WO2011021159A1

WO2011021159A1 - A monitor

Info

Publication number: WO2011021159A1
Application number: PCT/IB2010/053726
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johan Du Toit Erasmus
Original assignee: Johan Du Toit Erasmus
Priority date: 2009-08-20
Filing date: 2010-08-18
Publication date: 2011-02-24

Abstract

The invention relates to a monitor and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a monitor to monitor a patient. In accordance with this invention there is provided a monitor comprising a housing having a sensor for sensing blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and arterial blood gas (ABG) levels of a patient and transmission means for transmitting the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels to a remote device.

Description

A MONITOR

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a monitor and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a monitor to monitor a patient.

BACKGROUND

During a patient's stay in a hospital or clinic, the patient's vitals such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) are regularly monitored and recorded. Additionally, a patient's respiration rate (RR), body temperature and arterial blood gas (ABG) - amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood - may be monitored.

Generally, a relative bulky electronic apparatus with a band tightened around the patient's arm is used to measure his/her BP, while nursing staff normally measures the patient's pulse by holding the patient's wrist tightly or uses a cold stethoscope to determine the patient's heart beat/pulse.

The tightened band, the firm grip on the wrist and the cold stethoscope may all be inconvenient and frightening to patients, especially to minors. Traditional mercury-filled thermometers or electronic thermometers are used to measure body temperatures. These meters are, in general, longitudinal devices with conducting tips for insertion under either the tongue or the armpit techniques that may cause discomfort and be unhygienic.

For measurement of the RR and ABG, devices such as a respirator and fingertip oximeters are connected to monitoring display equipment next to a patient's bed. All these machines, devices, cables and wires may frighten a patient and/or his/her visitors, but also limit the patient's manoeuvrability. This may also be inconvenient and uncomfortable to a patient.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide a monitor, which at least partially, alleviates the abovementioned difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a monitor comprising; - a housing having sensors for sensing blood pressure (BP)₁ heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and arterial blood gas (ABG) levels of a patient; and

- transmission means for transmitting the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels to a remote device.

The sensors may be at least two electrodes on a rear panel of the housing which senses the BP, HR, RR and ABG levels when in contact with the patient's skin.

The housing may include display means for displaying the BP, HR, RR and ABG levels as sensed by the sensors.

The housing may contain storage means for storing the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels, registration information and identification information of the patient.

Further according to the invention the transmission means transmits patient data to the remote device via a wireless telephony network.

Yet further according to the invention, the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels may be transmitted to the remote device in real-time. The remote device may be selected from any one or more of the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop, a cellphone, a tablet computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA). Also according to the invention, the monitor may be provided with releasable attachment means so that it is releasably attachable to a limb of a patient.

Still further according to the invention, the registration information may include personal details of a patient provided upon admission into a medical institution.

The personal details of the patient may be recorded on a central station computer in the hospital and transmitted to the monitor via a connection cable or via a wireless telephony network.

The personal information of the patient may consist of the patient's names, postal and physical addresses, contact details, referring doctors' details and the patient's medical history. The identification information may be the patient's identification number, passport number, and hospital file or reference number.

Yet further according to the invention, audio and/or visual alerting means alerts a patient or physician in the event of any irregular BP, HR, RR and ABG levels being sensed by the monitor. These and other features of the invention are described in more detail below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

One embodiment of the invention is described below, by way of an example only, and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a top view of a monitor in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the monitor of figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 is an illustration of a system in which the monitor is applied.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

With reference to the drawings, a monitor is generally indicated by reference numeral 10.

The monitor 10 consists of a housing 2 with sensors (not shown) to sense the vitals such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and arterial blood gas (ABG) levels of a patient; computing means to receive the sensed vitals, RR and ABG levels; and transmission means to transmit the sensed vitals, RR and ABG levels to a remote device 20. The housing 2 is an electronic wrist receiver device with a strap 4 enfolding a patient's wrist (not shown) and a sensor (not shown) to sense the vitals, RR and ABG levels when in contact with the patient's skin and any irregularities in the BP, HR, RR and ABG levels of the patient. The free ends of the strap 4 overlap with complementary velcro® strips 3, engaging one another.

