Acoustic Sensor Platform for Anesthesia Patient Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current anesthesia procedures face challenges in pain mitigation, apnea detection, aspiration detection, and patient communication, particularly in monitored anesthesia care, where timely and effective monitoring is crucial to reduce morbidity and mortality, and existing methods are often delayed or inadequate.
Innovation Solution
An acoustic sensor platform coupled to a nasal cannula or face mask, which includes a processor to detect and amplify patient speech, breathing rate, and aspiration sounds, providing real-time audio-visual feedback and alerts, along with optional CO2, HCL, and temperature sensors for comprehensive monitoring.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pulse oximetry is used to monitor oxygenation, then oxygenation estimation is reliable, but detection of apnea is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces acoustic sensing as an intermediary monitoring method that detects apnea through sound analysis before oxygen saturation levels decline. The acoustic sensor serves as a mediator between the patient's breathing state and the monitoring system, providing early warning of apnea events before pulse oximetry would detect them through SpO2 changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements real-time acoustic feedback monitoring that continuously analyzes breathing sounds and provides immediate alerts when apnea is detected. This feedback mechanism allows the anesthesiologist to respond to apnea events promptly, rather than waiting for delayed oxygenation changes to manifest.
2Reliability
If electrical impedance respiratory rate monitoring is used, then apneic episodes can be detected, but the technique is technically difficult and can be misinterpreted by chest wall movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces electrical impedance monitoring with acoustic sensing technology. Instead of measuring electrical properties that are sensitive to chest wall movement, the system uses acoustic sensors to detect breathing sounds directly, eliminating the technical difficulties and misinterpretation issues associated with impedance-based methods.
3Measurement precision
If capnography is used to monitor apnea and airway obstruction, then accurate detection is achieved, but the equipment and procedure become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential monitoring function from complex capnography equipment by using simple acoustic sensors to detect apnea and airway obstruction. Instead of requiring full capnography systems with CO2 analysis, the invention isolates and uses only the acoustic detection aspect, achieving similar clinical utility with simpler technology.
4Loss of time
If acoustic sensors are used for early apnea detection, then detection timeliness is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the acoustic sensor platform multi-functional by integrating it with existing anesthesia monitoring systems. The acoustic sensor serves multiple purposes: early apnea detection, aspiration detection, and communication assessment, thereby justifying the added complexity through multiple clinical benefits from a single device integration.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances patient communication, enables timely detection of apnea and aspiration, reduces morbidity and mortality by providing real-time, accurate monitoring and recording of vital signs and patient feedback, improving anesthesia management.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic sensor configured to be coupled to one of a nasal cannula or face mask of the anesthesia patient
Data Source
AI summary
An acoustic sensor platform based method and apparatus provides for improved pain mitigation, apnea detection, aspiration detection and patient communication in anesthesia patients. The platform includes an acoustic sensor configured to be coupled to one of a nasal cannula or face mask of the anesthesia patient; a processer coupled to the acoustic sensor and configured to i) Detect patient speech and isolate and amplify the patient speech, and ii) Detect at least one of a breathing rate of the patient or aspiration of the patient; and an audio visual display coupled to the processor and providing an audio and/or visual display of the isolated and amplified speech of the patient, and displaying results for at least one of a breathing rate of the patient or aspiration of the patient.