Blood flow monitoring device, blood flow monitoring system, and program

Abstract

To provide a blood flow monitoring device, a blood flow monitoring system, and a program for verification relating to a blood flow of a patient at a predetermined portion, including a lateral difference.SOLUTION: A blood flow monitoring device 1 comprises: a blood flow information acquisition unit 15 which acquires blood flow information of each of right and left sides of a patient from sensor parts 41R and 41L attached to laterally symmetrical positions at the lower limbs or upper limbs of the patient; and a display output unit 16 which outputs to a display unit 36 the blood flow information of each of the right and left sides acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a blood flow monitoring device, a blood flow monitoring system, and a program.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, the incidence of progressive ischemic gangrene in dialysis patients is higher than that in healthy individuals. Therefore, medical institutions and the like have been grasping the lower limb ischemia of dialysis patients. For example, a device for measuring the blood flow of the feet of dialysis patients has been disclosed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). By using such a device for measuring the blood flow of the feet, the lower limb ischemia of dialysis patients can be grasped.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Progressive ischemic gangrene in dialysis patients does not occur in the same way in the left and right feet. Therefore, in addition to measuring the blood flow of the left and right feet respectively, verifying the left-right difference is useful for diagnosis. However, when measuring the left and right feet separately, the measured values may change depending on the patient's slight condition or posture. Therefore, for verifying the left-right difference, it is desirable to measure the left and right feet simultaneously while keeping the patient's state the same. In addition, the left-right difference due to blood flow measurement can occur not only in the feet but also in the hands. Furthermore, blood flow measurement is useful for various patients, not only dialysis patients, because it is an index for knowing vascular calcification, for example.

[0005] Accordingly, the present invention aims to provide a blood flow monitoring device, a blood flow monitoring system, and a program that enable verification of a patient's blood flow at a predetermined site, including differences between the left and right sides. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention relates to a blood flow monitoring device comprising: a blood flow acquisition means for acquiring blood flow information for the left and right sides of a patient from blood flow sensors attached to the patient's lower or upper limbs at symmetrical positions; and a display output means for outputting the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means side by side to a display device.

[0007] Furthermore, in a blood flow monitoring device, it is preferable that the display output means further outputs a blood flow graph to the display device, which is a graph showing the changes over time in the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means.

[0008] Furthermore, it is preferable that the blood flow monitoring device includes an information registration means for storing the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means in a storage device in association with patient identification information that identifies the patient.

[0009] Furthermore, in a blood flow monitoring device, it is preferable to include a range specification receiving means that receives a range to be recorded from the blood flow graph output to the display device, and the information registration means stores the blood flow information corresponding to the blood flow graph of the range specified by the range specification receiving means in the storage device.

[0010] Furthermore, it is preferable that the blood flow monitoring device includes a state designation reception means for receiving state information indicating the patient's condition, and that the information registration means stores the blood flow information associated with the state information received by the state designation reception means in the storage device.

[0011] Furthermore, in a blood flow monitoring device, it is preferable that the display output means further outputs a past blood flow graph relating to the patient's past blood flow information stored in the storage device to the display device.

[0012] Furthermore, in a blood flow monitoring device, it is preferable that the blood flow information includes at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate.

[0013] Furthermore, it is preferable that the blood flow monitoring device includes guidance output means that outputs guidance information to prompt the patient to assume a predetermined posture based on the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means.

[0014] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a blood flow monitoring system comprising a blood flow monitoring device and a plurality of blood flow measuring devices communicated to the blood flow monitoring device, wherein each of the plurality of blood flow measuring devices is equipped with a blood flow sensor for detecting the patient's blood flow, the blood flow sensor of one of the plurality of blood flow measuring devices is attached to the patient's lower limb or upper limb, the blood flow sensor of the other of the plurality of blood flow measuring devices is attached to the same lower limb or upper limb of the patient as the blood flow sensor of the first blood flow sensor, in a position symmetrical to the first blood flow sensor, and the blood flow monitoring device is equipped with blood flow acquisition means for acquiring blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from the plurality of blood flow measuring devices.

