Itamar Medical Ltd.

Other

Itamar Medical (c.m.) 1997 Ltd.

Itamar Medical (c.m.) Ltd.

Robert P Schnall

Jacob Sheffy

Peretz Lavie

Daniel A Goor

Yoram Palti

Sarah Herscovici-Cohen

Giora Pillar

Apparatus for monitoring arterial pulse waves includes at least one separator ring receivable on at least one digit of a limb effective to tether a feed tube supplying a measuring device to a digit. Each separator ring is of a compliant material, of a non-interrupted tubular configuration, designed to avoid interference of blood supply to or from the digit to which it is applied, and of sufficient resilience and thickness to enable it to distance each adjacent digit from a digit mounted tubular socket probe so as to prevent contact between the tubular socket probe and adjacent digits, without interference to blood circulation, irrespective of the thickness of the digit on which the separator ring is received.

Apparatus for monitoring arterial pulse waves in diagnosing various medical conditions

A method and apparatus for examining a subject for a particular physiological condition according to a technique which utilizes sounds generated by the subject and sensed at a predefined distance from the site of sound generation of the subject, by locating a first sound sensor, e.g., a sound level meter which measures the sound levels in decibels, on a particular region of the subject's body to produce an output corresponding to the sound level sensed thereby; modifying the output of the first sound level meter by a pre-calculated Transfer Function equating its output to that of a second sound level meter located at a predefined distance from the site of sound generation of the subject's body; and utilizing the modified output of the first sound level meter in determining the existence of the particular physiological condition.

Method and apparatus for examining subjects for particular physiological conditions utilizing acoustic information

Non-invasively measuring a physiological parameter by applying to a subject's body part a venous occlusion plethysmographic device including a first section having a first fluid chamber and at least a second region having a second fluid chamber to engage a first region of the body part and a second region of the body part, proximal of the first region; pressurizing the first chamber to a pressure sufficient to compensate for hydrostatic pressure added to the inherent venous pressure at the maximal vertical lowering level of the body part relative to the subject's heart level; intermittently raising and lowering the pressure in the second fluid chamber to a pressure above or equal to the pressure in the first chamber, but below the arterial blood pressure; measuring changes in volume of the first region of the body part; and utilizing the measured volume changes to provide a measure of the physiological parameter.

Measuring blood flow and venous capacitance

A drug delivery device for delivering a drug to a preselected treatment site, includes a rupturable film capsule enclosing a quantity of the drug to be delivered; an array of micro-needles formed with passageways therethrough carried by the device; a covering layer overlying the capsule and forming a fluid-tight seal with the perimeter of the micro-needle array such that when the device is located with the micro-needles facing the treatment site, the application of pressure to the device causes the micro-needles to penetrate the treatment site and the capsule film to rupture to deliver the drug via the passageways to the treatment site; and an open mesh layer adjacent to the array of micro-needles effective, upon rupture of the capsule film, to uniformly distribute the drug to the micro-needles and also to reduce the possibility of clogging of the passageways.

Drug delivery devices

A method and apparatus for improving the diagnostic performance of a probe system () for detecting a medical condition in a patient by sensing volume changes in a monitored body part due to pulsatile arterial blood flow in the body part, characterized in calibrating the probe system () for the respective measurement site according to a predetermined characteristic of the monitored body part of the patient and quantifying the arterial pulsatile volume thereat. Such calibration is described with respect to probes including: (1) a pressure sensor (), which senses pressure changes in a compressible fluid system to which the patient's body part (e.g., finger, toe or a distal portion of a limb) is subjected, which pressure changes are convertible to volume changes in the body part due to pulsatile arterial blood volume changes therein; and (2) an optical sensor (), which senses optical density or transmissivity changes in the body part, which changes are also convertible to volume changes due to pulsatile arterial blood volume changes in the body part.

Detecting medical conditions with noninvasive body probes

Method and apparatus for monitoring the sleep state condition of an individual by using an external probe applied to a peripheral body location, such as the individual's finger or toe, for detecting changes in the peripheral vascular bed volume of the individual. A predetermined pressure field is applied to the distal end of the peripheral body location, including its distal-most extremity, to prevent the occurrence of venous pooling within and distal to the peripheral body location. The probe produces an output corresponding to changes in the peripheral arterial bed volume at the peripheral body location, which output provides an indication of the sleep state condition of the individual. Such information is useful in diagnosing and/or in treating, a number of sleep disorders as well as other conditions, such as impotence, diabetes, and various disorders in children.

Method and apparatus for the non-invasive detection of particular sleep-state conditions by monitoring the peripheral vascular system

A probe for application to a selected area of a subject's skin covering a body part, which selected area serves as a measurement site for measuring changes in the pulsatile arterial blood volume thereat, includes: a base for application to the selected area of the subject's skin at the measurement site; a pressure applicator for applying a static pressure to the subject's skin at the measurement site; and a sensor for sensing changes in the pulsatile arterial blood volume at the measurement site. The pressure applicator is designed to apply to the measurement site a static pressure of a magnitude to partially unload the wall tension of, but not to occlude, the arteries. The pressure applicator is configured to substantially prevent venous distention and blood pooling at the measurement site by permitting free venous drainage through tissues surrounding the measurement site. This is done by configuring the pressure applicator to apply the static pressure to a relatively restricted area of the subject's skin, which area occupies a relatively small fraction of the surface perimeter of the respective body part at the measurement site, to thereby permit free venous drainage from the measurement site via a wide region of unrestricted passageways surrounding the measurement site.

