Method of assessing pulmonary stress and a breathing apparatus
AssigneeSiemens Elema AB
InventorUrban Blomberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a method for assessing pulmonary stress, a volume of respiratory gas is received from the lungs of a subject, an ensuing pressure is measured and the pressure-volume (P-V) relationship is analyzed. The analysis includes a determination of the profile of the pressure-volume (P-V) relationship. The profile is straight when no stress is present, convex when there is a risk for over-distension and concave when alveolar units are opened up. Implemented in a breathing apparatus the method can be used to assist an operator in diagnostic and therapeutic considerations in relation to a patient.
Claims15
A method for assessing pulmonary stress, comprising the steps of:
- obtaining a volume of expired gas from a passively expiring subject;
- measuring pressure in relation to said volume;
- and
- assessing pulmonary stress of said subject by determining a profile of said pressure-volume relationship.
A breathing apparatus comprising:
- a gas flow path adapted for connection to a respirating, passively expiring subject;
- a gas regulator connected to said gas flow path, and a control unit for controlling said gas regulator dependent on at least one set parameter to regulate gas flow in said gas flow path;
- a pressure gauge connected to said gas flow path for measuring pressure in said gas flow path;
- a volume measuring arrangement connected to said gas flow path for measuring a volume of expired gas from said subject in said gas flow path;
- and
- said control unit assessing pulmonary stress of said subject by determining a relationship between said pressure and said volume in said gas flow path, and assessing pulmonary stress of said subject by determining a profile of said pressure-volume relationship, and controlling said gas regulator dependent on said pulmonary stress.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.