Veterinary anesthesia monitoring system

Abstract

A veterinary anesthesia monitor system useful in establishing, maintaining, and reporting upon the anesthesia gas mixture delivered to or exhaled by a patient.

1 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic, comprising the steps of:
 a. sensing an amount of an anesthetic in an anesthetic source;   b. sensing said amount of said anesthetic in said anesthetic source after elapse of a duration of time;   c. determining a rate of anesthetic delivery from said anesthetic source;   d. comparing said rate of anesthetic delivery to a predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery; and   e. adjusting said rate of anesthetic delivery to said predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery from said anesthetic source.   
     
     
         2 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 1 , wherein said step of sensing said amount of said anesthetic in said anesthetic source further comprises the steps of:
 a. emitting light from a light source;   b. transmitting said light along an optical path located in said anesthetic source between said light source and a detector;   c. detecting said light transmitted from said light to said detector; and   d. generating a signal indicating absence of said anesthetic in said optical path.   
     
     
         3 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 1 , wherein said step of sensing said second amount of said anesthetic in said anesthetic source comprises further comprises the steps of:
 a. emitting light from a light source;   b. transmitting said light along an optical path passing through said anesthetic in said anesthetic source; and   c. altering direction of said emitted light in said amount of anesthetic in said anesthetic source sufficient to avoid detection.   
     
     
         4 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 3 , further comprising the step of entraining a portion of said anesthetic in a flow of gas. 
     
     
         5 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 4 , wherein said step of adjusting said rate of anesthetic delivery to said predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery from said anesthetic source comprises the step of adjusting amount of said anesthetic entrained in said flow of gas. 
     
     
         6 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 5 , wherein said adjusting amount of said anesthetic entrained in said flow of gas comprises the step of increasing an amount of vapor pressure of said anesthetic in said anesthetic source. 
     
     
         7 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 6 , wherein said step of increasing an amount of vapor pressure of said gas comprises the step of increasing temperature of said anesthetic in said anesthetic source. 
     
     
         8 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 7 , wherein said step of adjusting said rate of anesthetic delivery to said predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery from said anesthetic source comprises regulating an amount of gas in said flow of gas. 
     
     
         9 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 8 , further comprising the step of generating at least one anesthesia profile, wherein said anesthesia profile establishes said predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery within each of a plurality of time periods. 
     
     
         10 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 9 , further comprising the step of generating a plurality of anesthesia profiles. 
     
     
         11 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 10 , further comprising the step of selecting one each of said plurality of anesthesia delivery profiles. 
     
     
         12 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 11 , wherein said step of generating at least one anesthesia profile, further comprises the steps of:
 a. selecting a time period having a beginning and an end; and   b. selecting said predetermined rate of anesthetic delivery within said time period.   
     
     
         13 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 12 , further comprising the step of flowing said amount of anesthetic entrained in said airflow within a inhalation circuit to a patient. 
     
     
         14 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 13 , further comprising the step of flowing an exhaled mixture of gases within an exhalation circuit, wherein said exhaled mixture of gases contain an amount of carbon dioxide gas. 
     
     
         15 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 14 , further comprising the step of interacting said exhaled mixture of gases with a carbon dioxide absorbent. 
     
     
         16 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 15 , further comprising the step of determining said amount of carbon dioxide gas in said exhaled mixture of gases. 
     
     
         17 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 16 , wherein step of determining an amount of carbon dioxide gas in said exhaled mixture of gases comprises the further steps of:
 a. establishing an infrared radiation path between an infrared radiation emission source and a infrared radiation detector, wherein said infrared radiation path passes through said exhaled mixture of gases;   b. transmitting an amount of infrared radiation from said infrared radiation source to said infrared radiation detector along said infrared radiation path, wherein said amount of infrared radiation has a frequency absorbed by said amount of carbon dioxide gas;   c. absorbing a portion of said amount of infrared radiation emitted in said infrared radiation path by said amount of carbon dioxide in said exhaled mixture of gases;   d. generating a signal which varies based upon received infrared radiation at said infrared radiation detector; and   e. processing said signal to determine an amount of change in said amount of infrared radiation between said infrared radiation emission source and said infrared radiation detector; and   f. correlating said amount of change in said amount of infrared radiation between said infrared radiation emission source and said infrared radiation detector to amount of carbon dioxide gas in said exhaled mixture of gases.   
     
     
         18 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 17 , locating said infrared radiation path between said infrared radiation emission source and said infrared radiation detector to determine said amount of carbon dioxide gas in said exhalation circuit after interacting said exhaled mixture of gases with said carbon dioxide absorbent. 
     
     
         19 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 18 , further comprising the step of indicating said amount of carbon dioxide gas exceeds a threshold concentration after interacting said exhaled mixture of gases with said carbon dioxide absorbent. 
     
     
         20 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 19 , where in said step of indicating said amount of carbon dioxide gas exceeds a threshold concentration after interacting said exhaled mixture of gases with said carbon dioxide absorbent comprises the step selected from the group of: generating a sensorially perceivable indicia, generating an audible indicia, generating a visible indicia, tactile indicia, generating a sound, generating a light, and generating a graphic. 
     
     
         21 . A method of monitoring delivery of an anesthetic as described in  claim 20 , wherein said step of flowing said amount of anesthetic entrained in said airflow within a inhalation circuit to a patient comprises the step of flowing said amount of anesthetic entrained in said airflow within a inhalation circuit to a patient selected from the group consisting of: a human, an animal, a dog, a cat, a rat, a guinea pig, a horse, and a donkey.