US 6,723,055 B2 · System for measuring respiratory function

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for measuring respiratory function of living organisms. More particularly, signals indicative of the change in lung volume, defined as active and passive work, required to breathe and the airflow through the respiratory system of the living organism are obtained and processed as waveforms to provide a signal indicative of the respiratory restriction. The methods of the present invention measure clinical forms of airway obstruction, airway reactivity and lung volume and may be used to continuously or intermittently monitor patients with compromised respiratory function. In a preferred embodiment, a head-out, breath in respiratory plethysmograph system provides the signals indicative of change in lung volume as related to pressure changes in a chamber. Further, flowmetric variables are generated that provide a characterization of airway obstructions.

Claims51

Dependent claims

A method for characterizing airway obstruction of a conscious living organism, comprising the steps of:

obtaining a first input signal using a constant volume plethysmograph system having a head-out, breath-in chamber, the first input signal being a pressure differential signal indicative of alveolar pressure during breathing by said living organism in a chamber;
obtaining a second input signal from a second sensor indicative of nasal airflow of said living organism;
and
processing said first input signal and said second input signal to calculate at least a third signal indicative of airway resistance;
and
characterizing airway obstructions of said living organism using the at least third signal.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for measuring respiratory function

Life of this patent

System for measuring respiratory function

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims51