Devices, systems, and methods of monitoring arterial carbon dioxide

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12478292-B2
Application number	US-202017081098-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 27, 2020
Priority date	Oct 28, 2019
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

Disclosed are devices and systems for monitoring and measuring arterial carbon dioxide, including those with an occlusive earpiece, a housing and a carbon dioxide sensor. A pressure sensor may also be provided. The devices and methods can monitor for altered carbon dioxide production and ventilator impairment and provide alerts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An arterial carbon dioxide monitoring device, comprising:
a housing; an earpiece coupled to the housing, the earpiece being configured to provide a hermetic seal enclosing a patient's external auditory canal; and a carbon dioxide sensor located within the housing for measuring arterial carbon dioxide levels in arterial blood vessels of the patient's tympanic membrane and external auditory canal; wherein the hermetic seal is configured to create equilibration between airspace contained in the external auditory canal and the arterial blood vessels.

2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor measures arterial carbon dioxide levels by measuring changes in carbon dioxide diffusion from the arterial blood vessels of the tympanic membrane and external auditory canal.

3 . The device of claim 2 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor quantifies gas diffusion through the tympanic membrane and the external auditory canal.

4 . The device of claim 1 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor monitors for altered carbon dioxide production and ventilatory impairment.

5 . The device of claim 4 further comprising an alert system providing alerts in an event of the altered carbon dioxide production or ventilatory impairment.

6 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a user display including one or more buttons.

7 . The device of claim 6 further comprising a lock-unlock feature to prevent accidental pressing of the one or more buttons.

8 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensor located within the housing, the pressure sensor measuring pressure changes in the patient's ear.

9 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a stability hook coupled to the earpiece to allow the device to be stably attached to the patient's ear.

10 . The device of claim 1 wherein the earpiece defines a tube running therethrough.

11 . A system for measuring arterial carbon dioxide levels, comprising:
an occlusive earpiece having a proximal end and a distal end and being configured to provide a hermetic seal enclosing a patient's external auditory canal; and a carbon dioxide sensor for measuring arterial carbon dioxide levels in arterial blood vessels of the patient's tympanic membrane and external auditory canal; wherein the hermetic seal is configured to create equilibration between airspace contained in the external auditory canal and the arterial blood vessels.

12 . The system of claim 11 wherein the occlusive earpiece defines a tube running therethrough.

13 . The system of claim 11 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is located at or near the proximal end of the occlusive earpiece.

14 . The system of claim 11 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor is located at or near the distal end of the occlusive earpiece and is configured to be directly exposed to the auditory canal.

15 . The system of claim 12 wherein the occlusive earpiece has a diffusible membrane that allows diffusion of carbon dioxide into the tube and the carbon dioxide sensor is located in the diffusible membrane.

16 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a pressure sensor measuring pressure changes in the patient's ear.

17 . The system of claim 11 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor measures arterial carbon dioxide levels by measuring changes in carbon dioxide diffusion from the arterial blood vessels of the tympanic membrane and external auditory canal.

18 . The system of claim 17 further comprising a housing coupled to the occlusive earpiece.

19 . The system of claim 11 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor monitors for the altered carbon dioxide production and ventilatory impairment and further comprises an alert system providing alerts in an event of altered carbon dioxide production or ventilatory impairment.

20 . The system of claim 11 further comprising a stability hook coupled to the occlusive earpiece to allow the occlusive earpiece to be stably attached to the patient's ear.

21 . The device of claim 10 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor measures carbon dioxide within the tube.

22 . The device of claim 10 wherein the earpiece has a diffusible membrane that allows diffusion of carbon dioxide into the tube and the carbon dioxide sensor is located in the diffusible membrane.

23 . The system of claim 12 wherein the carbon dioxide sensor measures carbon dioxide within the tube.

Assignees

• Univ New York State Res Found

Inventors

• Page Christopher
• Dhar Yosman

Classifications

• A61B5/08

  Measuring devices for evaluating the respiratory organs · CPC title

• A61B5/746

  Alarms related to a physiological condition, e.g. details of setting alarm thresholds or avoiding false alarms · CPC title

• A61B5/7475

  User input or interface means, e.g. keyboard, pointing device, joystick · CPC title

• A61B5/742

  using visual displays (displays for heart-related electrical signals, e.g. ECG, A61B5/339) · CPC title

• A61B2562/0247

  Pressure sensors · CPC title