COLLATERAL VENTILATION ASSESSMENT DISPLAY SYSTEM
Disclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for assessing collateral ventilation. An illustrative embodiment includes a flow meter input communicatively coupleable with an electronic flow meter positionable to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung. A processing logic circuit is communicatively coupled with the flow meter input to process measurements of the positive pressure flow and to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time. A display device is configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the positive pressure flow over time, a continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
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The present application claims the priority and benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/849,652 filed May 17, 2019 and entitled “COLLATERAL VENTILATION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/906,542 filed Sep. 26, 2019 and entitled “COLLATERAL VENTILATION ASSESSMENT SYSTEM”; and U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/906,571 filed Sep. 26, 2019 and entitled “COLLATERAL VENTILATION ASSESSMENT DISPLAY SYSTEM.”
FIELDThe present disclosure relates to apparatuses, systems, and methods for testing one or more lobes of a patient's lungs for collateral ventilation.
BACKGROUNDThe statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
A number of respiratory ailments, such as emphysema, may result in a patient not being able to effectively exhale air from one or more lobes of his or her lungs. The resulting hyperinflation of the lungs may prevent the patient from being able to draw sufficient oxygen and, thus, may greatly affect the patient's health. Treatments, such as implantation of a one-way endobronchial valve in a bronchial passageway to a poorly functioning lobe may block air from entering that compartment to help prevent hyperinflation of that lobe.
Such treatments may not be effective when a patent suffers from collateral ventilation, where air flows between lobes of the lungs rather than through the proper passageways into each lobe. To avoid wasteful implantation of an endobronchial valve or the use of other treatment where it will not be effective, it is important to be able to detect when collateral ventilation occurs in a patient's lungs.
SUMMARYDisclosed embodiments include apparatuses, systems, and methods for determining whether collateral ventilation occurs in a patient's lungs.
In an illustrative embodiment, an apparatus includes an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively seal the bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested. A flow lumen sealably extends through the occlusion device to a distal end and has a proximal end receptive of a positive pressure flow into the flow lumen. A check valve is pneumatically coupleable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent a backflow of pressure from the distal end of the flow lumen. A flow meter is pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen. The occlusion device is insertable into the bronchial passageway to the occluded lobe. Measurements of the flow meter of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe are monitorable to assess a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
In another illustrative embodiment, a system includes an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively seal the bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested. A flow lumen sealably extends through the occlusion device to a distal end and having a proximal end receptive of a positive pressure flow into the flow lumen. A pressure source is pneumatically couplable to the proximal end of the flow lumen to provide the positive pressure flow. A check valve is pneumatically coupleable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent a backflow of pressure from the distal end of the flow lumen. A flow meter is pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen. A measurement apparatus is communicatively couplable with the flow meter to monitor the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen to the occluded lobe over time to assess presence of collateral ventilation out of the occluded lobe.
In a further illustrative embodiment, a method includes occluding a bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested. A positive pressure flow of air from a continuous positive airway pressure source configured to prevent the positive pressure flow from distending the occluded lobe is introduced into the lobe downstream of the occluded bronchial passageway. The positive pressure flow of air into the occluded lobe is monitored to detect at least one characteristic chosen from a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
In an illustrative embodiment, a measurement apparatus includes a flow meter input communicatively coupleable with an electronic flow meter positionable to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung. A processing logic circuit is communicatively coupled with the flow meter input to process measurements of the positive pressure flow and to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time. A display device is configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time, a continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a lack of collateral ventilation from the lobe and a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a presence of collateral ventilation from the lobe.
In another illustrative embodiment, a system includes an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively seal the bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested. A flow lumen sealably extends through the occlusion device to a distal end and having a proximal end receptive of a positive pressure flow into the flow lumen. A pressure source is pneumatically couplable to the proximal end of the flow lumen to provide the positive pressure flow. A check valve is pneumatically coupleable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent a backflow of pressure from the distal end of the flow lumen. A flow meter is pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe. A measurement apparatus is communicatively couplable with the flow meter to monitor the positive pressure flow to the occluded lobe over time to assess presence of collateral ventilation out of the lobe. The measurement apparatus includes a processing logic circuit communicatively coupled with the flow meter input to process measurements of the positive pressure flow and to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe over time. A display device is configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the digital representation of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe. A continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe indicates a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe indicates a presence of collateral ventilation from the lobe.
