Simultaneously Detecting Cardiovascular Condition And Diverse Body Condition Patents (Class 600/483)
  • Publication number: 20140039327
    Abstract: A system and method for evaluating a patient status from sampled physiometry for use in heart failure assessment is presented. Physiological measures are stored, including at least one of direct measures regularly recorded on a substantially continuous basis by an implantable medical device for a patient and measures derived from the direct measures. At least one of those of the physiological measures, which each relate to a same type of physiometry, and those of the physiological measures, which each relate to a different type of physiometry are sampled. A status for the patient is determined through analysis of the sampled physiological measures assembled from a plurality of recordation points. The sampled physiological measures are evaluated. Trends that are indicated by the patient status, which might affect cardiac performance of the patient, are identified. Each trend is compared to worsening heart failure indications to generate a notification of parameter violations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventor: Gust Bardy
  • Patent number: 8641632
    Abstract: The invention relates to the field of technological assistance for anaesthesia and intensive care practitioners, as well as to the field of simple, reliable medical monitoring for managing anaesthesia and/or predicting deleterious medical events. The invention aims to provide a system enabling prevention and anticipation of procedures necessary for patients and/or maintenance of patients in a suitable anaesthetic state for a surgical operation at a given time. For this purpose, the invention provides a method of predicting abnormal medical events and/or assisting in diagnosis and/or monitoring, comprising the continuous, real-time detection of a concomitant occurrence of a temporary inefficiency in cardiac baroreceptor reflex and an activation of non-baroreceptor reflex cardiovascular control. The invention also relates to the device used to implement said method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Inventors: Lue Quintin, Andrei Cividjian
  • Patent number: 8641631
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for estimating a respiratory rate of a patient. The method comprises the steps of recording respiratory sounds of the patient, deriving a plurality of respiratory rates from the recorded sounds using a plurality of respiratory rate estimating methods and applying a heuristic to the plurality of derived respiratory rates, the heuristic selecting one of the derived respiratory rates. The selected respiratory rate is the estimated respiratory rate. The apparatus comprises at least one sensor recording respiratory sounds of the patient, a plurality of respiratory rate processors, each of the processors comprising a respiratory rate calculating method, a heuristic means for selecting one of the calculated respiratory rates and a display means for displaying the selected respiratory as the estimated respiratory rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Masimo Corporation
    Inventors: Gilberto Sierra, Victor F. Lanzo, Valery Telfort
  • Publication number: 20140032234
    Abstract: A health and wellness social network can collect digital health and wellness information about network users and incentivize the users to engage in a more healthy and active lifestyle. In one example, a method includes receiving, at a server device, data related to a health of a user, the data being generated by a health measurement device configured to transmit the data over a network to the server device. The techniques also includes, responsive to receiving the data related to the health of the user, determining, by the server device, a wellness reward for the user, where different wellness rewards are associated with different data received from the user. The technique also includes modifying, by the server device, a user profile associated with the user to reflect the wellness reward.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: VaporWire, LLC
    Inventor: Brady C. Anderson
  • Patent number: 8639309
    Abstract: A method and system for continually monitoring oxygenation levels in real-time in compartments of an animal limb, such as in a human leg or a human thigh or a forearm, can be used to assist in the diagnosis of a compartment syndrome. The method and system can include one or more near infrared compartment sensors in which each sensor can be provided with a compartment alignment mechanism and a central scan depth marker so that each sensor may be precisely positioned over a compartment of a living organism. The method and system may comprise hardware or software (or both) may adjust one or more algorithms based on whether tissue being monitored was traumatized or is healthy. The method and system can also monitor the relationship between blood pressure and oxygenation levels and activate alarms based on predetermined conditions relating to the oxygenation levels or blood pressure or both.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: J&M Shuler, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael Simms Shuler
  • Patent number: 8632470
