Monitoring device for pneumothorax
By integrating a camera and signal processor into the drainage bottle, the difference in fluid level can be monitored in real time, solving the problem that existing drainage bottles cannot monitor intrapleural pressure, thus achieving automation and improving the safety of pneumothorax treatment.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-03-24
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-24
AI Technical Summary
Existing drainage bottles have a simple structure and cannot monitor the intrapleural pressure in real time. They require additional pressure sensors and manual monitoring, which increases costs and complexity, and cannot promptly alert to abnormal situations.
A monitoring device comprising a drainage bottle, a camera, an image processing unit, and a signal processor was designed. By monitoring the difference in liquid level in real time, the device automatically compares and alarms, thereby achieving real-time monitoring of intrapleural pressure and alarming of abnormal situations.
It enables automated monitoring of the pneumothorax treatment process, reduces the workload of medical staff, can monitor the intrapleural pressure in real time and issue timely alarms, thus improving the safety and efficiency of treatment.
Smart Images
Figure CN224023966U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present utility model relates to the field of medical devices in general, and more particularly, to a monitoring device for pneumothorax, which can be used for pneumothorax monitoring, for example, to assist medical staff in monitoring the intrapleural pressure and treatment effect. BACKGROUND
[0002] The pleural cavity (referred to as the thoracic cavity) is composed of the parietal layer and the visceral layer of the pleura, and is a closed compartment without air. When the pleura is damaged due to trauma or lung disease, air can enter the pleural cavity to form pneumothorax. For example, when lung injury is caused by a traffic accident, gas can enter the thoracic cavity through the lung injury site, and blood or exudate or pus from the lung or other internal organs or tissues can also accumulate in the thoracic cavity, causing the intrapleural pressure to rise, squeezing the internal organs, and causing various physical function problems. Therefore, it is necessary to drain excess gas and / or liquid from the thoracic cavity to restore the thoracic cavity to a normal negative pressure state.
[0003] Currently, the main treatments for pneumothorax are pleural cavity puncture and air extraction and thoracic closed drainage, and the basic principle of both is to drain the gas from the cavity outside the thoracic cavity. The drainage bottle is one of the medical devices commonly used for treating pneumothorax, which can drain excess gas or liquid from the thoracic cavity, thereby reducing the intrapleural pressure. However, the existing drainage bottle has a simple structure and single function. Generally, the drainage bottle is made of hard glass or plastic bottle or soft plastic bag, which is used to contain various liquids such as pleural effusion, pus, and blood extracted from the patient's body. However, the drainage bottle cannot provide information about the state of the intrapleural pressure. In order to determine the intrapleural pressure, a pressure sensor needs to be provided in the drainage tube inserted into the patient's thoracic cavity, which is complex in structure and high in cost. In addition, medical staff need to manually monitor the drainage process, such as replacing the drainage bottle when necessary, and preventing sudden accidents such as internal bleeding from occurring to the patient during the drainage process. SUMMARY
[0004] The present utility model provides a monitoring device for pneumothorax, which can be used for pneumothorax monitoring, and can monitor the treatment process and the intrapleural pressure state (i.e. the treatment effect) in real time. In some preferred modes, various abnormal conditions can be alarmed in real time.
[0005] According to an exemplary embodiment, there is provided a monitoring device for pneumothorax, comprising: a drainage bottle comprising a bottle body and a bottle cap at an upper portion of the bottle body; a catheter vertically extending through the bottle cap, a lower end of the catheter extending to a vicinity of a bottom of the bottle body, and an upper end of the catheter extending above the bottle cap and being configured to be connected to a drainage tube for draining liquid and / or gas in a chest cavity of a patient into the bottle body; a camera disposed at a side of the drainage bottle and configured to acquire an image of the drainage bottle; an image processing unit connected to the camera to receive the image and configured to process the image to identify a liquid level in the catheter and a liquid level in the bottle body and generate a corresponding liquid level height data signal; and a signal processor connected to the image processing unit and configured to output a height difference value between the liquid level in the catheter and the liquid level in the bottle body according to the liquid level height data signal in the catheter and the liquid level height data signal in the bottle body.
[0006] In an example, the monitoring device for pneumothorax further comprises: a first comparison circuit connected to the signal processor to receive the height difference value, compare the height difference value with a first threshold value, and output a first indication signal indicating a comparison result; and an alarm unit connected to the first comparison circuit to receive the first indication signal and output an alarm signal according to the first indication signal.
