Aspiration screening process for assessing post surgery patient's risk for pneumonia
US6004268A · kind A · utility
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 21, 1998 |
| Grant date | Dec 21, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 21, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61M15/009
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Whether a post surgery intubated patient is at risk for aspiration-based pneumonia is determined by requiring the patient to inhale an aerosol of tartaric acid that will stimulate a sensory innervation of the patient's larynx, if functionally recovered, thereby causing the patient to cough. The resulting cough or lack of cough is graded to determine whether the patient is at risk for pneumonia caused by the aspiration of matter present in the patient's mouth. In a further embodiment, the inability or difficulty of a patient to voluntarily expel potentially threatening fluid and matter from the patient's airway can be remedied by repeated applications of the aerosol chemostimulant spray.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.