    Abstract: Methods and systems for assessing pulmonary or systemic vascular resistance in a patient using pressure measurements are disclosed. An illustrative method of measuring pulmonary vascular resistance includes electrically inducing a retrograde pressure pulse within the heart, sensing at least one arterial pressure parameter in response to the retrograde pressure pulse using a pressure sensor located within a pulmonary artery, and computing a value of the pulmonary vascular resistance using the at least one sensed arterial pressure parameter. Data from multiple pulmonary vascular resistance assessments can be taken over an extended period of time within the patient to aid in detecting an underlying cardiac or pulmonary condition such as cardiogenic pulmonary edema.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Krzysztof Z. Siejko
  • Publication number: 20140018686
    Abstract: A physical activity data collection system includes one or more accelerometer units in communication with a data collection unit, where the data collection unit, includes one or more infrared sensors configured to provide an output indicative of a pulse rate of a user of the physical activity data collection unit. The data collection unit may also include at least one temperature sensor configured to provide an output indicative of at least a body temperature of the user; and at least one accelerometer configured to provide an output indicative of movements of the user. The system may also include a microcontroller configured to evaluate the outputs of the two or more infrared sensors at a plurality of power levels; select at least one of the two or more infrared sensors for data collection; and reduce an amount of power applied to infrared sensors other than the at least one of the two or more infrared sensors selected for data collection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Pedro J. Medelius, Espen D. Kateraas
  • Patent number: 8628476
    Abstract: A phase line tilt calculating unit (actual measurement) receives phase characteristics Pa(f) and Pb(f) outputted from frequency conversion units, and calculates phase difference characteristics of actual measurement based on a phase difference on each frequency component between the phase characteristics. A phase line tilt calculating unit (model) calculates phase difference characteristics between a transfer function Ga(f) and a transfer function Gb(f) calculated by a transfer function calculating unit, and outputs the calculated phase difference characteristics to a search unit. The search unit fits a variable k and determines a variable kopt (optimum solution) in which a tilt g(k) and a tilt gexp substantially match each other. The variable kopt is an index indicating a degree of arterial sclerosis of a subject.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideo Utsuno, Shinya Umeda, Hiroshi Matsuhisa, Hironori Sato, Toshihiko Ogura
  • Publication number: 20140012144
    Abstract: According to some embodiments, a system for detecting a perfusion index of a cardiac pulse includes a first sensor that senses a first physiological or environmental parameter of a human patient core, a second sensor that senses a second physiological or environmental parameter of the human patient core, a processor that, responsive to the first and second sensed parameters, determines a perfusion index ranging from 0 to 10 that reflects inadequate, marginal, or adequate blood perfusion to the core of the human patient torso, and an indicator that provides a discernible indication of the perfusion index. A method of detecting as perfusion index of a cardiac pulse responsive to sensing first and second physiological or environmental parameters of a human patient core is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventor: William E. CRONE
  • Publication number: 20140012145
    Abstract: The brassiere may include at least one accommodation disposed on a portion of the brassiere with the at least one accommodation configured to carry at least a pair of sensors. The pair of sensors may be detachably carried by the at least one accommodation. The accommodation may be a pocket, slit, or pouch. The accommodation may be a pair of pockets that support a garment accessory. The garment accessory may include a member having first and second ends that fit within the pair of pockets. The pair of sensors may be carried by the member, which holds the sensors against the skin of a subject wearing the brassiere. The garment accessory may further include a wireless transmitter carried by the member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicant: Medicomp, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond C. Kurzweil, Paul Albrecht, Lucy Gibson, Amara Angelica, Aaron Kleiner
  • Publication number: 20140012097
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to an integrated system and a method for utilizing the system to detect and remove blood-borne factors of interest, such as pathogens and/or toxins and/or cytokines, from blood or serum (blood) by contacting the blood with a solid, essentially nonporous substrate which has been surface treated with molecules or chemical groups (the adsorbent media or media) having a binding affinity for the pathogens and/or toxins to be removed (the adsorbents). The invention can be used to remove virulence factors, e.g. toxins, that are released from various pathogens. In one aspect, the invention is for the treatment of sepsis and infection, such as infections associated with battle field trauma.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Keith McCrea, Robert S. Ward, George Pitarra, JR.
