Capnography systems with indicator lights

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11510591-B2
Application number	US-201816032173-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 11, 2018
Priority date	Jul 11, 2018
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

Disclosed herein are systems and methods for producing an illumination pattern in a gas tube of a facially-fitting device, which is used in conjunction with a capnograph. The illumination pattern is determined by at least one illumination parameter, derived at least from measured CO 2 data, such that the illumination pattern is indicative of at least one breath-related/physiological parameter and/or one or more of the respiratory/physiological conditions determined/assessed based at least on the CO 2 data.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A capnograph for use in conjunction with a facially-fitting device for exhaled breath sampling, the capnograph comprising:
a CO 2 sensing arrangement configured to receive, via a gas tube fluidly connected to a facially-fitting device, exhaled breath from a subject monitored by the capnograph;
a control unit configured to process CO 2 sensing data, received from the CO 2 sensing arrangement to assess two or more respiratory/physiological conditions of the subject based at least on the CO 2 sensing data; and
an illumination module comprising an illumination source and configured to be associated to the gas tube and to produce two distinct illumination patterns in the gas tube, the illumination patterns being visible from outside the gas tube;
wherein the illumination patterns comprise a first illumination pattern and a second illumination pattern characterized by at least two illumination parameters, derived by the control unit, such that the illumination patterns are indicative of the at least two assessed respiratory/physiological conditions, wherein the first illumination pattern comprises a first color indicative of a first condition and the second illumination pattern comprises a second, different color indicative of a second condition, and wherein the first and second patterns are produced at the same time or sequentially in the gas tube.

2. The capnograph of claim 1 , wherein the illumination module is configured to project a light beam into the gas tube, and wherein the light beam travels along a length of the gas tube, thereby producing the illumination patterns.

3. The capnograph of claim 2 , wherein at least one illumination parameters comprises one or more of an intensity, a wavelength, a waveband/wavebands, a pulse-frequency, and a pulse-pattern.

4. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the intensity of the light beam decreases by no more than 95%, 90%, 75%, or 50% in travelling from a first end of the gas tube to a second end thereof.

5. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the illumination module comprises a plurality of illumination sources configured to emit light at two or more different wavelengths separately or simultaneously.

6. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the illumination source is a light emitting diode (LED), an LED array, a laser diode, or a laser diode array.

7. The capnograph of claim 6 , wherein the LED array/laser diode array is configured to emit light at two or more different wavelengths separately or simultaneously.

8. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the capnograph further comprises a housing, which housing comprises the CO 2 sensing arrangement, the control unit, and the illumination module.

9. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the assessed respiratory/physiological conditions are determined from the group consisting of respiration rate, CO 2 concentration, CO 2 waveform, end-tidal CO 2 (EtCO 2 ), changes in EtCO 2 , a slope of an increase in CO 2 concentration, a change in a slope of the increase in CO 2 concentration, time to rise to a predetermined percentage of a maximum value of CO 2 concentration, a change in time to rise to a predetermined percentage of a maximum value of CO 2 concentration, an angle of rise to a predetermined percentage of a maximum value of CO 2 concentration, a change in an angle of rise to a predetermined percentage of a maximum value of CO 2 concentration, breath-to-breath correlation, a change in breath-to-breath correlation, a CO 2 duty cycle, a change in CO 2 duty cycle, integrated pulmonary index (IPI), forced expiratory volume over a time interval, forced vital capacity and/or any combination thereof.

10. The capnograph of claim 3 , wherein the respiratory/physiological conditions are selected from the group consisting of bronchitis, emphysema, asthma, upper or lower airway obstruction, a presence of bronchospasm, fever, anesthesia, hypothermia, bacterial infection, and/or any combination thereof.

11. The capnograph of claim 1 , wherein the intensity of the illumination patterns change as a function of time, and wherein a rate of change of the intensity is dependent on the obtained CO 2 sensing data.

12. The capnograph of claim 11 , wherein the intensity of the illumination patterns change synchronously with a respiration rate of the subject.

13. The capnograph of claim 1 , wherein the illumination module is configured to produce a further illumination pattern in the gas tube indicative of incorrect placement of the facially-fitting device.

14. An illuminating connector, to be used with a capnograph, the connector comprising:
a hollow body comprising a first end configured to be connected to a CO 2 gas port of a capnograph, and a second end fluidly connected to the first end and configured to be connected to a gas tube;
control circuitry configured to determine one or more illumination parameters based at least on CO 2 sensing data obtained by the capnograph to produce a first illumination pattern and a second illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern comprises a first color indicative of a first respiratory/physiological condition and the second illumination pattern comprises a second, different color indicative of a second respiratory/physiological condition of the subject; and
at least one illumination source functionally associated with the control circuitry and configured to produce the illumination patterns at the same time or sequentially in the gas tube when the first end is connected to the CO 2 gas port and the second end is connected to the gas tube, wherein the illumination patterns are characterized by the illumination parameters.

15. The connector of claim 14 , further comprising a wireless communication unit, configured to be wirelessly communicatively associated with a control unit of the capnograph and configured to receive from the control unit CO 2 sensing data and/or respiratory/physiological conditions assessed, and wherein, based thereon, the control circuitry is configured to determine the illumination parameters.

16. A disposable breath-sampling assembly, configured for use with a capnograph, the breath sampling assembly comprising:
a worn, facially-fitting member configured to be fitted on a nasal/mouth region of a subject;
at least one gas tube fluidly connected, on a first end thereof, to the facially-fitting member, and configured to be detachably connectable on a second end thereof to a gas port of a capnograph;
control circuitry configured to determine one or more illumination parameters based at least on CO 2 sensing data obtained by the capnograph to produce a first illumination pattern and a second illumination pattern, wherein the first illumination pattern comprises a first color indicative of a first respiratory/physiological condition and the second illumination pattern comprises a second, different color indicative of a second respiratory/physiological condition of the subject; and
at least one illumination source functionally associated with the control circuitry and configured to produce the illumination patterns at the same time or sequentially in the gas tube when the first end is connected to the CO 2 gas port and the second end is connected to the gas tube, wherein the illumination patterns are characterized by the illumination parameters;
wherein the at least one illumination source is located in/on the gas tube or in the facially-fitting member such as to illuminate the gas tube.

17. The breath-sampling assembly of claim 16 , further comprising a wireless communication unit, configured to be wire

Assignees

• Oridion Medical 1987 Ltd

Inventors

• Kertser Michael
• Lefkovits Tzvika

Classifications

• A61B5/0836 Primary

  Measuring rate of CO2 production · CPC title

• A61B5/097

  Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices · CPC title

• A61M2230/432

  partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2) · CPC title

• A61B5/082 Primary

  Evaluation by breath analysis, e.g. determination of the chemical composition of exhaled breath (A61B5/083, A61B5/091 take precedence) · CPC title

• A61B5/0082

  adapted for particular medical purposes · CPC title