Catheter device

Abstract

The invention provides a catheter (12) comprising longitudinally spaced acoustic emitters (S1, S2) and receivers (M1, M2, M3) for use in determining the locations of obstructions in an upper airway ofa patient. A plurality of emitters and plurality of receivers are provided, such that, when inserted into an upper airway or oral cavity, the relative attenuation of signals received at each receiverfrom each emitter may be used to determine the existence and / or extent of obstructions located along the propagation path between each of the various emitter-receiver pairs. Also provided are methodsfor determining the locations of obstructions in an upper airway using signals received from acoustic receivers as comprised by catheter arrangements according to embodiments of the invention.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to catheter devices and related methods for determining the location of an obstruction in the upper airway. Background technique [0002] Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common form of sleep apnea, affecting as many as one in eighteen people, and is characterized by episodes of apnea or shallow or low-frequency breathing that occur during sleep . OSA is caused by a blockage or blockage of the mouth or upper airways, usually due to loss of muscle tone as a result of aging or drug or alcohol abuse. [0003] There are a range of treatments for treating OSA, the most common of which is positive airway pressure (PAP), in which a ventilator is used to deliver a controlled flow of air through the airways in order to keep open the slack muscles that block breathing. PAP is especially appropriate in more severe cases where the patient exhibits an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >30. In more mild and moderate cases (ie, 5...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

[0005] However, a disadvantage of reflectometry techniques is that the accuracy of the cross-sectional area estimate decreases with distance from the emitter

This is complicated by acoustic leaks during the measurement process as well as patient movement, both of which further impair the accuracy of the results obtained

Furthermore, since the first blockage encountered by a wave propagating along the airway causes a large reflection of the wave's initial intensity, reflections from subsequent parts of the airway are often too weak in intensity to derive any accurate measurements

Therefore, usually only the uppermost airway obstruction can be accurately determined using these techniques

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