  • Publication number: 20140012143
    Abstract: A monitor of a physiological parameter of subject under test to which the monitor is attached, in operation. The monitor includes a set of accelerometers operating in different ranges of acceleration and a physiological sensor. The physiological sensor may include an ECG circuit producing an output data characterizing the subject as a function of a degree of motion and/or reorientation of the monitor or an oximeter device. The process of monitoring includes a determination of R-wave of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Barry K. Gilbert, Daniel Schwab, Clifton Haider, Christopher Felton
  • Publication number: 20140012133
    Abstract: The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to methods and/or apparatus for measuring the effectiveness of a renal denervation treatment. In some embodiments, a method for determining effectiveness of the denervation treatment comprises tracking at least one of arterial wall movement, arterial blood flow rate, arterial blood flow velocity, blood pressure and arterial diameter at one or more selected locations in the renal artery over time, and assessing the effectiveness of said renal denervation treatment according to results obtained by tracking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Inventors: Ariel Sverdlik, Benny Dilmoney, Yehuda Zadok, Or Shabtay
  • Publication number: 20140005559
    Abstract: A method for monitoring a heart of a patient, the includes receiving signals indicative of cardiac activity of the patient during a monitoring period; and processing the signals and providing monitoring results in response to a result of the processing; wherein the monitoring results comprise information indicative of: (a) the heart rate of the patient during the monitoring period; (b) at least one first time period in which the heart rate of the patient exceeds a first threshold; and (c) at least one second time period in which the heart rate of the patient exceeds both the first threshold and a second threshold
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: George Michelson, Melissa Petrucci
  • Publication number: 20130331712
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for calculating or approximating a value representing the relative blood volume (RBV) at a certain point of time, or a value representing the refilling volume of a patient that may be observed or found during or due to a blood treatment of the patient, the method involving considering one or more calculated or measured value(s) reflecting an overhydration level of the patient or an approximation thereof. It relates further to an apparatus and a device for carrying out the present invention, a blood treatment device, digital storage means, a computer program product, and a computer program.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: FRESENIUS MEDICAL CARE DEUTSCHLAND GMBH
    Inventors: Ulrich Moissl, Paul Chamney, Volker Nier, Peter Wabel, Sebastian Wieskotten
  • Publication number: 20130331711
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for quantitatively determining a person's neuro-muscular blockade (NMB) level in real-time using at least one sensor attached to the person is provided. The method includes receiving a first input signal from the sensor, wherein the first input signal includes a measurement of a first muscular response, the first muscular response resulting from a baseline stimulus current delivered to the person before administration of NMB agents to the person, and establishing a baseline chronaxie based on the first input signal. The method also includes delivering one or more stimulus currents to the person after the administration of NMB agents to the person, receiving a second input signal from the sensor, wherein the second input signal includes a measurement of one or more muscular responses resulting from the one or more stimulus currents, and determining the person's NMB level based on the second input signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: ONDINE TECH INC.