Body surface probe, apparatus and method for non-invasively detecting medical conditions

A non-invasive probe for application to a body part, such as a finger, toe or limb, for the detection of a medical condition of the subject includes a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the subject's body part including its terminal-most extremity, a sensor for sensing a predetermined condition of the body part after being received within the compartment, and a removable liner lining the inner surface of the housing, to facilitate the insertion of the body part into the compartment. The described probe is one which senses changes in the peripheral arterial tone as manifested by changes in the pulsatile arterial blood volume and/or changes in the oxygen saturation level in a terminal extremity of a body part, and includes a number of other features particularly useful in such probes.

Non-invasive probe for detecting medical conditions

A method and apparatus for non-invasively evaluating endothelial activity in a patient, particularly for indicating the presence of an endothelial dysfunction condition, by applying an occluding pressure to a predetermined part of an arm or leg of the patient to occlude arterial blood flow therein; maintaining the occluding pressure for a predetermined time period; removing the occluding pressure after the elapse of the predetermined time period to restore arterial blood flow; monitoring a digit of the arm or leg by a digit-probe for changes in the peripheral arterial tone therein before and after the application of the occluding pressure to the arm or leg of the patient; and utilizing any detected changes in the peripheral arterial tone for evaluating endothelial activity in the patient. Particularly important advantages are provided when the occluding cuff is applied to the digit of the patient receiving the monitoring digit-probe, on the proximal side thereof with respect to the patient's heart, and also when a reference digit-probe is applied to another digit, not influenced by the occluding pressure, to compensate for shifts inherent to vascular beds.

Method and apparatus for non-invasively evaluating endothelial activity in a patient

A probe for application to a body part particularly a finger of a patent to detect a change in the physical condition of the patient includes a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the patient's finger and a medium wholly self-contained within the probe for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the patient's finger, of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of the venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrograde shockwave propagation into the distal end, and to partially unload the wall tension of, but not to occlude, the arteries in the distal end when at heart level or below. A sensor senses changes in the distal end of the patient's finger related to changes in arterial blood volume therein.

Pressure applicator devices particularly useful for non-invasive detection of medical conditions

A device for application to a body part of a patient to determine the physiological condition of the patient. The device includes a housing, in the form of a hollow socket closed at its distal end and open at its proximal end, for receiving the body part, a pressurizing device for applying a pressure field around the body part when received in the housing, and a sensor for sensing changes in the body part related to changes in pulsatile blood volume therein. The housing includes at least three contiguous but separate sections including a distal end section at its distal tip, a proximal end section at its opposite end, and at least one middle section between the end sections. The pressurizing device applies a pressure field to the portions of the body part received within at least the distal end section and the middle section of the housing. The distal end section is configured to apply pressure to all of the distal portion of the body part including its distal most tip. The sensor is configured to sense pulsatile volume changes in at least one segment distal to the proximal-most segment.

Probe devices particularly useful for non-invasive detection of medical conditions

A probe for application to a body part particularly a finger of a patient to detect a change in the physical condition of the patient includes a housing defining a compartment closed at one end and open at the opposite end for receiving the distal end of the patient's finger and a medium wholly self-contained within the probe for applying a static pressure field substantially uniformly around the distal end of the patient's finger, of a predetermined magnitude sufficient to substantially prevent distention of the venous vasculature, uncontrolled venous backflow, and retrognade shockwave propagation into the distal end, and to partially unload the wall tension of, but not to occlude, the arteries in the distal end when at heart level or below. A sensor senses changes in the distal end of the patient's finger related to changes in arterial blood volume therein.

A method and apparatus for non-invasively determining a physiological condition. The method can include steps of monitoring peripheral arterial tone using an external sensor, detecting a change in the peripheral arterial tone, and determining the physiological condition when a specific change in the peripheral arterial tone has been detected. The physiological condition may be a cardiovascular disease state or endothelial dysfunction, for example. The apparatus can include a probe applied to a subject's digit for sensing peripheral arterial tone and outputting a corresponding signal, and a processor which processes the signal and provides an output from which the physiological condition can be determined or which determines the physiological condition based on the signal.

Method and apparatus for the non-invasive detection of medical conditions by monitoring peripheral arterial tone

A method and an apparatus for non-invasive detection of a physiological state or medical condition are disclosed. The method provides an indication of such state or condition such as myocardial ischemia or sleep apnea, by detecting the peripheral arterial tone's response to such state or condition, based on monitoring changes in peripheral arterial tone and determining that a change in the condition of the patient has occurred when a specific change in the peripheral arterial tone has been detected. A static pressure field is applied around the distal part of a digit of the subject. Peripheral arterial tone changes and related volume changes in the distal part of the digit are detected to thereby detect or monitor a physiological state or medical condition. The apparatus includes a finger probe (,), in the form of a tube (,) accommodating the patient's finger, which is designed to apply pressure, and a contiguous pressure cuff (,) which extends the boundary of the pressure field. The finger probe (,) either includes or is associated with a signal sensor/transducer (,).

A vascular clamp for occluding a blood vessel or duct in a human or animal. The vascular clamp includes a pair of pivoting arms, with a clamping jaw rigidly attached to a distal end of each pivoting arm. A concave substantially semi-cylindrical chamber is formed in each clamping jaw. The clamping jaws are movable between an open position and a closed position, and are aligned so as to form a substantially cylindrical chamber in the closed position. A balloon is mounted in the concave semi-cylindrical chamber of each clamping jaw. Each balloon includes a substantially semi-cylindrical rigid shell conforming to the concave semi-cylindrical chamber and a thin, elastic material pre-filled with a liquid or gaseous fluid at a predetermined pressure. The balloons are configured to completely surround and occlude the blood vessel or duct in the closed position of the vascular clamp. The rigid shell of each balloon is attached to its associated clamping jaw.

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Kiryat Bialik, Israel

Robert P Schnall