Surgery – Diagnostic testing – Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-18
2001-01-09
Hindenburg, Max (Department: 3736)
Surgery
Diagnostic testing
Measuring anatomical characteristic or force applied to or...
C600S300000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06171264
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a medical measuring system and in particular to a method and a system for portable measurement, surveillance, transmission recording and analysis of physical, physiological and other functions and parameters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
In various medical areas it is sometimes necessary to perform measurements and surveillance during long periods of time. Examples of such medical areas could be neurology, cardiology, telemedicine, long-term nursing and home nursing. During such long-term measurements, which typically last for days, the patient must at all time be connected to the measuring equipment in order for a continuous measurement to occur.
Furthermore, in most cases such measurements must be supervised by qualified personnel in order to prevent interruptions in the measurements and to check that the condition of the patient does not worsen. The latter is very important since measurements of the kind mentioned above often are included in treatment as follow-up examinations or in investigations for establishing a diagnosis. Thus, it is common that the person responsible for correctly carrying out the measurements is a doctor.
These long term measurements must therefore be carried out using ambulatory measurement equipment, since the patient can hardly be expected to remain in bed during the long periods required for obtaining a continuous series of measurements. Further, the measuring equipment must be located at a hospital in order to there be supervised by a doctor in charge.
This is of course expensive for the payer of the hospital care and not particularly comfortable for the patient who cannot leave the hospital despite the fact that he/she is not in any need of hospitalization at the movement.
SUMMARY
It is an object of the present invention to reduce the costs resulting from long-term measurements.
It is another object of the present invention to improve the environment and reduce the difficulties for patients who need to undergo long-term measurements.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a measuring pad for measurements of physical and physiological parameters, which is very sensitive and which therefore can be located at a fairly long distance from a patient, for example beneath a thick mattress or even under a bed.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a pre-amplifier, which is easy to handle and which produces or eliminates the risk for erroneous handling, and which is suited to be used together with the measuring equipment.
These objects and others are obtained by means of a method and system by means of which the measurements can be carried out at a distance from a hospital. Thus the patient is connected to a measuring system comprising measuring sensors and a unit for collecting data comprising a transmitter. The unit for collecting data preferably also comprises means for performing different analyses. The system also comprises a centrally located surveillance unit.
The measuring sensors sense various physical and physiological parameters, for example brain activities, actions of the heart, respiration, blood pressure, blood values/tests and body movements. The sensed signals are transmitted to a portable small device of low weight for collecting and/or analysing data, which is connected to a central surveillance unit, for example via the public switched telephone network (PSTN), a radio system, in particular a cellular radio system, or via a satellite communication. The central surveillance unit is monitored by qualified personnel which can follow the measurements and also in certain cases reprogram the unit for collecting and analysing data during an ongoing measurement.
In a preferred embodiment the measuring sensors comprise a preamplifier having an identification circuit. The identification circuit is used for providing each preamplifier with a unique identity. The fact that each preamplifier is given a unique identity makes it possible for the unit collecting and analysing data to automatically check if the correct pre-amplifier has been attached to the correct input terminal and, if that is not the case, either correct the error or give a signal indicating that an erroneous connection has been made.
In yet another preferred embodiment a measuring pad for measuring physical and physiological parameters is provided. The measuring pad comprises a film having piezo and/or pyro electrical characteristics, for example a PVF-film (Poly Vinyl Fluoride), or any other sensor having similar properties. By using such a film, which can convert movements into an electrical signal several advantages are achieved. Thus, a measuring pad comprising such a film is easy to fold together and can be made very sensitive, whereby it can be placed beneath the mattress or even under the bed in which the patient is lying.
Furthermore, the signals transmitted to/from the central surveillance unit can be image/video signals (if a camera is connected to the system), audio signals (such as speech), text signals (for transmission of prescriptions etc.) as well as biological signals. In this manner the personnel at the surveillance end of the system can have full access to information required for providing the patient with proper medical treatment at distance.
The use of the system as described herein provides a number of advantages compared to the prior art. Thus, the patient no longer needs to be in a hospital but can instead be at home or at an another suitable location. Hence, by using the system the cost for hospital care is reduced or eliminated. Furthermore the patient can move around freely due to the fact that the measuring system and auxiliary equipment used for collecting data are made small and of low weight.
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patent: 5729205 (1998-03-01), Kwon
patent: 5810747 (1998-09-01), Brudny et al.
patent: WO 93/16636 (1993-09-01), None
Biosys AB
Hindenburg Max
Nixon & Vanderhye P.C.
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