[0007] In an example, the bottle cap further comprises a vent hole to equalize an air pressure inside the bottle body to an atmospheric pressure.
[0008] In an example, before starting the drainage, the drainage bottle contains a bottom liquid, and the lower end of the catheter extends below a liquid level of the bottom liquid to be liquid-sealed by the bottom liquid.
[0009] In an example, the monitoring device for pneumothorax further comprises: a second comparison circuit connected to the image processing unit to receive the liquid level height value data signal in the bottle body, compare the height value with a second threshold value, and generate a second indication signal indicating a comparison result when the height value is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, and the alarm unit is further connected to the second comparison circuit to receive the second indication signal and output an alarm signal in response to the second indication signal.
[0010] In an example, the monitoring device for pneumothorax further comprises a frame for accommodating the drainage bottle, the frame having a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls surrounding an internal space for accommodating the drainage bottle, and a top wall covering the drainage bottle and exposing only the bottle cap of the drainage bottle, the camera is mounted on a first side wall of the plurality of side walls to acquire an image of a first side of the drainage bottle, and the camera is spaced apart from the first side by a predetermined distance.
[0011] In an example, the monitoring device for pneumothorax further comprises one or more lighting devices arranged in the frame for illuminating the drainage bottle.
[0012] In an example, an inner wall of at least one side wall of the frame is formed with a guide rail to guide the drainage bottle to be placed in a predetermined position in the frame, thereby being spaced apart from the camera by a predetermined distance.
[0013] In an example, a second side wall of the frame adjacent to or opposite to the first side wall is formed with an observation window via which a capacity mark on a second side of the drainage bottle and a catheter in the drainage bottle are exposed.
[0014] In an example, the bottom wall, the plurality of side walls and the top wall of the frame are all formed of an opaque material, and the observation window is covered with a one-way light transmission film so that light inside the frame can be transmitted to the outside while light from the outside cannot be incident into the frame.
[0015] In an example, the frame is a cuboid as a whole.
[0016] In an example, the monitoring and treatment device for pneumothorax further comprises a display screen arranged on one side wall of the frame or separately from the frame and connected with the image processing unit for displaying drainage state information determined by the image processing unit.
[0017] In an example, the alarm unit comprises an LED lamp or a buzzer.
[0018] According to some embodiments, the drainage bottle is used to close the pleural cavity from the outside with a bottom liquid, and as the lung expands, the gas (and possibly liquid) in the pleural cavity is discharged, realizing the treatment process of pneumothorax. The monitoring device of the utility model can judge the real-time state of the pressure in the pleural cavity based on the drainage process, and can also monitor information such as drainage volume, flow rate, color, etc., and display the relevant information on the display screen or convey it to the patient and medical staff in the form of an alarm. For example, the drainage device can send an alarm signal to indicate whether the pressure in the pleural cavity has reached the desired negative pressure state, and can also send an alarm when the drainage liquid reaches the maximum dose to remind medical staff to replace the drainage bottle, etc. Therefore, the monitoring and treatment device for pneumothorax of the utility model can realize the treatment of pneumothorax and the automatic monitoring of the treatment process, reducing the labor of medical staff.
[0019] The above and other features and advantages of the drainage device of the utility model will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0020] Figure 1A schematic view of a drainage bottle for pleural drainage according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.
[0021] Figure 2 A schematic view of a monitoring device for pneumothorax according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, which comprises Figure 1 a drainage bottle and a frame for accommodating the drainage bottle.
[0022] Figure 3 A schematic view of a monitoring device for pneumothorax according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, which mainly shows the frame part.
[0023] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A schematic view of an observation window on the frame for accommodating the drainage bottle according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.
[0024] Figure 5 A schematic view of a processing circuit provided in the frame according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.
[0025] Figure 6 A schematic view of an image processing unit in the processing circuit according to an embodiment of the present application is shown.
[0026] Figure 7 A schematic view of a monitoring device for pneumothorax according to another embodiment of the present application is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0027] Exemplary embodiments of the present application are described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals generally indicate like elements. It should be understood that the sizes and relative sizes of the components shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale. They can differ from the sizes and relative sizes of the different embodiments shown herein for purposes of illustration.