    Inventors: Amitabh Mohan MATHUR, Radhey Mohan MATHUR, Arun Kumar SHARMA, Venkata Murthy DURVASULA
  • Publication number: 20130331678
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for carrying out the method of determining at least one cardiovascular quantity of a mammal. The method comprises (i) selecting a measuring site of a vessel; (ii) determining or estimating a mean diameter of the vessel at the measuring site; (iii) determining a pulse wave velocity and/or another elasticity related quantity of the vessel at the measuring site; (iv) determining a distension of the vessel at the measuring site; and (v) calculating the at least one cardiovascular quantity from the determined mean diameter, elasticity related quantity and distension of the vessel at the measuring site.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: SENSE A/S
    Inventors: Lars Lading, David Böttcher Bæk
  • Patent number: 8602996
    Abstract: Devices and methods for improving the sensitivity and specificity of heart failure (HF) detection are described. The devices and methods can detect a HF status such as using physiological sensor data and external biomarker assays. An apparatus can comprise ambulatory physiological sensors that can provide a first HF status indicator and a second HF status indicator to a user. An external biomarker sensor can provide an amount of a biomarker present, such as an assay for B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), which provides information about HF status. A processor circuit can switch from a first HF detection mode to a second detection mode such as in response to the information from the biomarker sensor. The first detection mode can detect HF status using the first HF status indicator, and the second detection mode can detect HF status using the second HF status indicator. The second detection mode can have a higher specificity than the first detection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2013
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Pramodsingh Hirasingh Thakur, Abhilash Patangay, Craig Stolen, Timothy Meyer
  • Publication number: 20130324862
    Abstract: A system and method for correlating health related data for display. The system includes a medical device recording data and a display producing device which correlates the data and simultaneously displays different types of data or displays two sets of the same type of data along with the circumstances at which the two sets of data were recorded. Such displays aid a physician in prescribing and ascertaining the efficacy of cardiac therapies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: James Kalgren, Rene H. Wentkowski, Jeffrey E. Stahmann
  • Publication number: 20130324861
    Abstract: A health condition determination method including: acquiring a boundary range including one or more boundary values and a width in examination data, the examination data corresponding to an examination item in which a normal range and an abnormal range are set; identifying a plurality of determination candidate models each including a pattern for setting the normal range and the abnormal range for the examination item; calculating an accuracy corresponding to each of the plurality of determination candidate models based on model construction data corresponding to a disease related to the examination item; and determining, from the plurality of determination candidate models, a determination model that outputs whether determination data with respect to the examination item is normal or not based on the calculated accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Applicant: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Takahisa ANDO, Seishi Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20130317359
    Abstract: This disclosure provides systems and methods for measuring fluid flow in a vasculature system of a patient. Some systems may include an injection system configured to inject a bolus of fluid into a vessel of a patient. Some systems may include a measurement engine configured to monitor the bolus of fluid in the vessel using measurement data generated by an intravascular measuring device. The measurement engine may determine a travel distance of the bolus of fluid and an elapsed time during which the bolus of fluid traversed the travel distance based on the measurement data. A fluid flow rate (e.g., velocity, volumetric flow) of the vessel may be calculated using the travel distance and the elapsed time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Inventors: Robert F. Wilson, Edward R. Miller, Sidney Donald Nystrom, Kendall R. Waters
  • Publication number: 20130317374
    Abstract: A system comprises an external medical device configured to communicate with a first implantable medical device (IMD). The external medical device includes a communication circuit and a display. The communication circuit is configured to receive information associated with cardiovascular pressure from the IMD. The external medical device is configured to annotate a waveform on the display to indicate one or more events associated with cardiovascular pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jeffrey E. Stahmann, Keith R. Maile
  • Patent number: 8594413
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus comprises a storage unit, a specifying unit, a calculation unit, and a display unit. The storage unit stores a three-dimensional image associated with a cardiac region of a subject. The specifying unit specifies a plurality of cardiac valves from a vascular region included in the three-dimensional image by image processing. The calculation unit calculates index values indicating open/close degrees of the cardiac valves. The display unit displays the index values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Yamagata, Tomohiro Kawasaki, Satoshi Wakai
  • Patent number: 8594776
    Abstract: The invention provides a body-worn monitor that measures a patient's vital signs (e.g. blood pressure, SpO2, heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature) while simultaneously characterizing their activity state (e.g. resting, walking, convulsing, falling). The body-worn monitor processes this information to minimize corruption of the vital signs by motion-related artifacts. A software framework generates alarms/alerts based on threshold values that are either preset or determined in real time. The framework additionally includes a series of ‘heuristic’ rules that take the patient's activity state and motion into account, and process the vital signs accordingly. These rules, for example, indicate that a walking patient is likely breathing and has a regular heart rate, even if their motion-corrupted vital signs suggest otherwise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sotera Wireless, Inc.
