The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 17, 2009
Filed:
Oct. 26, 2007
Victor E. Kimball, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
Victor E. Kimball, St. Louis Park, MN (US);
Vasamed, Inc., Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Abstract
A device is provided for assessing impairment of blood circulation in a patient, such as that in perfusion failure, by measurement of blood flow adjacent a mucosal surface accessible by a mouth or nose and connecting with the gastrointestinal tract or upper respiratory/digestive tract of a patient. The device includes a blood-flow sensor adapted to be positioned adjacent a mucosal surface with a patient's body and measuring blood flow in adjacent tissue and a PCO.sub.2 sensor adapted to be positioned adjacent the mucosal surface and measuring PCO.sub.2. In addition a pH sensor may be used in combination with the blood flow determination. A method of detecting perfusion failure is also disclosed. The method includes utilizing blood-flow measurements in conjunction with a surface perfusion pressure index and/or an optical plethysmography index to more accurately assess perfusion failure. These measurements may also be supplement by taking measurements of pH, sublingual PCO.sub.2, and Sa O.sub.2. The invention affords rapid measurement and detection of perfusion failure.