[0028] Figure 1 A schematic view of a drainage bottle 110 for pleural drainage according to an embodiment of the present application is shown. As shown, Figure 1 the drainage bottle 110 comprises a bottle body 112, which can be formed of transparent materials such as glass, plastic, etc., and can be formed in various shapes for accommodating drainage liquid, for example, can be formed to have a generally rectangular, square, circular, elliptical cross section. The upper part of the bottle body 112 has a bottle cap 114 covering the bottle mouth, Figure 1The bottle cap 114 is shown in the form of a stopper, but it can also be formed in other forms of bottle cap, such as a screw-on bottle cap. A conduit 116 extends vertically through the bottle cap 114, with a lower end of the conduit 116 extendable to a vicinity of a bottom of the bottle body 112, and an upper end of the conduit 116 extendable above the bottle cap 114 for connection to a drainage tube (not shown). The conduit 116 is also formed of a transparent material, such as glass, plastic, etc., and preferably the conduit 116 is formed of a hard material to facilitate connection of the drainage tube and measurement of a liquid level in the conduit, which will be described in detail later. The drainage tube can be formed of a soft material, such as flexible plastic, with one end connected to the conduit 116 and the other end insertable into a chest cavity of a patient to perform a drainage process. In one embodiment, a vent hole 118 can also be formed in the bottle cap 114 so that the air pressure in the bottle body 112 is the same as the atmospheric pressure.
[0029] With continued reference to Figure 1 Before the drainage is performed, a certain amount of base liquid 101 can be contained in the bottle body 112, which can be, for example, normal saline, or other liquid with gas washing or gas absorption function, without limitation to the specific composition here. The lower end of the conduit 116 extends to a vicinity of the bottom of the bottle body 112 and is covered by the base liquid 101, so that the lower end of the conduit 116 is sealed by the base liquid 101, also referred to as liquid seal. In this way, the communication between the environment in the pleural cavity of the patient and the outside environment can be isolated. In one embodiment, a capacity marker 113 can also be formed on the bottle body 112, and the capacity marker 113 is preferably formed near a position close to the conduit 116. The capacity marker 113 can indicate the volume of the drainage liquid contained in the bottle body 112, for example, in milliliters (ml), and the volume value can be further multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the bottle body 112 to obtain a liquid level height value, so that the liquid level height in the bottle body 112 and the liquid level height in the conduit 116 can be determined according to the capacity marker 113, which will be described in detail later. In another embodiment, the capacity marker 113 can also display the liquid level height, for example, in millimeters, which can be further multiplied by the cross-sectional area of the bottle body 112 to obtain the volume of the drainage liquid.
[0030] The drainage bottle 110 of the utility model can be placed in a frame 120, so that the drainage bottle 110 and the frame 120 together form the monitoring device 100 for pneumothorax of the utility model, as shown in Figure 2 The specific operation and function of the monitoring device 100 for pneumothorax will be described in detail later. Here, first refer to Figure 2The frame 120 can include a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls, and a top wall that enclose an interior space in which the drainage bottle 110 can be received. The bottom wall and the plurality of side walls can be integrally formed, for example, by an injection molding or blow molding process, and the top wall can be movable or detachable so that the top wall can be closed after the drainage bottle 110 is placed into the frame 120, leaving only the bottle cap 114 of the drainage bottle 110 and the catheter 116 and the vent hole 118 thereon exposed. The bottom wall, the side walls, and the top wall of the frame 120 can be formed of an opaque material, such as metal, plastic, ceramic, wood, or the like, so that the drainage bottle 110 contained therein is not exposed. An observation window 121 can be formed in one of the side walls of the frame 120, and a guide rail 129 can be formed on one or more of the interior walls of the frame 120 so that when the drainage bottle 110 is placed into the frame 120, the drainage bottle 110 is secured in a predetermined position so that the capacity markings 113 on the bottle body 112 and the catheter 116 of the drainage bottle 110 are exposed through the observation window 121 so that the liquid level in the bottle body 112 and the liquid level in the catheter 116 can be viewed.
