Medical system, apparatus and method

• US 8,414,488 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Colman, Joshua Lewis, Lain, David, Auer, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, Bill
• Assistant Examiner(s): Archer, Marie
• Application Number:
  US12/742,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20100317933A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: 128920-925, 600300-301, 600363-365, 600372-374, 600377-379, 600382-384, 600386-394, 600/481, 600/485, 600500-503, 600/508, 600515-519, 600529-531, 600544-547, 600/549, 600587-595
• US Class Current: 600/301
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse, heart rate, blood pressure or blood flow; Combined pulse/heart-rate/blood pressure determination; Evaluating a cardiovascular condition not otherwise provided for, e.g. using combinations of techniques provided for in this group with electrocardiography or electroauscultation; Heart catheters for measuring blood pressure
• 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 5/021 Measuring pressure in heart or blood vessels A61B5/0205 takes precedence
• 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 5/0816 Measuring devices for examining respiratory frequency measuring frequency of electric signals G01R23/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/318 Heart-related electrical modalities, e.g. electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/369 Electroencephalography [EEG] devices for psychotechnics A61B5/16
• 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 8/0883 for diagnosis of the heart

Abstract

According to some embodiments, there is provided a medical monitoring device that includes one or more sensors, wherein a sensor is adapted to sense a parameter of a patient and computator adapted to receive an output of at least one sensor and to compute a condition-index-value directly related to a condition of the patient.

Claims

1. A medical monitoring device comprising:

two or more sensors adapted to sense at least two parameters of a patient, wherein said two or more sensors comprise at least a capnograph and a pulse oximeter; and

a computing unit adapted to continuously receive at least two output parameters at least from said capnograph and said pulse oximeter and to continuously compute single unit-less index-values based on integration of said at least two output parameters,

wherein the single unit-less index-value is indicative of a respiratory status of the patient;

such that a change in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of a change in the patient respiratory status.

2. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said at least two parameters of a patient comprises a respiratory related parameter, pulmonary related parameter, cardiac related parameter or any combination thereof.

3. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said at least two parameters of a patient comprises respiration rate, EtCO2, SpO₂, heart rate, or any combination thereof.

4. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said two or more sensors further comprise a heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor, ECG, EEG, or any combination thereof.

5. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said single unit-less index-value is in the range of 1 to 10.

6. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein an increase in said unit-less index-value is indicative of an improvement in a patient'"'"'s status.

7. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein a decrease in said unit-less index-value is indicative of a deterioration of a patient'"'"'s status.

8. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said computing unit is adapted to compute said single unit-less index-value according to an average of an output of at least one sensor.

9. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said computing unit is adapted to compute said single unit-less index-value by mathematical operation of a medical significance level of each of the at least two output parameters.

10. The medical monitoring device of claim 9, wherein said medical significance level of each of the at least two output parameters is determined by correlating the output value of each of said at least two output parameters with that of a normal level.

11. The medical monitoring device of claim 9, wherein said mathematical operation comprises multiplication.

12. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said device is further adapted to compute a trend of said single unit-less index-value.

13. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said device is further adapted to compute a reliability index of said singe unit-less index-value.

14. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, further adapted to provide a pause frequency parameter.

15. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said device is further adapted to provide medical recommendation.

16. The medical monitoring device of claim 15, wherein said medical recommendation is determined according to said single unit-less index-value.

17. The medical monitoring device of claim 15, wherein said medical recommendation is determined according to said single unit-less index-value and a parameter related to a CO₂ waveform.

18. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a user interface.

19. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, further comprising a graphic display of said single unit-less index-value.

20. The medical monitoring device of claim 19, further comprising a graphic display of a trend of said single unit-less index-value.

21. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, further adapted to provide indications correlating to a status of the patient.

22. The medical monitoring device of claim 21, wherein said status comprises hyperventilation, hypoventilation or both.

23. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, further adapted to graphically display a sub-range to which single unit-less index-value is assigned, wherein the sub-range correlates to a level of normality of the respiratory status and/or to whether medical intervention is required.

24. The medical monitoring device of claim 23, wherein said sub-range is displayed with a different graphical sign according to said level of normality of the respiratory status and/or to whether medical intervention is required.

25. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said unit-less index-value is in the range of 1 to 100.

26. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein a decrease in said single unit-less index-value is indicative of an improvement in a patient'"'"'s status.

27. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein an increase in said single unit-less index-value is indicative of a deterioration of a patient'"'"'s status.

28. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said computing unit is further adapted to correlate said output parameters to a set of predefined conditions.

29. The medical monitoring device of claim 1, wherein said change is further displayed as up and down arrows indicating hyperventilation and hypoventilation respectively.