[0015] Furthermore, in a blood flow monitoring system, the blood flow monitoring device may include a display output means that outputs the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means side by side to a display device.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a program for causing a computer to function as the blood flow monitoring device described above. [Effects of the Invention]

[0017] According to the present invention, a blood flow monitoring device, a blood flow monitoring system, and a program can be provided that enable verification of a patient's blood flow at a predetermined site, including differences between the left and right sides. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0018] [Figure 1] FIG. is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the blood flow monitoring system according to the present embodiment and the functional blocks of the blood flow monitor device and the blood flow measuring instrument. [Figure 2] FIG. is a flowchart showing the blood flow monitor processing of the blood flow monitor device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 3] FIG. is a flowchart showing the measurement processing of the blood flow monitor device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 4] FIG. is a diagram showing an example of display on the blood flow monitor device according to the present embodiment. [Figure 5] FIG. is a diagram showing another example of display on the blood flow monitor device according to the present embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0019] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. [Blood Flow Monitoring System 100] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of the blood flow monitoring system 100 according to the present embodiment and the functional blocks of the blood flow monitor device 1 and the blood flow measuring instruments 4. The blood flow monitoring system 100 is used, for example, in a medical institution to check the blood flow state of a patient undergoing dialysis treatment.

[0020] The blood flow monitoring system 100 shown in FIG. 1 includes a blood flow monitor device 1 and two blood flow measuring instruments 4R and 4L (blood flow measuring devices). The blood flow monitor device 1 and the two blood flow measuring instruments 4R and 4L are communicably connected via, for example, short-range wireless communication. As the short-range wireless communication, for example, Bluetooth (registered trademark) can be used. Furthermore, it is desirable that the two blood flow measurement devices 4R and 4L are the same device and have the same fixing method, as this is expected to reduce measurement variability. In Figure 1, the device attached to the patient's right leg (lower limb) is described as blood flow measurement device 4R, and the device attached to the patient's left leg is described as blood flow measurement device 4L. In the following explanation, when blood flow measurement device 4R and blood flow measurement device 4L are not distinguished, they will simply be described as blood flow measurement device 4. The same applies to each functional part (described later) included in blood flow measurement device 4. In this case, the two blood flow measurement devices 4R and 4L may be different devices, and the fixing methods of the devices may also be different.

[0021] [Blood flow monitoring device 1] The blood flow monitoring device 1 is a device used in medical institutions to receive blood flow information from, for example, patients undergoing dialysis treatment, and to display the received blood flow information. The blood flow monitoring device 1 is, for example, a personal computer (PC). As shown in Figure 1, the blood flow monitoring device 1 comprises a control unit 10, a storage unit 30, a display unit 36 ​​(display unit), an input unit 37, an audio output unit 38, and a communication unit 39. The control unit 10 is a central processing unit (CPU) that controls the blood flow monitoring device 1. The control unit 10 works in cooperation with the aforementioned hardware to perform various functions by appropriately reading and executing the operating system (OS) and application programs stored in the memory unit 30.

[0022] Before describing the control unit 10, let's describe the storage unit 30. The storage unit 30 is a storage area such as a hard disk or semiconductor memory element for storing programs, data, etc., necessary for the control unit 10 to perform various processes. The memory unit 30 comprises a program memory unit 31, a blood flow information memory unit 32, and a patient information memory unit 33. The program storage unit 31 is a storage area for storing various programs, such as programs for executing the various functions of the control unit 10, which will be described later. The programs stored in the program storage unit 31 may be separate programs for each function unit or multiple function units of the control unit 10, or they may be a single program.

[0023] The blood flow information storage unit 32 is a storage area for storing the patient's blood flow information. The blood flow information storage unit 32 stores the blood flow information in association with, for example, the date and time information on when the blood flow information was received and the patient ID (IDentification) (patient identification information) that identifies the patient. The blood flow information is, for example, data in CSV format. The blood flow information also includes at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate, and may include all of them. In addition to blood flow information, the blood flow information storage unit 32 may also store the biological response (VAR) (described later) calculated from the blood flow rate in a predetermined posture of the patient. The blood flow information storage unit 32 may further store the Blood Flow Index (BFI) value calculated from the blood flow rate and pulse amplitude.

[0024] The patient information storage unit 33 is a storage area for storing patient information. For example, the patient information storage unit 33 stores patient information such as the patient's name and date of birth, associated with the patient ID. The memory unit 30 also stores other information that is pre-set for the blood flow monitoring device 1, such as the serial number of the blood flow measuring device 4.

