Medical system, apparatus and method

Abstract

According to some embodiments, there is provided a medical monitoring device that includes one or more sensors, wherein a sensor is adapted to sense a parameter of a patient and computator adapted to receive an output of at least one sensor and to compute a condition-index-value directly related to a condition of the patient.

What we claim is: 
     
         1 . A method for computing a single unit less index-value indicative of a respiratory status a patient, the method comprising:
 continuously sensing at least two parameters of a patient, using two or more sensors, wherein said two or more sensors comprise at least a capnograph and a pulse oximeter; and   continuously computing a single unit-less index-value based on an integration of at least two output parameters received at least from the capnograph and the pulse oximeter, wherein a change in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of a change in the respiratory status of the patient.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two parameters of a patient comprise a respiratory related parameter, pulmonary related parameter, cardiac related parameter and or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two parameters of a patient comprise respiration rate, EtCO2, SpO 2 , heart rate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two or more sensors further comprises a heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor, Electrocardiography (ECG), Electroencephalography (EEG) or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single unit-less index-value is in the range of 1 to 10. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single unit-less index-value is in the range of 1 to 100. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an increase in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of an improvement in a patient's condition. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a decrease in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of an improvement in a patient's condition. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a decrease in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of a deterioration of a patient's condition. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein an increase in the single unit-less index-value is indicative of a deterioration of a patient's condition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the single unit-less index-value is computed according to an average of the at least two output parameters. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein computing the single unit-less index-value is comprises mathematical operation of a medical significance level of each of the at least two output parameters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the mathematical operation comprises multiplication. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the medical significance level of each of the at least two output parameters is determined by correlating the output value of each of the at least two output parameters with that of a normal level. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising computing a trend of said single unit-less index-value. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising computing a reliability index of said single unit-less index-value. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a pause frequency parameter. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing a medical recommendation. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said medical recommendation is determined according to the single unit-less index-value. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein said medical recommendation is determined according to the single unit-less index-value and a parameter related to a CO 2  waveform. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising a user interface. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising graphically displaying the single unit-less index-value on a graphic display. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising graphically displaying a trend of the single unit-less index-value. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing indications correlating to a status of the patient. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the status comprises hyperventilation, hypoventilation or both. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the change in the single unit-less index-value is displayed as up and down arrows indicating hyperventilation and hypoventilation respectively. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising graphically displaying a sub-range to which the single unit-less index-value is assigned, wherein the sub-range correlates to a level of normality of the respiratory status and/or to whether medical intervention is required. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the sub-range is displayed with a different graphical sign according to the level of normality of the respiratory status and/or to whether medical intervention is required. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising correlating the at least two output parameters to a set of predefined conditions. 
     
     
         30 . A medical system comprising:
 a monitoring device comprising two or more sensors adapted to sense at least two parameters of a patient, wherein said two or more sensors comprise at least a capnograph and a pulse oximeter;   a computator adapted to continuously receive at least two output parameters at least from said capnograph and said pulse oximeter and to compute a single unit-less index-value based on integration of said at least two output parameters; and   a sampling unit adapted to sample breath from a patient.   
     
     
         31 . The medical system of  claim 30 , wherein said sampling unit comprises an oral nasal cannula. 
     
     
         32 . The medical system of  claim 30 , wherein said at least two parameters of a patient comprises a respiratory related parameter, pulmonary related parameter, cardiac related parameter or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . The medical system of  claim 30 , wherein said at least two parameters of a patient comprises respiration rate, EtCO2, SpO 2 , heart rate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         34 . The medical system of  claim 30 , wherein said two or more sensors comprise a heart rate monitor, blood pressure monitor, Electrocardiography (ECG), Electroencephalography (EEG) or any combination thereof.