In still another illustrative embodiment, a method includes receiving measurements from an electronic flow meter positioned to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung. The measurements of the positive pressure flow over time are processed to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time. A viewable representation of the measurements of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time is generated from which a user can discern changes in the positive pressure flow indicative of a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
Further features, advantages, and areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It will be appreciated that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, with emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the drawings:
The following description is merely illustrative in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It will be noted that the first digit of three-digit reference numbers and the first two digits of four-digit reference numbers correspond to the first digit of one-digit figure numbers and the first two-digits of the figure numbers, respectively, in which the element first appears.
The following description explains, by way of illustration only and not of limitation, various embodiments of systems, apparatuses, and methods for assessing collateral ventilation between lobes of a lung.
Referring to
Now that an overview has been given, details will be explained by way of examples given by way of illustration only and not of limitation.
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The system 100 further includes the pressure source 120, the flow meter 140, the check valve 144, and an inflation device 150 (to selectively inflate the occlusion device 110). In various embodiments, the flow lumen 160 (which may incorporate an inflation lumen for the occlusion device 110) is coupled downstream of the check valve 144 and the inflation device 150 at a coupling 152 (which may include a Luer lock or similar device to connect the flow lumen 160). Operation of the system 110 and assessing collateral ventilation is performed by the measurement apparatus 190, the operation of which is further described below with reference to
In various embodiments, the system 100 occludes the lobe 182 of the lung 180 to be tested by blocking the bronchial passageway 184 to the lobe 182 with the occlusion device 110. Referring to
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An output of the pressure source 120 passes through the flow meter 140. In various embodiments, the flow meter 140 includes an electronic mass flow meter. Using an electronic mass flow meter enables electronic monitoring of the pressure flow by the measurement apparatus 190. Also, using an electronic mass flow meter, rather than a mechanical flow meter, provides a more accurate reading of the flow to be able to discern even small changes in flow of gas through the flow lumen 160 into the occluded lobe 182 that may indicate the presence of collateral ventilation out of the occluded lobe 184.
Downstream of the flow meter, the check valve 144 blocks a flow of pressure back from the flow lumen 160. However, to allow the flow generated by the pressure source 120 at a noninjurious level to be conveyed to the lobe 184, in various embodiments, the check valve 144 should have a low opening or cracking pressure. Specifically, the opening or cracking pressure should be less than one-tenth pound per square inch or on the order of hundredths of pounds per square inch. For example, a Qosina™ “High Flow Check Valve” Model 91008 has a cracking pressure of 0.040 pounds per square inch that is well-suited for use in the system 100. The low cracking pressure of the check valve 144 allows the pressure source 120 to be in the nature of a CPAP device. It will be appreciated that such a device can drive a flow of air into the flow lumen 160 at a level which is noninjurious even to a potentially weakened lobe 184 while still providing a seal against backflow from the flow lumen 160.
The flow lumen 160 is connected at the coupling 152. When the flow lumen 160 is integral with the inflation lumen 262 (
With the lobe 184 occluded by the occlusion device 110 and a pressure prepared to be applied through the flow lumen 160, testing can begin by activating the pressure source 120 and measuring the flow through the flow lumen 160 into the occluded lobe 184 using the flow meter 140. The measured flow may be monitored with the measurement apparatus 190, as described with reference to
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The processing logic 1220 includes an electronic circuit or comparable system that is operably coupled to the flow meter input 1210 to receive data from the flow meter 140 and to the display 1230 to display data to the user indicative of whether collateral ventilation exists in the lobe being tested. The processing logic 1220 may include a computing system as further described with reference to
Referring to
The computing system 1300 may also have additional features or functionality. For example, the computing system 1300 may also include additional data storage devices (removable and/or non-removable) such as, for example, magnetic disks, optical disks, tape, or flash memory. Such additional storage is illustrated in
In various embodiments, the computing system 1330 may also have input device(s) 1360 such as a keyboard, mouse, pen, voice input device, touchscreen input device, etc. Output device(s) 1370 such as a display, speakers, printer, short range transceivers such as a Bluetooth transceiver, etc., may also be included. In various embodiments, the computing system 1330 may include a touch-sensitive display which integrates attributes of an output device 1370 and an input device 1360, enabling a user to interact with information and user-selectable controls presented via the display. Thus, the display 1230 of the measurement apparatus 190 may include a touch-sensitive display enabling a user to control operations of the measurement apparatus 190 and review information presented by the measurement apparatus 190.
The computing system 1300 also may include one or more communication connections 1380 that allow the computing system 1300 to communicate with other computing systems 1390, such as over a wired or wireless network or via Bluetooth (a Bluetooth transceiver may be regarded as an input/output device and a communications connection). The one or more communication connections 1380 are an example of communication media. Available forms of communication media typically carry computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules or other data in a modulated data signal such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any information delivery media. The term “modulated data signal” may include a signal that has one or more of its characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encode information in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation, communication media may include wired media such as a wired network or direct-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, RF, infrared and other wireless media. The term computer readable media as used herein includes both storage media and communication media.
