Method and Apparatus for Monitoring an Organ of a Patient

Abstract

An apparatus for determining tissue versus fluid components of an organ include a detector that generates a detector signal based on electrical signals derived from tissue and fluid. The apparatus includes a signal processor in communication with the detector which subtracts in real time a tissue component from the detector signal and produces a fluid volume signal. A method for monitoring a patient's fluid volume of a patient's organ. An apparatus for monitoring a patient's organ. A method for monitoring a patient's organ. A method to piggyback an admittance system onto a AICD/Bi-ventricular Pacemaker for a heart of a patient, in particular a weakened heart having features consistent with congestive heart failure. An apparatus for monitoring an organ, such as a heart, lungs, brain, skeletal muscle, and bladder of a patient which includes a detector which detects the admittance of the organ. The apparatus includes a transmitter in communication with the detector which transmits a wireless signal indicative of the admittance of the organ. A method for monitoring an organ of a patient includes the steps of detecting with a detector the admittance of the organ. There is the step of transmitting with a transmitter in communication with the detector a wireless signal indicative of admittance of the organ.

1 . A method for monitoring a patient's organ comprising the steps of:
 producing a detector signal from a detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the organ; and   determining admittance from the detector signal with a signal processor in communication with the detector based on the varying distance between the electrodes.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  including the step of using the detector signal measuring end-systolic blood conductance (Gb) and/or end-systolic blood resistance (Rb) as a measure of the strength or contractility of a left ventricle of a heart, other chambers in the heart, and whether there is an increase or decrease of heart muscle contractility over time. 
     
     
         3 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the organ is a lung and the producing step includes the step of producing the detector signal from the detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the lung to separate the blood and lung tissue components to determine pulmonary edema. 
     
     
         4 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the organ is a bladder and the producing step includes the step of producing the detector signal from the detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the bladder to separate the urine and bladder wall components to determine when the bladder is full. 
     
     
         5 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the organ is a brain and the producing step includes the step of producing the detector signal from the detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the brain to separate central nervous system fluid (CSF) from the brain tissue as a measure of brain edema. 
     
     
         6 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the organ is skeletal muscle and the producing step includes the step of producing the detector signal from the detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the skeletal muscle to separate the blood and edema components from tissue properties of skeletal and smooth muscle to determine blood vessel and skeletal muscle edema. 
     
     
         7 . The method as described in  claim 1  wherein the organ is an epidermis and the producing step includes the step of producing the detector signal from the detector having electrodes that have a varying distance between them based on electrical signals derived from the epidermis to differentiate dermis from epidermis from blisters in regard to skin burns. 
     
     
         8 . An AICD/Bi-ventricular Pacemaker for a heart of a patient comprising:
 a housing;   a first and second electrode configured to be disposed in the right ventricular septum (RV) of the heart;   a catheter having a third and fourth electrode that is configured to extend from the housing into the coronary sinus extending onto the lateral epicardial coronary vein of the heart;   a drive circuit disposed in the housing to cause the electrodes to generate emitted electrical signals; and   a transmitter disposed in the housing that transmit received signals from the electrodes after the emitted signals have passed through the heart.   
     
     
         9 . An apparatus for monitoring an organ of a patient comprising:
 a detector which detects the organ's volume or diameter via admittance of the heart; and   a transmitter in communication with the detector which transmits a wireless signal indicative of the volume or the diameter of the organ via Admittance of the organ.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus as described in  claim 9  wherein the detector includes a plurality of electrodes in communication with the organ. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus as described in  claim 10  wherein the detector includes a current source in communication with at least one of the electrodes. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus as described in  claim 11  wherein the detector includes a differential gain stage in communication with at least one of the electrodes which senses a differential voltage associated with the organ. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus as described in  claim 12  wherein the organ is a heart and the detector includes a gain and filtering stage in communication with the differential gain stage which generates a DC signal corresponding to an amplitude of a resulting signal from the gain and filtering stage to generate an impedance magnitude signal. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus as described in  claim 13  including a pressure transducer in communication with the heart which produces a pressure signal associated with the heart. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus as described in  claim 14  wherein the detector includes a phase detector in communication with at least one of the electrodes which determines a phase difference between an original reference signal and a phase output signal from one of the electrodes and produces a phase difference signal. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus as described in  claim 15  including a receiver positioned remotely from the transmitter and wherein the pressure signal, phase difference signal an amplitude signal is transmitted by the transmitter wirelessly to the receiver.