[0025] Next, the control unit 10 will be described. The control unit 10 includes a patient designation reception unit 11, a measurement site reception unit 12, a measurement start reception unit 13, a guidance output unit 14 (guidance output means), a blood flow information acquisition unit 15 (blood flow acquisition means), a display output unit 16 (display output means), a designation reception processing unit 17 (range designation reception means, status designation reception means), and an information registration unit 18 (information registration means). The patient designation reception unit 11 accepts the designation of patients to whom the blood flow measuring device 4 will be attached. The patient designation reception unit 11 accepts, for example, the patient ID via the display unit 36. The measurement site reception unit 12 receives information about the measurement site, which is information about the part of the patient's body to which the blood flow measuring device 4 is to be attached. When the blood flow measuring device 4 is attached to the foot, the measurement site can be specified as, for example, the sole of the foot, the dorsum of the foot, the anterior lower leg surface, the posterior lower leg surface, etc. Furthermore, if the sole of the foot is specified, the measurement site can be specified as, for example, the position of the toes or the sole of the foot.

[0026] The measurement start reception unit 13 accepts the start of measurement through an operation performed by the input unit 37. The guidance output unit 14 outputs voice guidance (instructional information) via the voice output unit 38. The guidance output unit 14 outputs guidance according to the measurement menu, for example. Here, the measurement menu includes, for example, "blood flow measurement" which measures blood flow rate, and "VAR index measurement" which measures blood flow rate and pulsation amplitude. Examples of measurement menus and guidance will be described later. In addition, the guidance output unit 14 outputs guidance to prompt the patient to assume a predetermined posture based on the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15, which will be described next.

[0027] The blood flow information acquisition unit 15 acquires blood flow information from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L, respectively. The blood flow information acquisition unit 15 may continuously acquire blood flow information from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L. Alternatively, the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 may acquire blood flow information from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L at predetermined time intervals (for example, 1 second).

[0028] The display output unit 16 outputs the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L to the display unit 36, side by side. The display output unit 16 also outputs blood flow graphs, which are graphs showing the changes in blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L, to the display unit 36, side by side. In this case, the display output unit 16 may update the blood flow information at predetermined time intervals (for example, 1 second). In addition to the blood flow information, the display output unit 16 may also display the biological response (VAR) calculated from the blood flow rate in a predetermined posture of the patient, or the BFI value calculated from the blood flow rate and pulse amplitude.

[0029] The designated input processing unit 17 receives the range to be recorded from the blood flow graph output to the display unit 36. The designated input processing unit 17 may accept the range specification by the operator, for example, by directly performing an operation related to range specification on the blood flow graph. Alternatively, the designated input processing unit 17 may accept the range specification by the operator inputting the range as a numerical value. Furthermore, the designated reception processing unit 17 receives marks (status information) indicating the patient's condition. Patient status includes, for example, information related to the patient's posture or changes, such as "supine position," "sitting position," and "change of position," as well as information related to the patient's mood, such as "worsening of mood" and "improvement of mood," and information related to treatments performed on the patient, such as "temperature measurement," "medication," "treatment," and "massage." Marks indicating the patient's condition refer to small pictures (icons) that represent the patient's condition.

[0030] The information registration unit 18 stores the blood flow information output by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 in the blood flow information storage unit 32, associating it with the patient ID. Furthermore, when the designated reception processing unit 17 receives a range specification to be recorded, the information registration unit 18 stores the blood flow information for the received range specification in the blood flow information storage unit 32, associating it with the patient ID. Additionally, when the designated reception processing unit 17 receives a mark, the information registration unit 18 associates the mark with the blood flow information and stores it in the blood flow information storage unit 32.

[0031] The display unit 36 ​​is, for example, a display device such as a liquid crystal display. The input unit 37 is, for example, an input device such as a keyboard or mouse. The display unit 36 ​​and the input unit 37 may be integrated into a single touch panel display. Furthermore, the display unit 36 ​​may be a separate hardware device from the blood flow monitoring device 1. The audio output unit 38 is a device that sends audio to the outside, such as a speaker. The communication unit 39 is an interface for short-range wireless communication between the blood flow measurement devices 4R and 4L, for example, using Bluetooth®. The communication unit 39 is equipped with an IC (Integrated Circuit) chip and a loop antenna created according to the Bluetooth standard. The communication unit 39 can communicate over a range of approximately 10m to 100m.

[0032] Furthermore, a computer refers to an information processing device equipped with a control unit, memory device, etc., and the blood flow monitoring device 1 is an information processing device equipped with a control unit 10, a memory unit 30, etc., and is therefore included in the concept of a computer.