    Inventors: Devin McCombie, Matt Banet, Marshal Dhillon, Jim Moon
  • Publication number: 20130310658
    Abstract: A system for monitoring the health and activity of an individual is disclosed. The system includes a mobile communication device and a body attachment, such as an armband. The body attachment has one or more of an accelerometer, altimeter, temperature sensor, and/or magnetometer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: Nathan W. Ricks, Dustin Bybee, Caleb Manscill
  • Publication number: 20130307686
    Abstract: A system and method are provided whereby periodic measurements of autonomic reflex times of individuals are used as an early-warning indication that an undesirable physical condition, such as an undesirable blood-chemistry condition, may exist. This method correlates measurements of the reaction times of specific autonomic reflexes to more-definitive measurements for the medical condition being monitored for this early-warning assessment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2013
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Inventors: James C. FRAUENTHAL, Michael RAMALHO
  • Patent number: 8579824
    Abstract: An implantable medical device and associated method detect obstructed inspiration by monitoring an blood pressure signal. A respiration signal is monitored and a phase of respiratory inspiration is detected from the respiration signal. A trend in the pressure signal is measured during the inspiration phase. Obstructed inspiration for the inspiration phase is detected in response to the measured the trend.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Medtronic, Inc.
    Inventors: Yong K. Cho, Mark K. Erickson, Todd M. Zielinski
  • Patent number: 8579826
    Abstract: A cuff of a pulse wave meter equipped with an arteriosclerosis degree judgment device has air bags for compressing a living body having a double structure along an artery including an avascularization air bag and a pulse-wave measuring air bag. Provided at outer circumferential sides of these air bags are a curler for integrally pressing these air bags against an upper arm, and an air bag for pressing the curler from the outer circumferential side. A member for suppressing vibrations is provided between a curler-compressing air bag and the pulse-wave measuring air bag, and suppresses propagation of vibrations from the curler-compressing air bag to the pulse-wave measuring air bag. The pulse wave meter measures a pulse wave based on changes in internal pressure in the pulse-wave measuring air bag while the avascularization air bag provides avascularization at the peripheral side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: OMRON HEALTHCARE Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Kobayashi, Toshihiko Ogura, Yoshihiko Sano, Toshihiko Abe, Takahide Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8579828
    Abstract: A system and method for managing preload reserve and tracking the inotropic state of a patient's heart. The S1 heart sound is measured as a proxy for direct measurement of stroke volume. The S3 heart sound may be measured as a proxy for direct measurement of preload level. The S1-S3 pair yield a point on a Frank Starling type of curve, and reveal information regarding the patient's ventricular operating point and inotropic state. As an alternative, or in addition to, measurement of the S3 heart sound, the S4 heart sound may be measured or a direct pressure measurement may be made for the sake of determining the patient's preload level. The aforementioned measurements may be made by a cardiac rhythm management device, such as a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Gerrard M. Carlson, Ramesh Wariar, Krzysztof Z. Siejko
  • Publication number: 20130296659
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to patient monitoring systems and, more particularly, to signal analysis for patient monitoring systems. In one embodiment, a method of analyzing a detector signal of a physiological patient sensor includes obtaining the detector signal from the physiological patient sensor, and determining a ratio of the signal between two or more channels. A distribution of the angles between the points of the ratio over time may be used to determine a true ratio or a ratio of ratios for use in the determination of a physiological parameter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 1, 2012
    Publication date: November 7, 2013
    Applicant: Nellcor Puritan Bennett Ireland
    Inventors: Paul Addison, James Ochs, James Watson
  • Publication number: 20130289417
    Abstract: Systems and methods for determining the position of an endovascular device within the body are provided. The system can include a catheter having a tip portion that can generate sound waves which can be detected by auscultation devices which allows the position of the catheter tip to be triangulated. The acoustic triangulation system can be used in conjunction with ECG and/or ultrasound information to further refine the location of the catheter tip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 31, 2013
    Inventors: Sorin GRUNWALD, Fiona M. Sander, Wilfred J. Samson, Bradley Hill, E. Tina Cheng
  • Patent number: 8568327
    Abstract: A monitoring device arranged to display a level of consciousness and hemodynamic parameters of a patient for simultaneous viewing. A dependence of changes in the hemodynamic parameters of the patient on the level of consciousness of the patient may be more easily observed using the monitoring device. Correlations between the patient's level of consciousness and the patient's hemodynamic parameters may further be determined and displayed to aid clinicians in estimating any improvement in hemodynamic parameters that may be achieved through manipulation of the patient's level of consciousness, fluid status and drugs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: LiDCO Group, PLC
