parameters comprise at least acceleration or components thereof, and the predetermined threshold is a predetermined maximum value.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein the data range parameters comprises at least one of a group comprising time base, circuit voltage levels, current levels, battery voltage, battery current draw, and battery charge state, and the predetermined threshold comprises a range defined by at least one of minimum and maximum values such that the comparison step comprises range-checking.

8. The method of claim 4 wherein the data ranger parameter is orientation and the predetermined threshold is determined at least in part on a range of orientations physically possible for the patient to achieve based on patient-specific data.

9. A method for detecting if a sensor for detecting a patient'"'"'s orientation is properly attached or proximate to a user comprising the steps of

providing at least one sensor for detecting patient orientation and further for detecting at least one biometric parameter from a group comprising acceleration, moisture, temperature, capacitance, impedance, pressure, contact, and stress, and

comparing the at least one detected parameter to a threshold determined for that parameter based on a range of known patient characteristics,

generating an output indicating that the sensor is not properly attached to the patient if the comparison determines that the detected parameter exceeds the threshold either by being less than a minimum threshold or great than a maximum threshold.

10. A system for monitoring physiologic conditions of a patient comprising

a sensor attached to or proximate to a patient and adapted to detect patient orientation and further to detect at least one patient characteristic selected from a group comprising position, temperature, acceleration, moisture, resistance, capacitance, impedance, stress, shear, and blood oxygenation, and

a processor responsive to the sensor for processing signals representative of patient orientation and the at least one detected patient characteristic, and wherein the processor compares the at least one detected patient characteristic to a threshold value to determine whether the sensor is properly attached or proximate to the patient.

11. The system of claim 11 further comprising a display responsive to an output from the processor for indicating when the processor determines that the at least one detected patient characteristic is out of tolerance with respect to a threshold value.