[0033] [Blood flow measuring device 4] The blood flow measuring device 4 is a device that measures blood flow and transmits the blood flow information to the blood flow monitoring device 1. The blood flow measuring device 4 comprises a sensor unit 41 (blood flow sensor) and a communication unit 49. The sensor unit 41 is, for example, attached to the patient's foot to detect blood flow. The communication unit 49 is, for example, an interface for short-range wireless communication with the blood flow monitoring device 1 using Bluetooth. Although not shown in the figure, the blood flow measuring device 4 includes a control unit, a memory unit, and the like.

[0034] [Explanation of the process] Next, we will explain the processing performed by the blood flow monitoring device 1. Figure 2 is a flowchart showing the blood flow monitoring process of the blood flow monitoring device 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 3 is a flowchart showing the measurement process of the blood flow monitoring device 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 4 shows an example of the display on the blood flow monitoring device 1 according to this embodiment. Figure 5 shows another display example in the blood flow monitoring device 1 according to this embodiment.

[0035] As a prerequisite for performing blood flow monitoring, first, a medical professional (for example, a person operating the blood flow monitoring device 1 in a medical institution, hereinafter referred to as the operator) executes the program for blood flow monitoring stored in the program storage unit 31 of the blood flow monitoring device 1. Then, the operator operates the blood flow monitoring device 1 and the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L respectively to establish communication between the blood flow monitoring device 1 and the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L.

[0036] Furthermore, the operator attaches the sensor unit 41 of the blood flow measuring device 4 to the patient. Here, it is desirable that the attachment positions of sensor unit 41R and sensor unit 41L be symmetrical. For this reason, the attachment positions should be, for example, on each of the patient's big toes. Note that symmetrical positions are preferably the same toe on both the left and right sides of the patient's feet, such as each of the big toes. However, some dialysis patients have missing limbs. In such cases, it becomes necessary to measure on different toes on the left and right sides, but as long as the toes are on the left and right sides, the symmetrical positions are acceptable. Furthermore, the operator operates the blood flow monitor device 1 to specify the measurement menu. The following explanation will use the case where "blood flow measurement" is selected as the measurement menu as an example.

[0037] In step S (hereinafter referred to simply as "S") 11 of Figure 2, the control unit 10 (patient designation reception unit 11) receives the patient ID based on the operator's operation of the blood flow monitoring device 1. At this time, the control unit 10 may output the patient information stored in the patient information storage unit 33 as a list and select the patient ID of the relevant patient. Alternatively, if the patient is not stored in the patient information storage unit 33, the control unit 10 may assign a patient ID by inputting the name, date of birth, etc. Furthermore, if the patient is a one-time patient, the operator may enter "Guest" in the patient ID input field to accept the patient ID as a guest.

[0038] In S12, the control unit 10 (measurement site reception unit 12) receives the measurement site based on the operator's operation of the blood flow monitoring device 1. Here, since the sensor unit 41R of the blood flow measuring device 4R and the sensor unit 41L of the blood flow measuring device 4L are already attached to the patient, the operator specifies the measurement site of the attachment location by, for example, specifying the position where the sensor unit 41 is attached to the diagram of the foot displayed on the screen. In S13, the control unit 10 (measurement start reception unit 13) accepts the start of measurement based on the operator's operation of the blood flow monitoring device 1. For example, the control unit 10 accepts the start of measurement based on the operator's selection of a button for starting measurement (described later) on the monitor screen displayed on the display unit 36. In S14, the control unit 10 performs measurement processing.

[0039] Here, the measurement process will be explained based on Figure 3. In S21 of Figure 3, the control unit 10 (guidance output unit 14) outputs voice guidance via the voice output unit 38. The content of the guidance varies depending on the measurement menu, for example. Here, we will explain using the case of "blood flow measurement" as an example. The control unit 10 outputs guidance prompting the user to reconfirm the measurement site at the start of the measurement, for example. In S22, the control unit 10 (blood flow information acquisition unit 15) acquires blood flow information from the blood flow measuring device 4R and the blood flow measuring device 4L, respectively. In S23, the control unit 10 (display output unit 16) outputs the acquired blood flow information to the monitor screen.

