Abstract: A catheter and associated positioning system can include sensors and software to ascertain the extent of expansion of an expandable distal member of the catheter. Sensors on the distal member can be configured so that the system is able to determine a longitudinal dimension and a radial dimension of the distal-end assembly and determine extent of expansion of the distal member based on those metrics. At least the longitudinal dimension can be derived from advanced current localization (ACL) techniques utilizing an electrode at a distal end of the expandable distal member.

Abstract: Disclosed is an interface between a drug delivery cassette and a medical effector system. The cassette may be mounted to the medical effector system in such a way that a fluid tube located on the cassette is positioned adjacent to a pump located on the medical effector system. The medical effector system may purge the fluid line of air by activating the pump and forcing fluid through the fluid line until a sensor positioned to monitor the fluid line indicates that fluid and not air is present in the tube. To prevent air purging of the fluid tube when connected to the patient, the medical effector system prohibits air purging unless the drug delivery end portion of the fluid tube is in a designated storage site located on the cassette. This is accomplished with a position sensor at the storage site that monitors the position of the fluid tube.

Abstract: A medical effector system comprised of a bedside unit and a procedure unit. The bedside unit contains a series of connection points for receiving inputs from a series of patient monitors. The procedure unit contains a patient monitoring and medical effector program, and a drug delivery pump or magnetic flux generator capable of delivering therapeutic energy to a patient. The medical effector system contains the capability to issue and receive a request from a non-sedated patient, issue and receive a request from a sedated patient and then to calculate a time difference. The medical effector program operates the pump or magnetic flux generator based upon at least some of the patient outputs and program inputs including a calculated time difference. A removable umbilical cable connects the two units and allows the output of the patient monitors as well as other information to travel between the two units.

Abstract: Disclosed is a medical monitoring device coupled to a drug-delivery tube disposed to deliver drug to a patient. The medical monitoring device contains a pressure sensor positioned to sense the internal pressure of the drug-delivery tube and the output of the pressure sensor is transmitted to an occlusion program stored within the medical monitoring device. The occlusion program has a variable pressure alarm setting and alerts a user of an occluded drug-delivery tube when the output signal of the pressure sensor exceeds the variable pressure of the alarm setting. The occlusion program may change the alarm setting based entirely, or in part, on the variable commanded flow rate of the drug.

Abstract: Disclosed is an oxygen delivery apparatus constructed from an oxygen delivery manifold, a respiratory cannula, and a host controller. The host controller contains an oxygen delivery program and accepts a respiration input regarding whether the patient is inhaling or exhaling, and whether the patient is breathing orally or nasally. The oxygen delivery program regulates the flow rate of oxygen based in part upon the respiration input provided. A first rates is used when the patient is inhaling and exhaling orally, a second rate is used when the patient is inhaling nasally, and a third rate is used when the patient is exhaling nasally.

Abstract: Disclosed is a device for coupling a respiratory cannula with a medical effector system. The coupling device consists of a plate with several ports for receiving respired gases from the respiratory cannula and for delivering oxygen or air to the respiratory cannula. The coupling device may directly or indirectly deliver the respired gases to a capnometry device located in the medical effector system. Also included is a port for delivering an audio signal from the medical effector system to an audio earpiece disposed proximate the ear of a patient.

Abstract: Disclosed is a capnometry apparatus for receiving respiratory gas from a respiratory cannula positioned on a patient. An integrated host controller alerts a user if the capnometry apparatus is connected or not connected to the respiratory cannula based in part on a signal output from a capnometer located in the capnometry apparatus. The host controller also includes the functionality to shut off the capnometer pump with or without a time delay when the capnometer signal output indicates the capnometer pump is not connected to the cannula. An ambient-air pressure sensor located in the capnometry apparatus alerts the host controller if the capnometry apparatus has been moved to a new location with a substantially different altitude than the first location, in which case the host controller will issue an alert to a user prompting a calibration of the capnometry apparatus.