    Inventor: Terence Kevin O'Brien
  • Publication number: 20130281866
    Abstract: A method of predicting an onset of apnea is described. Motion of a subject, including at least breathing-related motion, is sensed, and a signal corresponding to the sensed motion is generated. A breathing-related signal is extracted from the sensed motion signal, and the onset of apnea is predicted at least partially in response to analyzing the breathing-related signal. Other applications are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Zvika Shinar, Guy Meger, Avner Halperin
  • Publication number: 20130281798
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems to periodically monitor the emotional state of a subject comprising the steps of: exposing the subject to a plurality of stimuli during a session; acquiring objective data from a plurality of monitoring sensors, wherein at least one sensor measures a physiological parameter; transferring the data to a database; and processing the data to extract objective information about the emotional state of the subject.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Sackett Solutions & Innovations, LLC
    Inventors: NEMOY RAU, Hans Rau, Ramarao Inguva, Visveshwar Baskaran, Rick Story
  • Publication number: 20130281861
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fetal monitoring and, more particularly, to an electronic external fetal monitoring system that includes a self adhering single use dermal patch including embedded sensors that can be attached to the skin of an expectant maternal patient and is configured to record fetal heart rate, uterine activity, and uterine integrity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Inventors: Kimberly Flomerfelt, Patrick Mather
  • Patent number: 8562524
    Abstract: A method for determining and responding in real-time to an increased risk of death relating to a patient with epilepsy is provided. The method includes receiving cardiac data and determining a cardiac index based upon the cardiac data. The method includes determining an increased risk of death associated with epilepsy if the indices are extreme, issuing a warning of the increased risk of death and logging information related to the increased risk of death. Also presented is a second method for determining and responding in real-time to an increased risk of death relating to a patient with epilepsy comprising receiving at least one of arousal data, responsiveness data or awareness data and determining an arousal index, a responsiveness index or an awareness index, where the indices are based on arousal data, responsiveness data or awareness data respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Flint Hills Scientific, LLC
    Inventor: Ivan Osorio
  • Patent number: 8562536
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for detecting the seizure in a patient using a medical device. The determination is performed by collecting cardiac data; determining valid heart beats suitable for seizure detection from the cardiac data; calculating heart rate data of interest from the valid heart beats; and identifying a seizure event from the heart rate data. The medical device may then take a responsive action, such as warning, logging the time of the seizure, computing and storing one or more seizure severity indices, and/or treating the seizure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Flint Hills Scientific, LLC
    Inventors: Ivan Osorio, Mark Frei
  • Patent number: 8562523
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for identifying an extreme epileptic state/event in a patient are provided. One method includes determining at least one of an autonomic index, a neurologic index, a metabolic index, an endocrine index, or a tissue stress index, where at least one determined index is based upon body data. The method also includes identifying a seizure event based upon the at least one determined index and determining at least one seizure severity index (SSI) value indicative of the severity of the seizure event. The method further includes comparing the determined at least one SSI value to at least one reference value and identifying an occurrence of an extreme seizure event, based upon the comparison of the determined SSI value to the at least one reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Flint Hills Scientific, LLC
    Inventor: Ivan Osorio
  • Publication number: 20130274615
    Abstract: Devices and methods for monitoring intracranial physiological parameters, including intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, cerebral blood flow, cerebral blood volume, edema status, and brain compliance are disclosed. In one aspect, an apparatus may involve receiving at least one impedance plethysmography signal. Waveforms may be extracted from the impedance plethysmography signals and used for estimating the intracranial physiological parameters. Various characteristics may be determined from the waveforms to aid in the estimation of intracranial physiological parameters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Shlomi Ben-Ari, Shmuel Marcovitch
  • Publication number: 20130274614