[0040] Here, we will explain the monitor screen 50 based on Figure 4. Monitor screen 50 displays the measured blood flow information in near real-time. The monitor screen 50 includes the equipment section 51R and 51L, the blood flow information section 52a to 52c, the graph section 53, the mark section 54, the status section 55, the patient information section 56, and the button 57. The equipment sections 51R and 51L indicate blood flow measuring devices 4 that are communicatively connected to the blood flow monitoring device 1, and Figure 4 shows that blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L are connected.

[0041] The blood flow information units 52a to 52c update and output blood flow information acquired from blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L. The numerical values ​​output by the blood flow information units 52a to 52c are updated with blood flow information received from blood flow measuring device 4 at predetermined time intervals. In Figure 4, the blood flow information units 52a to 52c output values ​​corresponding to blood flow measuring device 4R in the upper section and values ​​corresponding to blood flow measuring device 4L in the lower section. Furthermore, the blood flow information unit 52a relates to blood flow rate, the blood flow information unit 52b relates to pulsation amplitude, and the blood flow information unit 52c relates to pulsation frequency.

[0042] The graph unit 53 outputs the time-dependent changes in blood flow information acquired from the blood flow measurement devices 4R and 4L as a blood flow graph. This graph is drawn as time progresses. In Figure 4, the graph unit 53 shows the time-dependent changes in blood flow rate acquired from the blood flow measurement devices 4R and 4L. The graph unit 53 may also show the time-dependent changes in pulsation width or the time-dependent changes in pulsation rate. The mark section 54 is an area for specifying marks to be inserted into and output on the blood flow graph of the graph section 53. When the operator selects, for example, mark 54a, mark 53a, indicated by mark 54a, is inserted at the position corresponding to the time on the graph section 53. Figure 4 shows that the operator selected mark 54a after approximately 1 minute had elapsed. In addition, each mark in the mark section 54 can be changed as appropriate from the settings screen (not shown) depending on the operator's usage scenario.

[0043] The status unit 55 indicates the current measurement status. In Figure 4, the status unit 55 indicates that measurement is in progress. When the measurement is completed, the status unit 55 indicates that the measurement is complete. The patient information unit 56 outputs patient information from which blood flow information is obtained. Button 57 is a button selected by the operator. When the status unit 55 is measuring, button 57 is used to end the measurement. When the operator selects button 57, the blood flow monitor device 1 stops acquiring blood flow information. Also, when the status unit 55 is before measurement starts or has finished measurement, button 57 is used, for example, to start the measurement.

[0044] In Figure 4, the graph section 53 only displayed the blood flow rate. The monitor screen 60 shown in Figure 5 outputs a blood flow graph of blood flow rate and pulsation amplitude to the graph unit 63, which corresponds to the graph unit 53. The graph unit 63 also outputs the blood flow information acquired from the blood flow measurement device 4R and the blood flow information acquired from the blood flow measurement device 4L as separate graphs. Thus, the method of displaying the blood flow graph can be adjusted depending on the number of parameters, allowing for the integration of left and right measurement results into a single graph or displaying them as separate graphs.

[0045] In S24 of Figure 3, the control unit 10 (designation acceptance processing unit 17) determines whether or not it has received a mark selection operation. The control unit 10 receives a mark selection operation when the operator selects, for example, mark 54a of the mark section 54 on the monitor screen 50 shown in Figure 4. If the mark selection operation is received (S24: YES), the control unit 10 moves the process to S25. On the other hand, if the mark selection operation is not received (S24: NO), the control unit 10 moves the process to S26. In S25, the control unit 10 (designation acceptance processing unit 17) inserts a mark corresponding to the selection operation at the time position at the moment the selection operation was received.

[0046] In S26, the control unit 10 (guidance output unit 14) determines whether or not it is time to output guidance. Here, the control unit 10 may determine whether or not it is time to output guidance based on the time-series changes in the blood flow information acquired in S22. Specifically, this includes cases where the blood flow information shows unstable movements such as rapid changes in blood flow volume or large fluctuations in the amplitude of pulsation width, or when the blood flow volume remains low. If the blood flow information is showing unstable movements, for example, it is expected that a message encouraging relaxation will be output. Also, if the blood flow volume remains low, for example, it is expected that a message encouraging massage will be output.