[0031] Referring to Figure 3 which shows a frame structure of the pneumothorax monitoring device according to an embodiment of the present application. In this embodiment, the frame 120 can be in the overall cuboid structure to accommodate the drainage bottle 110 and other auxiliary elements or devices. As shown, the top wall and a side wall panel (on which the observation window 121 is formed) of the frame 120 can be integrally formed as a first part of the frame, while the bottom wall and the other side walls can also be integrally formed as a second part of the frame. After the drainage bottle and the auxiliary elements are placed in the interior space of the frame, the first part of the frame 120 can be fixed to the second part by means of buckles, screws, or the like to form an integral whole. Among them, the top wall is provided with an opening to facilitate the upward extension of the catheter 116 and the connection with the drainage tube (for example, through a T-tube joint), and the side wall panel is provided with an observation window 121 to facilitate the observation of the drainage condition.
[0032] Returning to Figure 2 A camera 122 can be provided on the side wall of the frame 120 adjacent to or opposite to the side wall on which the observation window 121 is formed, and a lighting device 123, such as an LED lamp, can be provided on one or more of the interior walls of the frame 120, so that when the lighting device 123 illuminates the drainage bottle 110, the camera 122 can image the side of the drainage bottle. The camera 122 and the drainage bottle 110 can be spaced apart by a predetermined distance so that the camera 122 can see a large enough portion of the side of the drainage bottle 110. Although Figure 2Only one lighting device 123 is shown, but it should be understood that multiple lighting devices 123 can be provided at different positions to sufficiently illuminate the drainage bottle 110 without creating shadows. Preferably, the lighting device 123 emits white light so as not to affect the color of the drainage liquid contained in the drainage bottle 110. As mentioned previously, the frame 120 is formed of an opaque material, while the viewing window 121 can comprise a transparent material such as glass or transparent plastic, and a one-way light transmission film can be coated on the viewing window 121 so that light inside the frame 120 can be transmitted to the outside via the viewing window 121, while ambient light from the outside cannot be transmitted to the inside of the frame 120 via the viewing window 121. In this embodiment, the frame 120 forms a black box structure, and ambient light from the outside cannot be irradiated to the inside of the frame 120, so that the ambient light from the outside can be prevented from irradiating the drainage liquid and changing the imaging color of the drainage liquid.
[0033] In one embodiment, continuing to refer to Figure 2 A battery compartment 124 can also be provided in the frame 120 for mounting a battery, which can power various electronic devices mounted in the frame 120. In another embodiment, the frame 120 can also be connected to a power supply socket through a cable with a plug to receive power. A processing circuit 125 can also be provided in the frame 120, which can be arranged on a printed circuit board, for example. The processing circuit 125 can process the drainage bottle images captured by the camera 122, which will be described in detail below. According to the image processing result, the processing circuit 125 can trigger an alarm circuit 126 to issue a corresponding alarm signal, which will also be described in detail below. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2 The alarm circuit 126 can include multiple LED indicator lights 127, such as indicator lights of different colors to indicate different states, or can include a buzzer 128, which can emit different sound signals to send an alarm. Alternatively, the above-mentioned processing circuit 125, alarm circuit 126, LED indicator light 127, etc. can also be provided separately from the frame 120, for example, these electronic devices can be integrated with a monitoring display screen (which will also be described below) to form a separate monitoring device, which is connected to the camera in the frame 120 through a cable to receive the captured image signals.
[0034] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A schematic view of the viewing window 121 is shown, in which Figure 4A An early stage of the treatment of pneumothorax is shown, Figure 4B A final stage of the treatment of pneumothorax is shown. First refer to Figure 4AAt the beginning of the chest drainage, the air pressure in the chest is higher, and the gas or liquid is discharged to the drainage bottle 110 through the drainage tube. When the liquid is discharged, the drainage tube 116 is filled with the drainage liquid, and at this time, the liquid level in the drainage tube 116 cannot be identified; after the liquid is discharged, if the air pressure in the chest is still higher than the atmospheric pressure, the liquid level L2 in the drainage tube 116 is lower than the liquid level L1 in the bottle body 112. At this time, there can be two cases, the first case is that the drainage liquid is relatively transparent, and the liquid level in the drainage tube 116 can be observed, so at this time, it can be determined that the height difference AL1=L2-L1 between the liquid level L2 in the drainage tube 116 and the liquid level L1 in the bottle body 112 is a negative value. The second case is that the drainage liquid is relatively turbid, and the liquid level in the drainage tube 116 cannot be observed, so at this time, it can be considered that the height difference AL1 between the liquid level L2 in the drainage tube 116 and the liquid level L1 in the bottle body 112 is zero. That is, in the early stage of the treatment of the pneumothorax, the air pressure in the chest is greater than the atmospheric pressure, which causes the liquid level in the drainage tube 116 to be lower than or equal to the liquid level in the bottle body 112.