    Abstract: Method and systems for ablating nerves including measurement of physiological parameters and/or electrical conduction. The method may include ablating nerves within an artery of a patient such as the renal artery and may include advancing a catheter into the artery, measuring a physiological parameter, emitting an electrical pulse into a wall of the artery, measuring the physiological parameter during or after the step of emitting the electrical pulse, ablating the artery wall, then repeating the steps of measuring the physiological parameter, emitting an electrical pulse, and measuring the physiological parameter during or after the step of emitting the electrical pulse. The change in the physiological parameter caused by the electrical pulse before ablation may be compared to the change in the physiological parameter caused by the electrical pulse after ablation to determine the degree of nerve ablation achieved and whether or not to perform further ablation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Jin Shimada, Gregory G. Brucker, William J. Rissmann
  • Publication number: 20130274584
    Abstract: Systems and methods for management of physiological data, for example data obtained from monitoring an electrocardiogram signal of a patient. In one example use, digital data is obtained and episodes of arrhythmias are detected. Snapshots of the digitized ECG signal may be stored for later physician review. One or more techniques may be used to avoid recording of redundant data, while ensuring that at least a minimum number of episodes of each detected arrhythmia can be stored. The system may automatically tailor its data collection to the cardiac characteristics of a particular patient. In one technique, memory is allocated to include for each detectable arrhythmia a memory segment designated to receive ECG snapshots representing only the respective arrhythmia. A shared memory pool may receive additional snapshots of as the designated memory segments fill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Brion Finlay, Scott Williams, Richard Fogoros, Brett Landrum, Abhi Chavan
  • Publication number: 20130274565
    Abstract: A medical system for sensing a physiological state requiring defibrillation in a patient. The system comprising: a low power sensor, a physiological parameter measuring device, and a processor. The low power sensor generating a baseline signal relating to a physiological status of said patient. The physiological parameter measuring device comprising at least one higher power sensor configured to output at least one physiological parameter signal indicative of at least one physiological parameter of said patient. The processor assessing the baseline signal and determining if the physiological status is outside predetermined threshold boundaries.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Inventors: Alois Antonin Langer, Walter Louis Seale
  • Publication number: 20130267794
    Abstract: Electronic systems, devices and methods are provided to accurately record and analyze food intake and physical activity in a subject. A device is provided to be placed on a subject which records video using at least two video cameras positioned to record stereoscopic image pair, as well as other physiological and/or environmental data including, for example, oxygen saturation, heart rate, and environmental factors such as physical location, temperature, and humidity. Video data is analyzed along with other data obtained by the device to determine food consumption and/or physical activity of the subject, much of which is accomplished by automated computer-implemented processes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventors: John Fernstrom, Madelyn Fernstrom, Wenyan Jia, Robert Sclabassi, Mingui Sun
  • Publication number: 20130261405
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for easily and accurately measuring a biological signal by using a wristwatch-type measurement module. After a band of the wristwatch-type measurement module is tightened to wear on a user's wrist, the band is further tightened to make the wristwatch-type measurement module closely contact the user's wrist. An operation mode of the wristwatch-type measurement module closely contacting the user's wrist is switched from a normal mode to a measurement mode, and a user's biological signal is measured from the user's wrist through the wristwatch-type measurement module in the measurement mode. The user's biological signal is then displayed through the wristwatch-type measurement module.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sang-Hun Lee, Jae-Geol Cho
  • Patent number: 8545416
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an integrated sleep diagnosis and treatment device, and more particularly to an integrated apnea diagnosis and treatment device. The present invention additionally relates to methods of sleep diagnosis and treatment. The sleep disorder treatment system of the present invention can use a diagnosis device to perform various forms of analysis to determine or diagnose a subject's sleeping disorder or symptoms of a subject's sleep disorder, and using this analysis or diagnosis can with or in some embodiments without human intervention treat the subject either physically or chemically to improve the sleeping disorder or the symptoms of the sleeping disorder. The diagnostic part of the system can use many different types of sensors and methods for diagnosing the severity of the symptoms of or the sleep disorder itself. The treatment part of the system can use a device to physically or chemically treat the subject's symptoms or sleep disorder itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Cleveland Medical Devices Inc.
