Patient monitoring equipment, probe for use therewith, and method of measuring anesthesia based on oesophagal contractions
US4502490A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 23, 1981 |
| Grant date | Mar 5, 1985 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 23, 2001 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61N1/36017
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of monitoring the depth of anaesthesia of a patient, comprising stimulating contractions in the oesophagus of the patient, for example using an inflatable oesophageal balloon, obtaining signals indicative of the oesophageal contractions using a sensor, and deriving from the signals an output indicative of the rate of occurrence of signals having a magnitude greater than a preset threshold value, and apparatus for carrying out the method. An alternative aspect comprises assigning a score value to each of a plurality of different bodily functions of a patient, for example heart rate, blood pressure, degree of sweating, and formation of tears, the said score values being indicative of a depth of anaesthesia or sedation, summing the score values, and producing an output from the summed score values indicative of the amount of anaesthetic to be fed to the patient.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.