[0035] Continuing to refer to Figure 4B , after the excess gas and / or liquid in the chest is discharged through the chest drainage, as the treatment process normally progresses, the patient's body functions gradually return to normal, and the excess gas or liquid in the chest is gradually absorbed, and the chest gradually returns to a normal negative pressure state. At this time, as shown in Figure 4B , the liquid level L2 in the drainage tube 116 becomes higher than the liquid level L1 in the bottle body 112, that is, the height difference AL2=L2-L1 has a positive value. By measuring the size of the height difference AL2, the air pressure level in the chest can be calculated and obtained. If the height difference AL2 is large enough, indicating that a sufficient negative pressure level is established in the chest, the drainage process can be stopped.
[0036] Figure 5 A schematic diagram of a processing circuit 130 provided in the frame 120 or separately provided according to an embodiment of the present application is shown, and the processing circuit 130 can be implemented as, for example, a processing circuit 125 as shown in Figure 2 . As shown in Figure 5 , the processing circuit 130 can include an image processing unit 132, a signal processor 134, a first comparison circuit 136, and a second comparison circuit 138. The image processing unit 132 is connected with the camera 122 and can receive the drainage bottle image from the camera 122, and perform image recognition processing to determine the liquid level L2 in the drainage tube 116 and the liquid level L1 in the bottle body 112, and generate the corresponding liquid level data signals L2, L1. The signal processor 134 is connected with the image processing unit 132, which can determine and output the liquid level difference AL=L2-L1 between the liquid level data signal in the drainage tube 116 and the liquid level data signal in the bottle body 112.
[0037] In one embodiment, the image processing unit 132 may be an image processor or a controller with image processing capabilities. It may have a hardware structure or be implemented using a combination of hardware and software. For example, those skilled in the art can integrate some hardware circuits and general-purpose software programs or algorithms into the image processing unit 132. By running or executing the software programs and / or modules within the image processing unit 132, the image processing function of identifying and determining the liquid level in the conduit 116 and the liquid level in the bottle 112 can be performed.
[0038] Figure 6 The structure of an image processing unit 140 according to one embodiment is shown. The image processing unit 140 can be implemented as follows: Figure 5 The image processing unit 132 is shown in the figure. As shown, the image processing unit 140 may include components such as an interface 142, a processor 144, and a memory 146. These components can communicate with each other via a data bus. The interface 142 can be used to connect the image processing unit 140 to other devices such as a camera 122, for example, via a USB interface. The processor 144 can be any type of general-purpose processor or special-purpose processor. General-purpose processors include, but are not limited to, central processing units (CPUs), and special-purpose processors include, but are not limited to, digital signal processors (DSPs), application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The memory 146 can be any type of storage device or computer-readable medium, such as random access memory (RAM) or read-only memory (ROM), on which image recognition programs or algorithms executed by the processor 142 can be stored. By executing the program or algorithm, the processor 144 can perform image processing functions to identify and determine the liquid level height in the conduit 116 and the liquid level height in the bottle 112.
[0039] For example, the received image of the drainage bottle is first converted to grayscale mode, then median filtering is applied to enhance the liquid level information in the image. The processed image is then subjected to edge enhancement processing to extract the liquid surface in the conduit 116 and the liquid level line in the bottle 112. Based on the pixel coordinates or corresponding scale information of the liquid surface and liquid level line, the liquid level height in the conduit 116 and the liquid level height in the bottle 112 can be calculated. It is understood that the above-mentioned median filtering, edge enhancement, and other image processing techniques are conventional algorithms in the field and can be implemented using general software programs and algorithms. It is also understood that the above processing algorithms are merely examples and not limitations. Those skilled in the art can also use convolutional neural network image processing algorithms to recognize and process the acquired images to obtain liquid level height data and drainage information such as the presence of air bubbles in the drainage fluid.
[0040] The signal processor 134 can perform a conventional numerical operation on the received liquid level data signal and the liquid level data signal in the bottle 112 to obtain a difference value therebetween. For example, the signal processor 134 can be implemented as a conventional subtractor circuit. Similar to the image processing unit 132, the signal processor 134 can have a hardware structure or be implemented in a combination of hardware and software, and its computing module can be a general-purpose processor such as a central processing unit (CPU), or a processor or controller such as an MCU, a DSP, or an FPGA, which is not limited in the present application.