The housing 2 has a display means 5 to display the vitals, RR and ABG levels, translated into digital data and a power button 1 to switch the monitor on and off. The housing 2 further includes operational buttons (6, 7 and 8) e.g. up and down scroll buttons and an actuating ("OK") button, a LED indicator 12 and a socket 11 for receiving a connection cable 14 between the monitor 10 and a central station computer 30. The LED indicator 12 indicates the irregularities sensed in the vitals, RR and ABG levels of the patient. This indication of irregularities is translated into a visual alarm like the LED turning red or flashing and/or an audio alarm. The connection cable (not shown) may be plugged into the socket 11 between the monitor and the heart rate monitor electrodes.

The remote device 20 is a portable computer, a laptop, a cell phone, or a personal digital assistant (PDA) for communication with the monitor 10 via a wireless telephony network 21. The patient's details, like its vitals, RR and ABG levels, registration information and identification information are stored, and can be downloaded from the monitor 10 onto the remote device 20. The registration information includes personal details of a patient, such as the patient's names, postal and physical addresses, contact details, referring doctor, medical history, etc. These registration details are recorded, during admission of the patient, on the central station computer 30, and can then be transmitted to the monitor 10 via wireless telephony network 21 , or via connection cable 14. The identification information, includes the patient's identification number, passport number and hospital file number which are also recorded and allocated during admission to hospital or the patient being fitted with the monitor 10.

In use, the monitor is enfolded around a patient's wrist upon admittance into hospital. The monitor then senses the patient's vitals, RR and ABG levels when the sensor contacts the patient's skin. The sensors sense the vitals, RR and ABG levels and store the sensed vitals, RR and ABG levels. Once any irregularities are recognised, the LED turns red, starts flashing or an audio alarm is activated.

The sensed vitals, RR and ABG levels are translated into digital data for display on the display screen 5. The scroll buttons (6 and 8) are used to scroll up and down through the data. The actuating button 7 is used for setting the data as measured at a specific time and transmitting those specific data to the remote device 20. The patient's data could then be sent to the patient's computer of PDA, and/or to the doctor's computer or PDA. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various alternative embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A monitor comprising:

a housing having sensors for sensing blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR) and arterial blood gas (ABG) levels of a patient; and

transmission means for transmitting the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels to a remote device.

2. A monitor according to claim 1 , wherein the sensors are at least two electrodes on a rear panel of the housing which senses the BP, HR, RR and ABG levels when in contact with the patient's skin.

3. A monitor according to either one of claim 1 or 2, wherein the housing includes display means for displaying the BP, HR, RR and ABG levels as sensed by the sensors.

4. A monitor according to any one the preceding claims, wherein the housing contains storage means for storing the sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels, registration information and identification information of the patient.

5. A monitor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the transmission means transmits patient data to the remote device via a wireless telephony network.

6. A monitor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein sensed BP, HR, RR and ABG levels are transmitted to the remote device in realtime.

7. A monitor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the remote device is selected from any one or more of the group consisting of a personal computer, a laptop, a cellphone, a tablet computer and a personal digital assistant (PDA).

8. A monitor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the monitor is provided with releasable attachment means so that it is releasably attachable to a limb of a patient.

9. A monitor according to claim 4, wherein the registration information is personal details of a patient provided upon admission into a medical institution on a central station computer in a hospital.

10. A monitor according to claim 9, wherein the personal details of the patient are recorded on a central station computer in the hospital and transmitted to the monitor via a connection cable or a wireless telephony network.

11. A monitor according to any one of claims 4 to 10, wherein the personal information of the patient consists of the patient's names, postal and physical addresses, contact details, referring doctors' details and the patient's medical history.

12. A monitor according to any one of claims 4 to 11 , wherein the identification information is the patient's identification number, passport number, and hospital file or reference number.

13. A monitor according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein audio and/or visual alerting means alerts a patient or physician in the event of any irregular BP, HR, RR and ABG levels being sensed by the monitor.