[0047] Furthermore, the control unit 10 may determine whether or not it is time to output guidance based on whether or not a predetermined timing (e.g., every minute) has arrived. If it is time to output guidance (S26: YES), the control unit 10 moves the process to S21 and outputs the guidance. Even while outputting guidance, the control unit 10 (blood flow information acquisition unit 15) acquires blood flow information from the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L, respectively, and the control unit 10 (display output unit 16) outputs the acquired blood flow information to the monitor screen. On the other hand, if it is not time to output guidance (S26: NO), the control unit 10 moves the process to S27.

[0048] In S27, the control unit 10 decides whether or not to terminate the measurement. For example, if a preset measurement termination time (e.g., 3 minutes from the start of measurement) has been reached, the control unit 10 decides to terminate the measurement. Alternatively, if the operator selects the button to terminate the measurement (button 57 in Figure 4), the control unit 10 also decides to terminate the measurement. If the measurement is terminated (S27: YES), the control unit 10 moves the process to S15 in Figure 2. On the other hand, if the measurement is not terminated (S27: NO), the control unit 10 moves the process to S22 to acquire blood flow information, and thereafter repeats the process of outputting the acquired blood flow information to the monitor screen until the measurement is terminated.

[0049] In S15 of Figure 2, the control unit 10 (specification reception processing unit 17) determines whether or not a range specification operation has been accepted. Here, the range specification operation may be performed, for example, by displaying a separate screen for specification and manually entering a numerical value, or by selecting a position on the graph displayed on the graph section 53 of the monitor screen 50 shown in Figure 4. If a range specification operation has been accepted (S15: YES), the control unit 10 moves the process to S16. On the other hand, if a range specification operation has not been accepted (S15: NO), the control unit 10 moves the process to S17.

[0050] In S16, the control unit 10 (information registration unit 18) stores the blood flow information included in the received range specification in the blood flow information storage unit 32, associating it with the patient ID. After that, the control unit 10 terminates this process. On the other hand, in S17, the control unit 10 (information registration unit 18) stores the blood flow information for the entire range that has been acquired in the blood flow information storage unit 32, associating it with the patient ID. After that, the control unit 10 terminates this process. Furthermore, if a mark is inserted by the process in S25 of Figure 3, the control unit 10 (information registration unit 18) may further associate the mark and its position with blood flow information and store it in the blood flow information storage unit 32.

[0051] The above describes one embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and any modifications, improvements, etc., that can achieve the objectives of the present invention are included in the present invention.

[0052] Another measurement method, called "VAR index measurement," allows for understanding a patient's condition by analyzing measurements taken based on changes in the patient's posture. In the case of "VAR index measurement," the control unit 10 (guidance output unit 14) first outputs guidance prompting the patient to assume a supine position. Next, the control unit 10 (guidance output unit 14) outputs guidance prompting the patient to relax. Then, for example, after 1 minute and 30 seconds have elapsed since the start of measurement, the control unit 10 (guidance output unit 14) outputs guidance prompting the patient to assume a seated position, and then outputs guidance prompting the patient to relax. The control unit 10 calculates the VAR value based on blood flow information in the supine position and the sitting position.

[0053] The VAR value can be calculated using blood flow information, specifically resting skin flow (RBF) in the supine position and blood flow after changing position to a sitting position (SBF), and is calculated using the following formula (Equation 1). VAR value = RBF / SBF ... (Equation 1)

[0054] The VAR value is an indicator used to examine the presence or absence of various pathological conditions. For example, a VAR value greater than 0.5 suggests the presence of pathological microcirculation. Furthermore, a supine RBF of less than 3, or a VAR value greater than 7, indicates a severe ischemic state. The VAR value, along with other patient conditions, can assist physicians in diagnosing a disease. Therefore, measuring the VAR index is convenient because it allows for an understanding of the patient's condition through the VAR value. Furthermore, measuring the VAR index simultaneously on both sides (or at two points) can reduce measurement time and thus reduce the burden on the patient.

[0055] In this embodiment, the blood flow measuring device was described as being attached to the patient's left and right feet (big toes), but it is not limited to this. The blood flow measuring device may also be attached to the patient's left and right hands (upper limbs). In this case, blood flow information from the hands can be acquired simultaneously, making it possible to more accurately confirm the patient's condition based on differences between the left and right sides.