[0041] It can be understood that although the image processing unit 132 and the signal processor 134 are shown separately in the bottle 110, since both of them can be implemented by a conventional processor or controller in the art, they can also be integrated as a whole. Figure 5
[0042] In an embodiment, the first comparison circuit 136 can be connected to the signal processor 134 and receive the liquid level difference value ΔL = L2 - L1 between the liquid level L2 in the catheter 116 and the liquid level L1 in the bottle 112 from the signal processor 134, and compare the liquid level difference value ΔL with a predetermined threshold value, and output a first indication signal indicating the comparison result. For example, the first comparison circuit 136 can be implemented as a comparator, and the first indication signal can be indicated by a high level when the liquid level difference value ΔL is greater than or equal to the threshold value, which indicates that the negative pressure in the patient's chest is large enough, i.e., the normal negative pressure level has been reached, and thus the drainage process can be ended; and indicated by a low level when the liquid level difference value ΔL is less than the threshold value, which indicates that the desired negative pressure state has not been successfully established in the patient's chest, and the chest drainage treatment still needs to be continued. The first comparison circuit 136 can send the first indication signal to the alarm circuit 126, and the alarm circuit 126 can send an alarm signal in response to the first indication signal. For example, a first alarm signal is sent in response to the output of the high level to remind the patient or medical staff to end the drainage process, and a second alarm signal is sent in response to the low level of the first indication signal to remind the patient or medical staff to continue the drainage process. In an embodiment, the first alarm signal and the second alarm signal can be LED light signals of different colors, or one of the first alarm signal and the second alarm signal can be an LED light signal, and the other can be a sound signal emitted by a buzzer.
[0043] In one embodiment, the second comparison circuit 138 can be connected to the image processing unit 132 and receive the data signal of the liquid level value L1 in the bottle 112 separately from the image processing unit 132, and compare the liquid level value L1 with a predetermined threshold. If the liquid level value L1 is greater than or equal to the threshold, it indicates that the drainage fluid is about to fill the drainage bottle 110. At this time, the second comparison circuit 136 can send a second indication signal to the alarm circuit 126. In response to the second indication signal, the alarm circuit 126 can issue a third alarm signal to remind the patient or medical staff to replace the drainage bottle 110 immediately. Similarly, the third alarm signal can be a light signal or a sound signal, preferably a sound signal.
[0044] In some embodiments, the image processing unit 132 can also identify other drainage attributes or characteristics, such as the color of the drainage fluid, flow rate, and bubbles formed by the drained gas in the drainage bottle 110. For example, the color of the drainage fluid can determine whether the drainage process is normal. Drainage fluid is generally transparent or pale yellow, while if the drainage fluid is bright red like blood, it indicates that the patient may have internal bleeding and needs immediate treatment. As another example, when a patient coughs, the chest cavity contracts, which may expel gas and form bubbles on the surface of the drainage fluid. Therefore, detecting bubbles can indicate that the air pressure in the patient's chest cavity has not yet reached the desired negative pressure level, and the drainage process cannot be terminated at this time, and so on. The image processing unit 132 can also calculate the flow rate based on the change in drainage volume over time. The relevant information determined by image processing can be presented to medical personnel in various ways, such as corresponding alarm signals, or displayed on a display screen as described below.
[0045] Figure 7 A schematic diagram of a monitoring device for pneumothorax according to another embodiment of the present invention is shown. Figure 7 As shown, in addition to the features described above, the device may also include a display screen 150. The display screen 150 may be a liquid crystal display, OLED display, LED display, e-ink display, etc., which can display various drainage process-related information determined by the image processing unit 132 and the first and second comparison circuits 136, 138, such as drainage volume, color, flow rate, patient intrapleural pressure (e.g., measured by a barometer placed on the drainage tube), and may also display patient-related information. In one embodiment, the display screen 150 may also be a touchscreen, used for setting or inputting information via touch, such as setting various alarm thresholds. Figure 7In the illustrated embodiment, the display 150 is provided on the same side as the viewing window 121, next to the viewing window 121. In other embodiments, the display 150 can also be provided on a different side from the viewing window 121. In one embodiment, the display 150 can also be provided separately from the frame 120, for example, as a separate display 150 that is connected to the processing circuitry 125 or 130 by a cable or wirelessly to display the various drainage status information determined by the processing circuitry 125, 130, as described above.
