Intra-airway Pressure Sensor for Ventilator Synchronization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ventilator systems face challenges in accurately measuring the complete respiratory pattern of patients, particularly in open ventilation systems, due to in-line breath sensors being masked by ventilator gas flow, limited accuracy and sensitivity, and cumbersome interfaces, which affect synchronization and patient comfort.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-based breath sensing system that measures intra-tracheal or nasal/oral breathing pressures using a multichannel, multi-transducer arrangement, capable of switching between channels for wide-range pressure measurement with high resolution, and includes thermal sensors and pressure sensors to derive airflow and pressure signals, providing improved accuracy and sensitivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If in-line breath sensors are used to detect patient respiration, then the sensor can measure respiratory patterns, but the sensor signal is masked by ventilator gas flow causing inaccurate measurements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the breath sensing function from the ventilator gas delivery circuit by placing a separate sensor in the patient's airway (trachea, bronchus, or lung) that is independent from the gas delivery pathway. This allows the sensor to measure only patient breaths without contamination from ventilator gas flow, resolving the signal masking problem while maintaining accurate respiratory pattern detection
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary sensing element (such as a pressure sensor, flow sensor, or impedance sensor) positioned directly in the patient's airway to mediate between the ventilator system and the breath detection function. This intermediary sensor captures pure breath signals without being affected by the ventilator's gas delivery, enabling accurate measurement despite the presence of ventilator flow
2Reliability
If conventional pressure or flow sensors are used in the gas delivery circuit, then the system can detect inspiratory effort, but the sensor cannot distinguish between ventilator activity and patient respiration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the sensing function from the gas delivery function by placing the sensor in a separate location (patient airway) that is not part of the ventilator circuit. This segmentation allows independent measurement of patient breaths without the ventilator gas flow interfering with the sensor readings, thereby preserving complete respiratory information including both inspiratory and expiratory phases
Solution Approach 2:
The patent moves the sensor from the one-dimensional gas delivery pathway to a separate spatial dimension (directly in the patient's airway), creating an independent measurement channel that captures breath information without being confounded by ventilator activity. This dimensional separation enables simultaneous detection of both ventilator delivery and patient respiration
3Measurement precision
If chest impedance sensors are used to measure respiratory curve, then the entire respiratory pattern can be captured, but the signal is prone to drift, noise and artifacts from patient motion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sensing function from the external body surface (chest impedance) and places it directly inside the patient's airway. This internal placement eliminates the influence of external factors such as patient motion, body shifting, and electrode contact issues that cause artifacts in chest impedance measurements, while still capturing the complete respiratory curve including breath amplitude and timing
4Measurement precision
If esophageal catheter with neural respiratory drive sensor is used, then accurate breath detection is achieved, but an additional invasive device is required and exhalation activity cannot be monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a multi-functional sensor system placed in the patient's airway that can simultaneously detect both inspiratory and expiratory phases of breathing. This single internal sensor performs the complete breath detection function without requiring multiple separate sensors or complex invasive configurations, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining comprehensive monitoring capability
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
The system effectively measures the complete respiratory cycle, enhances synchronization between the ventilator and patient, reduces the work of breathing, and provides accurate and sensitive data for controlling ventilator functions, improving patient comfort and therapy efficacy.
Implementation Method 1
A pressure-based breath sensing system that measures intra-tracheal or nasal/oral breathing pressures using a multichannel, multi-transducer arrangement
Implementation Method 2
thermal intra-airway breath sensing is promising because it directly measures airflow in the trachea
Data Source
AI summary
Improved methods and devices are described for sensing the respiration pattern of a patient and controlling ventilator functions, particularly for use in an open ventilation system. A ventilation and breath sensing apparatus may include a ventilation gas delivery circuit and a ventilation tube coupled to the ventilation gas delivery circuit. A plurality of pressure sensing elements may be separated by a distance and may produce independent signals. The signals may be used to detect pressure differentials between the plurality of pressure sensing elements. Sensing ports may be located in an airway, and connected to transducers that are valved to optimize sensitivity and overpressure protection. Airway pressure and flow can both be obtained and used to optimize ventilator synchronization and therapy.