Noninvasive multi-parameter patient monitor

• US 8,130,105 B2
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cercacor Laboratories
• Original Assignee: Masimo Laboratories, Inc. (Masimo Corporation)
• Inventors: Al-Ali, Ammar, Kiani, Joe E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US11/366,208
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220881A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,197 Days
• Field of Search: 340/573.1, 600/316, 382115-116
• US Class Current: 340/573.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00 Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes examination of body cavities or body tracts using ultrasonic, sonic or infrasonic waves A61B8/12; endoscopic instruments for taking cell samples or for biopsy A61B10/04; for surgical purposes A61B17/00; endoscopic surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32; surgical instruments using a laser beam being directed along or through a flexible conduit A61B18/22; Illuminating arrangements therefor for the eyes A61B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/08 Sensors provided with means for identification, e.g. barcodes or memory chips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/085 combined with means for recording calibration data
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/185 Optical shielding, e.g. baffles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/222 Electrical cables or leads therefor, e.g. coaxial cables or ribbon cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0022 Monitoring a patient using a global network, e.g. telephone networks, internet
• 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 5/02416 using photoplethysmograph signals, e.g. generated by infrared radiation A61B5/14552 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0261 using optical means, e.g. infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0295 using plethysmography, i.e. measuring the variations in the volume of a body part as modified by the circulation of blood therethrough, e.g. impedance plethysmography
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14546 for measuring analytes not otherwise provided for, e.g. ions, cytochromes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1495 Calibrating or testing of in-vivo probes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6815 Ear
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6826 Finger
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6829 Foot or ankle
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6832 : using adhesives A61B5/259 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6838 : Clamps or clips
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7221 : Determining signal validity, reliability or quality A61B5/7207 and A61B5/7217 take precedence
• 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 5/7278 : Artificial waveform generation or derivation, e.g. synthesising signals from measured signals A61B5/327 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7405 : using sound
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/742 : using visual displays A61B5/339 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/746 : Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms alarms per se G08B
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/7475 : User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/40 : for data related to laboratory analysis, e.g. patient specimen analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 : for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 999/99 : dummy group
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 439/909 : Medical use or attached to human body

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure include a handheld multi-parameter patient monitor capable of determining multiple physiological parameters from the output of a light sensitive detector capable of detecting light attenuated by body tissue. For example, in an embodiment, the monitor is capable of advantageously and accurately displaying one or more of pulse rate, plethysmograph data, perfusion quality, signal confidence, and values of blood constituents in body tissue, including for example, arterial carbon monoxide saturation (“HbCO”), methemoglobin saturation (“HbMet”), total hemoglobin (“Hbt”), arterial oxygen saturation (“SpO₂”), fractional arterial oxygen saturation (“SpaO₂”), or the like. In an embodiment, the monitor advantageously includes a plurality of display modes enabling more parameter data to be displayed than the available physical display real estate.

Claims

1. A method of indicating abnormal behavior of a plurality of physiological parameters, the method comprising:

noninvasively, electronically determining measured values of a plurality of physiological parameters including at least a first physiological parameter and a second physiological parameter, wherein the plurality of physiological parameters comprises at least one of carboxyhemoglobin, methemoglobin, hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, and fractional saturation, and the determining is performed by processing one or more signals with one or more signal processors, said signals responsive to attenuation of light by body tissue of a monitored patient;

electronically combining at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter and at least one measured value of the second physiological parameter into a wellness qualitative indication;

displaying on a patient monitor a patient wellness graph and a plurality of wellness regions within the patient wellness graph, the plurality of wellness regions corresponding to measurement levels of the at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter and the at least one measured value of the second physiological parameter;

displaying the wellness qualitative indication within at least one of the plurality of wellness regions;

displaying a line associated with the wellness qualitative indication and an axis of the wellness graph, wherein the slope of the line and the location of the wellness qualitative indication within the at least one of the plurality of wellness regions indicate a patient wellness level; and

activating a caregiver alert upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caregiver alert comprises a LED activation.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the caregiver alert comprises an alarm message.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the caregiver alert comprises audible alarms.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the caregiver alert changes as the measured values move further from one or more threshold values.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication indicates at least one of a normal and abnormal patient wellness level.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication indicates at least one of a low, moderate, and high patient wellness level.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication comprises one of a plurality of indicators indicating a range of the patient wellness level.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the range of the patient wellness level is nonlinear.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication comprises a light indicator.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication comprises a flashing display.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a rate of the flashing display changes as the measured values move further from one or more threshold values.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising emphasizing a display of at least one of the measured values of the plurality of monitored physiological parameters, wherein said emphasized at least one corresponds to a basis for the wellness qualitative indication activating the caregiver alert.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the caregiver alert further comprises altering an appearance of the wellness qualitative indication.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the caregiver alert further comprises altering the size of the wellness qualitative indication.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein activating the caregiver alert further comprises alternately displaying the wellness qualitative indication in an on and off state.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the first physiological parameter with a first color; and

associating the second physiological parameter with a second color, wherein the first color and the second color are different.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the wellness qualitative indication is a plot of the at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter as a function of the at least one measured value of the second physiological parameter.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the patient monitor the at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter; and

displaying a prediction indicator corresponding to the first physiological parameter, wherein the prediction indicator indicates a predicted trend of measured values of the first physiological parameter.

20. A patient monitor configured to indicate abnormal behavior of a plurality of physiological parameters, the monitor comprising:

a sensor port configured to receive one or more signals from a sensor, wherein the signals are responsive to attenuation of light by body tissue of a monitored patient; and

a processor in communication with the sensor port and configured to;

noninvasively, electronically determine measured values of a plurality of physiological parameters including at least a first physiological parameter and a second physiological parameter using the one or more signals received from the sensor, wherein the plurality of physiological parameters comprise at least one of carboxyhemoglobin, methemoglobin, hemoglobin, oxygen saturation, and fractional saturation,

electronically combine at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter and at least one measured value of the second physiological parameter into a wellness qualitative indication,

cause a display device in communication with the processor to display thereon the wellness qualitative indication within at least one of a plurality of wellness regions of a patient wellness graph, wherein the plurality of wellness regions correspond to measurement levels of the at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter and the at least one measured value of the second physiological parameter,

cause the display device to display thereon a line associated with the wellness qualitative indication and an axis of the wellness graph, wherein the slope of the line and the location of the wellness qualitative indication within the at least one of the plurality of wellness regions indicate a patient wellness level, and

activate a caregiver alert upon the occurrence of a predetermined event.

21. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein activating the caregiver alert comprises activating at least one LED on the display device.

22. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the caregiver alert comprises an alarm message.

23. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the caregiver alert comprises one or more audible alarms.

24. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the caregiver alert changes as measured values move further from one or more threshold values.

25. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the display device to display thereon:

the at least one measured value of the first physiological parameter, and

a prediction indicator corresponding to the first physiological parameter, wherein the prediction indicator indicates a predicted trend of measured values of the first physiological parameter.

26. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the wellness qualitative indication indicates at least one of a normal and abnormal patient wellness level.

27. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the wellness qualitative indication indicates at least one of a low, moderate, and high patient wellness level.

28. The patient monitor of claim 20, wherein the wellness qualitative indication comprises one of a plurality of indicators indicating a range of the patient wellness level.