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It will be appreciated that the detailed description set forth above is merely illustrative in nature and variations that do not depart from the gist and/or spirit of the claimed subject matter are intended to be within the scope of the claims. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the claimed subject matter.
Claims
1. An apparatus comprising:
- a flow meter input communicatively coupleable with an electronic flow meter positionable to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung;
- a processing logic circuit communicatively coupled with the flow meter input to process measurements of the positive pressure flow and to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time; and
- a display device configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the positive pressure flow over time, a continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicating a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital representation presents the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe in relation to respiration of the lung.
3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital representation further includes an average of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe over time.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing logic circuit is further configured to automatically adjust a displayed scale of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe in the digital representation to a highest detected positive pressure.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the processing logic circuit is further configured to automatically adjust a displayed scale of a measurement time in the digital representation to accommodate an increasing duration through which the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe is measured.
6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user scale input communicatively coupled with the processing logic circuit to receive a user input to adjust at least one of a displayed scale of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe and a displayed scale of a measurement time presented in the digital representation.
7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a user test control input communicatively coupled with a positive pressure source pneumatically couplable with the occluded lobe to control the generation of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital representation is presented as a graphical user interface that includes at least one input controllable by a user via an input to the processing logic circuit viewable via the display.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the display device includes a touch-sensitive display device configured to receive the at least one user input via user engagement with a surface of the display device.
10. A system comprising:
- an occlusion device insertable into a bronchial passageway to selectively seal the bronchial passageway to occlude a lobe of a lung to be tested;
- a flow lumen that sealably extends through the occlusion device to a distal end and having a proximal end receptive of a positive pressure flow into the flow lumen;
- a pressure source pneumatically couplable to the proximal end of the flow lumen to provide the positive pressure flow;
- a check valve pneumatically coupleable with the flow lumen to permit the positive pressure flow to pass to the distal end of the flow lumen and to prevent a backflow of pressure from the distal end of the flow lumen;
- a flow meter pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to measure the positive pressure flow passing through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe; and
- a measurement apparatus communicatively couplable with the flow meter to monitor the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen to the occluded lobe over time to assess presence of collateral ventilation out of the occluded lobe, wherein the measurement apparatus includes: a processing logic circuit communicatively coupled with the flow meter input to process measurements of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe over time and to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe over time; and a display device configured to receive the digital representation and visually present the positive pressure flow over time, a continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe indicating a lack of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe and a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe indicating a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
11. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital representation presents the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe in relation to respiration of the lung.
12. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital representation further includes an average of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe over time.
13. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing logic circuit is further configured to automatically adjust a displayed scale of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe in the digital representation to a highest detected positive pressure.
14. The system of claim 10, wherein the processing logic circuit is further configured to automatically adjust a displayed scale of a measurement time in the digital representation to accommodate an increasing duration through which the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe is measured.
15. The system of claim 10, further comprising a user scale input communicatively coupled with the processing logic circuit to receive a user input to adjust at least one of a displayed scale of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe and a displayed scale of a measurement time presented in the digital representation.
16. The system of claim 10, further comprising a user test control input communicatively coupled with a positive pressure source pneumatically couplable with the flow lumen to control the generation of the positive pressure flow through the flow lumen into the occluded lobe.
17. The system of claim 10, wherein the digital representation is presented as a graphical user interface that includes at least one input controllable by a user via an input to the processing logic circuit viewable via the display.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the display device includes a touch-sensitive display device configured to receive the at least one user input via user engagement with a surface of the display device.
19. A method comprising:
- receiving measurements from an electronic flow meter positioned to monitor a positive pressure flow into a selectively occluded lobe of a lung;
- processing the measurements of the positive pressure flow over time to generate a digital representation of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time; and
- generating a viewable representation of the measurements of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe over time from which a user can discern changes in the positive pressure flow indicative of a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein:
- a continual decrease over time of the positive pressure flow into the occluded lobe indicates a lack of collateral ventilation from the lobe; and
- a stabilization over time of the positive pressure flow into the lobe indicates a presence of collateral ventilation from the occluded lobe.
Type: Application
Filed: May 14, 2020
Publication Date: Nov 19, 2020
Applicant: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. (Southborough, MA)
Inventor: Paul W. Taylor (Redmond, WA)
Application Number: 16/874,511