[0046] It should be understood that the monitoring device for pneumothorax according to the present application can also include other circuits or modules. For example, a wired and / or wireless communication module can be included to transmit the treatment process status information to a centralized monitoring device at a nurse station, a monitoring center at a hospital, or a personal computer or a mobile phone of a treating physician, etc. Details are not described here.
[0047] The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to some embodiments of the present application is described above, and it can be understood that it realizes automatic monitoring of pneumothorax treatment and status. Specifically, the device can monitor the drainage process, issue an alarm signal to remind medical staff to end the drainage process when the desired negative pressure level in the chest cavity is reached, issue an alarm when the drainage liquid reaches the maximum capacity of the maximum drainage bottle to remind medical staff to replace the drainage bottle in time, and can also convey various monitoring information to the patient and medical staff through, for example, a display screen. Therefore, automation of the pneumothorax treatment and monitoring process can be realized, and medical staff do not need to frequently check the drainage status, reducing the labor of medical staff. In addition, the monitoring device for pneumothorax according to the present application adopts a split design of the drainage bottle and the frame, the drainage bottle can be replaced, but the frame can be reused, thus greatly saving the cost of the device.
[0048] Although the present application is described above with reference to exemplary embodiments, the scope of protection of the present application is not limited to the embodiments described above. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made in form and detail without departing from the scope and spirit of the present application. The scope of the present application is defined only by the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A monitoring device for pneumothorax, characterized in that The drainage bottle comprises a bottle body and a bottle cap on the upper part of the bottle body; a catheter vertically extending through the bottle cap, the lower end of the catheter extending to the bottom of the bottle body, and the upper end of the catheter extending above the bottle cap and being used for connecting to a drainage tube for draining liquid and / or gas in the chest cavity of a patient into the bottle body; a camera arranged on one side of the drainage bottle for acquiring images of the drainage bottle; an image processing unit connected to the camera for receiving the images and processing the images to identify the liquid level in the catheter and the liquid level in the bottle body and generate corresponding liquid level height data signals; and a signal processor connected to the image processing unit to output the height difference between the liquid level in the catheter and the liquid level in the bottle body according to the liquid level height data signals in the catheter and the bottle body. Further comprising:
2. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 1, wherein a first comparison circuit connected to the signal processor to receive the height difference, compare the height difference with a first threshold value, and output a first indication signal indicating the comparison result; and an alarm unit connected to the first comparison circuit to receive the first indication signal and output an alarm signal according to the first indication signal. The bottle cap further comprises a vent hole to equalize the air pressure in the bottle body to atmospheric pressure.
3. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, Further comprising:
4. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 2, wherein a second comparison circuit connected to the image processing unit to receive the height value data signal of the liquid level in the bottle body and compare the height value with a second threshold value, and generate a second indication signal indicating the comparison result when the height value is greater than or equal to the second threshold value, and the alarm unit is also connected to the second comparison circuit to receive the second indication signal and output an alarm signal in response to the second indication signal. Further comprising a frame for accommodating the drainage bottle, the frame having a bottom wall, a plurality of side walls surrounding an internal space for accommodating the drainage bottle, and a top wall covering the drainage bottle and exposing only the bottle cap of the drainage bottle, the camera being mounted on a first side wall of the plurality of side walls to image a first side of the drainage bottle, and the camera being spaced apart from the first side by a predetermined distance.
5. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 1, wherein Further comprising one or more lighting devices arranged inside the frame for illuminating the drainage bottle.
6. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 5, wherein An observation window is formed on a second side wall of the frame adjacent or opposite to the first side wall, the capacity markings on a second side of the drainage bottle and the catheter in the drainage bottle being exposed via the observation window.
7. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 5, wherein The bottom wall, the plurality of side walls and the top wall of the frame are all formed of opaque material, and a one-way light transmission film is arranged on the observation window so that light inside the frame can be transmitted to the outside, but light from the outside cannot be incident into the frame.
8. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 7, wherein The frame as a whole is a cuboid.
9. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 5, wherein, Further comprising a display screen arranged on one side wall of the frame or separately from the frame and connected to the image processing unit for displaying drainage state information determined by the image processing unit.
10. The monitoring device for pneumothorax according to claim 5, wherein,