    Inventors: Hani Kayyali, Dan Bishop, Brian M. Kolkowski
  • Publication number: 20130253339
    Abstract: A network-based medical patient servicing system includes a network-connected server having at least one processor and at least one connected data repository, software executing on the at least one processor from a non-transitory medium, the software providing a first function for importing into at least one electronic interface an interactive list of preset and confirmed on-location appointments made by patients or persons acting in behalf of those patients, a second function for dispatching one or more medically equipped non-physician assistants having at least one network-capable appliance to the preset and confirmed appointment locations, a third function for establishing network connectivity between the at least one network appliance and the electronic interface and, a fourth function for recording subsequent session data relative to interaction between a physician and at least the one or more non-physician assistants operating at the appointment locations.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Inventor: David Reyes
  • Publication number: 20130253340
    Abstract: A system comprising implantable device, the implantable medical device including an intrinsic cardiac signal sensor, an impedance measurement circuit configured to apply a specified current to a transthoracic region of a subject and to sample a transthoracic voltage resulting from the specified current, and a processor coupled to the intrinsic cardiac signal sensor and the impedance measurement circuit. The processor is configured to initiate sampling of a transthoracic voltage signal in a specified time relation to a fiducial marker in a sensed intrinsic cardiac signal, wherein the sampling attenuates or removes variation with cardiac stroke volume from the transthoracic voltage signal, and determine lung respiration using the sampled transthoracic voltage signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Jaeho Kim, Quan Ni
  • Publication number: 20130245464
    Abstract: A method of treating a medical condition in a patient using an implantable medical device, comprising providing an electrical signal generator; providing at least a first electrode operatively coupled to the electrical signal generator and to a vagus nerve of the patient; sensing cardiac data of the patient; determining at least a first cardiac parameter based upon said cardiac data; setting at least a first value; declaring an unstable brain state of a patient from said at least a first cardiac parameter and said at least a first value; and adjusting the at least a first value. Also, a computer readable program storage device encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computer, performs the method. In addition, the implantable medical device used in the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicants: FLINT HILLS SCIENTIFIC, LLC, CYBERONICS, INC.
    Inventors: John C. COLBORN, Mark G. Frei, Ivan Osorio
  • Publication number: 20130245391
    Abstract: A device may include a vibration sensor configured to sense blood flow in a lumen of a person; a cuff coupled to the vibration sensor and configured to contact a limb of the person; a cuff pressurizer coupled to the cuff, the cuff pressurizer configured to adjust a compressive force of the cuff on the lumen; and an energy-generating apparatus coupled to the cuff, the energy-generating apparatus configured to generate energy from a depressurization of the cuff.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: ELWHA LLC
    Inventors: Roderick A. Hyde, Jordin T. Kare, Gary L. McKnight, Lowell L. Wood, JR.
  • Publication number: 20130245466
    Abstract: This document discusses, among other things, systems and methods for predicting heart failure decompensation using within-patient diagnostics. A method comprises detecting an alert status of each of one or more sensors; calculating an alert score by combining the detected alerts; and calculating a composite alert score, the composite alert score being indicative of a physiological condition and comprising a combination of two or more alert scores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: Cardiac Pacemakers, Inc.
    Inventors: Haresh G. Sachanandani, Jon Peterson, Shelley M. Cazares, Robert J. Sweeney, Kevin John Stalsberg