[0056] In this embodiment, the patient information and blood flow information of each patient are described as being stored in the memory unit of the blood flow monitor device, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, the patient information and blood flow information of each patient may be stored in a storage medium such as a USB that can be attached to and detached from the blood flow monitor device, so that even if a different blood flow monitor device is used, the patient information and blood flow information of that patient can be extracted from the storage medium. Alternatively, the patient information and blood flow information of each patient may be stored in a data storage device such as a database that is communicatively connected to the blood flow monitor device, and the patient information and blood flow information of that patient can be extracted by accessing the data storage device from the blood flow monitor device. Alternatively, the information may be made directly displayable or viewable from the data storage device.

[0057] In this embodiment, we have described an example in which blood flow information acquired from a blood flow measuring device is output to a monitor screen, but we are not limited to this. For example, past blood flow information of the patient may also be output to the monitor screen in a way that allows comparison with the current blood flow information. In particular, a blood flow graph may be output as past blood flow information. In this way, it is possible to grasp trends related to the patient's blood flow information.

[0058] In this embodiment, the blood flow graph is described as showing the changes in blood flow information on the left and right sides of the patient over time, but it is not limited to this. For example, the difference in blood flow information between the left and right sides may always be shown as a numerical value or symbol. Furthermore, an alarm sound may be emitted from the audio output unit when the difference in blood flow information between the left and right sides exceeds a preset threshold.

[0059] As described above, the blood flow monitoring system 100 according to this embodiment provides the following effects. (1) The blood flow monitoring device 1 includes a blood flow information acquisition unit 15 that acquires blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from sensor units 41R and 41L attached to the patient's lower or upper limbs in symmetrical positions, and a display output unit 16 that outputs the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 side by side to a display unit 36. This allows for the simultaneous acquisition and display of blood flow information in symmetrical positions on the patient's lower or upper limbs, making it easier to recognize differences between the left and right sides. Therefore, it becomes easier to verify the patient's blood flow, including any differences between the left and right sides.

[0060] (2) In the blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (1), the display output unit 16 may further output to the display unit 36 ​​a blood flow graph which is a graph of the changes over time in the blood flow information for the left and right sides acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15. This allows for easy visualization of the time-series changes in blood flow information for each side of the patient's body as a blood flow graph. Furthermore, the blood flow graph enables comparison of the time-series changes in blood flow information between the left and right sides.

[0061] (3) The blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (2) may also include an information registration unit 18 that stores the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 in the blood flow information storage unit 32 in association with a patient ID that identifies the patient. This allows for the accumulation of patient blood flow information. Therefore, the accumulated patient blood flow information can be compared to check changes in the patient's blood flow information over time.

[0062] (4) The blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (3) is equipped with a designation reception processing unit 17 that receives a designation of a range to be recorded from the blood flow graph output to the display unit 36, and the information registration unit 18 may store the blood flow information corresponding to the blood flow graph of the range designation received by the designation reception processing unit 17 in the blood flow information storage unit 32. This allows the system to store only the blood flow information that is truly desired, such as during rest.

[0063] (5) The blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (3) is equipped with a designated reception processing unit 17 that receives a mark indicating the patient's condition, and the information registration unit 18 may store the blood flow information, including the mark received by the designated reception processing unit 17, in the blood flow information storage unit 32. This allows the blood flow information to include a mark indicating the patient's condition, making it possible to check the relationship between the patient's condition and the blood flow information.

[0064] (6) In the blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (3) to (5), the display output unit 16 may further output to the display unit 36 ​​a past blood flow graph relating to the patient's past blood flow information stored in the blood flow information storage unit 32. This allows for comparison with past blood flow information using graphs.

[0065] (7) In the blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (1) to (6), the blood flow information may include at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate. This allows for the use of various blood flow-related information.

[0066] (8) The blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (1) to (7) may also include a guidance output unit 14 that outputs guidance to prompt the patient to assume a predetermined posture based on the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15. This allows for the output of guidance based on the patient's condition, making it possible to obtain more accurate blood flow information.

[0067] (9) The blood flow monitoring system 100 comprises a blood flow monitoring device 1 and blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L that are communicatively connected to the blood flow monitoring device 1, wherein the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L each include sensor units 41R and 41L for detecting the patient's blood flow, the sensor unit 41R of the blood flow measuring device 4R is attached to the patient's lower limb or upper limb, and the sensor unit 41L of the blood flow measuring device 4L is attached to the same patient's lower limb or upper limb as the sensor unit 41R, in a position symmetrical to the sensor unit 41R, and the blood flow monitoring device 1 includes a blood flow information acquisition unit 15 that acquires blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L. As a result, by attaching the sensor units 41R and 41L of the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L to the patient's lower or upper limbs at symmetrical positions, the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L can detect blood flow at the attachment points. Furthermore, the blood flow monitoring device 1 can simultaneously acquire blood flow information from each of the blood flow measuring devices 4R and 4L at symmetrical positions on the patient's lower or upper limbs, and can perform processing using the acquired blood flow information.

