Systems and Methods for Patient Fluid Management

A method of managing patient body fluid volume, comprising:

• wirelessly receiving, from a sensor implanted in the patient's IVC, signals representing changes in a physical dimension of the patient's IVC;
• processing the received signals to provide IVC metrics representative of patient fluid volume state throughout an euvolemic region defined for the patient, said IVC metrics including at least one of IVC collapsibility index (CI), IVC diameter, IVC area, and a magnitude of IVC collapse over a selected period;
• comparing said IVC metrics to predetermined values associated with a plurality of patient fluid volume states to determine a current patient fluid state;
• and
• generating an alert signal when the determined patient fluid state meets predetermined clinical limits for the patient.

A diagnostic method for monitoring patient body fluid volume, comprising:

• positioning a sensing device within the patient's IVC, the sensing device configured to measure at least one physical dimension of the IVC;
• wirelessly monitoring changes in measured IVC physical dimension over time within an euvolemic region defined for said patient;
• identifying (1) a hypovolemic warning zone for said patient encompassing a portion of the defined euvolemic region at a lower end of the euvolemic region adjacent a hypovolemic region and (2) a hypervolemic warning zone for said patient encompassing a portion of the defined euvolemic region at an upper end of the euvolemic region adjacent a hypervolemic region, wherein said euvolemic range, hypovolemic range and hypervolemic range are correlated to IVC physical dimension measurements for said patient;
• and
• signaling a warning state when measured IVC physical dimension falls within either of the hypovolemic warning zone or hypervolemic warning zone of the defined euvolemic region before the patient fluid state reaches one of the hypovolemic region or hypervolemic region, respectively.

A system for managing patient body fluid volume, comprising:

• a wireless sensing device configured to be positioned within the patient IVC to measure at least one of IVC diameter or volume and generate a measurement signal representative of the sensed measurement;
• a sensing device control module configured to wirelessly receive said measurement signal and output measurement data based on said measurement signal;
• a processor and memory, the processor configured to receive said measurement data and execute instructions contained in the memory responsive said measurement data and to receive patient specific information, said instructions comprising
• defining a euvolemic range and at least one of a hypovolemic region and a hypervolemic region for said patient wherein said euvolemic range, hypovolemic region and hypervolemic region are correlated to IVC diameter or volume measurements for the patient,
• identifying at least one of
• (i) a hypovolemic warning zone for said patient encompassing a portion of the defined euvolemic region at a lower end of the euvolemic region adjacent the hypovolemic region, and
• (ii) a hypervolemic warning zone for said patient encompassing a portion of the defined euvolemic region at an upper end of the euvolemic region adjacent the hypervolemic region, and
• generating an alert signal when measured IVC diameter or volume indicates a patient fluid state falling within either of the hypovolemic warning zone or hypervolemic warning zone of the defined euvolemic region before the patient fluid state reaches one of the hypovolemic region or hypervolemic region, respectively.