Ventilator Setting Aid With Linked Patient Feedback Indicators
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Solution Overview
Problem
Effective communication between practitioners and patients during mechanical ventilation is hindered by the patient interface and ventilator pressures, making it difficult to adjust ventilator settings to suit individual patient needs.
Innovation Solution
A device with parallel indicator elements on a main body, allowing patients to indicate their ventilation experience and simultaneously adjust corresponding ventilator settings, facilitating easy and rapid determination of optimal parameters despite the obstructive interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a patient interface (mask or cannula) is used to deliver respiratory gas, then mechanical ventilation can be provided to patients with respiratory failure, but communication between the practitioner and patient becomes difficult or impossible due to the interface and generated pressures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary communication system that includes a speech-to-text device and a text-to-speech device. The speech-to-text device captures the patient's spoken words and converts them to text, while the text-to-speech device converts practitioner's instructions into audio that the patient can hear through the ventilator interface. This intermediary system enables bidirectional communication without removing the necessary patient interface for ventilation delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct acoustic communication (which is blocked by the interface and pressures) with electronic communication systems. Microphones, processors, and speakers are used to substitute for natural voice communication, allowing information to be transmitted despite the physical barriers created by the mask or cannula and the positive pressure environment.
2Reliability
If ventilator settings are adjusted based on patient feedback, then treatment can be fine-tuned for effectiveness and tolerance, but the process becomes time-consuming and complex due to multiple adjustable parameters
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the patient's verbal feedback is captured by a microphone, processed by a speech-to-text converter, and transmitted to the practitioner. This allows real-time feedback loop where the patient can express discomfort or effectiveness of current settings, and the practitioner can immediately adjust parameters based on this direct feedback, reducing the time needed for trial-and-error adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the patient to self-report their condition and comfort level through speech input. The patient actively participates in the adjustment process by communicating their needs, reducing the need for the practitioner to continuously assess and adjust settings based on indirect observations. The patient essentially serves their own communication needs through the integrated speech recognition system.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a device (1) for assisting in the adjustment of a medical ventilator used to deliver respiratory gas to a patient, comprising a main body (2) with two opposing surfaces (3, 4), a first series of slots (10) with locations (11) comprising an indication (12) relating to the patient's perception of the ventilation applied to them, and a second series of slots (20) with locations (21) comprising an indication for adjusting the ventilator (22). Indicator elements (13, 23) are movable relative to the slots (11) such that positioning the first indicator element (13) opposite one of the locations (11) of the first series of slots (10) results in the simultaneous positioning of the second indicator element (23) opposite one of the locations (21) of the second series (20) of slots (20).