[0068] (10) The blood flow monitoring system 100 described in (9) includes a blood flow monitoring device 1 and a display output unit 16 that outputs the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow information acquisition unit 15 side by side to the display unit 36. This allows for the display of blood flow information for both the left and right sides side-by-side, making it easier to recognize differences between the left and right sides. Therefore, it becomes easier to verify a patient's blood flow, including any differences between the left and right sides.

[0069] (11) The program will function as the blood flow monitoring device 1 described in (1) through (8). This makes it possible to achieve the effects described in (1) through (8) above. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0070] 1. Blood flow monitoring device 4,4R,4L Blood flow measurement equipment 10 Control Unit 11. Patient Designation Reception Department 14. Guidance Output Section 15 Blood flow information acquisition section 16 Display Output Section 17 Designated Reception Processing Unit 18. Information Registration Department 30 Storage section 31 Program Storage Unit 32 Blood flow information storage unit 33 Patient information storage unit 36 Display section 37 Input section 38 Audio output section 39, 49R, 49L Communications Department 41R, 41L Sensor Unit 50,60 Monitor Screen 100 Blood flow monitoring systems

Claims

1. A blood flow acquisition means that acquires blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from blood flow sensors attached to the patient's lower or upper limbs in symmetrical positions, A display output means that outputs the blood flow information for the left and right sides acquired by the blood flow acquisition means to a display device, Equipped with, The blood flow information includes at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate.

2. In the blood flow monitoring device according to claim 1, The blood flow monitoring device further outputs to the display device a blood flow graph, which is a graph of the changes over time in the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means.

3. In the blood flow monitoring device according to claim 2, A blood flow monitoring device comprising information registration means for storing the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means in a storage device in association with patient identification information that identifies the patient.

4. In the blood flow monitoring device according to claim 3, The device includes a range selection receiving means for receiving a range to be recorded from the blood flow graph output to the display device, The blood flow monitoring device includes an information registration means that stores in the storage device the blood flow information corresponding to the blood flow graph of the range specified and received by the range specification receiving means.

5. In the blood flow monitoring device according to claim 3, The system includes a status designation reception means for receiving status information indicating the patient's condition, The information registration means stores the blood flow information associated with the state information received by the state specification receiving means in the storage device, which is a blood flow monitoring device.

6. In a blood flow monitoring device according to any one of claims 3 to 5, The blood flow monitoring device further outputs a past blood flow graph relating to the patient's past blood flow information stored in the storage device to the display device.

7. In the blood flow monitoring device according to claim 1, A blood flow monitoring device comprising a guidance output means that outputs guidance information to prompt the patient to assume a predetermined posture based on the blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means.

8. A blood flow monitoring device, Multiple blood flow measuring devices that are communicatively connected to the blood flow monitoring device, A blood flow monitoring system equipped with, Each of the aforementioned blood flow measuring devices is equipped with a blood flow sensor that detects the patient's blood flow, The blood flow sensor of one of the blood flow measuring devices is attached to the patient's lower limb or upper limb. The blood flow sensor of the other blood flow measuring device among the plurality of blood flow measuring devices is mounted on the same lower or upper limb of the patient as the first blood flow sensor, and is mounted in a position symmetrical to the first blood flow sensor. The blood flow monitoring device includes a blood flow acquisition means that acquires blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from the plurality of blood flow measuring devices. The blood flow information includes at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate, in a blood flow monitoring system.

9. In the blood flow monitoring system according to claim 8, The blood flow monitoring device is a blood flow monitoring system comprising a display output means that outputs the left and right blood flow information acquired by the blood flow acquisition means side by side to a display device.

10. Computers, A blood flow acquisition means that acquires blood flow information for the left and right sides of the patient from blood flow sensors attached to the patient's lower or upper limbs in symmetrical positions, A display output means that outputs the blood flow information for the left and right sides acquired by the blood flow acquisition means to a display device, and make it work The blood flow information is a program that includes at least one of the following: blood flow rate, pulse amplitude, and pulse rate.

Images