Hemodynamic monitoring system with detachable display unit

Abstract

A patient monitor configured to receive patient-information electrical signals from an invasive patient sensor and a minimally invasive patient sensor, the patient monitor including a base unit and a detachable user interface unit for displaying hemodynamic parameters determined by the base unit. The base unit and user interface unit can be docked together, tethered together through a cabled connection, or physically separated from one another using wireless communication to transmit and receive information. The base unit and the user interface unit may pair before the user interface unit displays data to link the base unit with the user interface unit. The patient monitor can be configured to switch between invasive and minimally invasive monitoring of hemodynamic parameters of a patient, using invasive measurements to calibrate minimally invasive measurements.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of providing an alarm for a patient monitoring system comprising a base unit and a detachable user interface unit when the detachable user interface unit is not electrically coupled to the base unit through a cable or connector, the method comprising:
 determining a presence of one or more alarm conditions based at least in part on a value of a hemodynamic parameter of a patient based on patient-information electrical signals received from an invasive patient sensor or a minimally invasive patient sensor;   determining whether the user interface unit is in wireless communication with the base unit;   signaling an alarm on the base unit if there is at least one alarm condition and there is no wireless communication between the user interface unit and the base unit; and   signaling an alarm on the user interface unit if there is at least one alarm condition and the user interface unit is wirelessly communicating with the base unit.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises an alarm indicating that at least one hemodynamic parameter is outside a tailored range of accepted values. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising not signaling the alarm on the base unit if there is at least one alarm condition and the user interface unit is wirelessly communicating with the base unit. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein signaling the alarm comprises providing a visual indication of the alarm. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein signaling the alarm comprises providing an audible indication of the alarm. 
     
     
         6 . A method of controlling a heater coupled to a patient sensor for a patient monitoring system comprising a base unit and a detachable user interface unit when the detachable user interface unit is not electrically coupled to the base unit through a cable or connector, the method comprising:
 iteratively commanding the heater to be in a low power state for a first period of time and to be in a high power state for a second period of time;   determining whether the user interface unit is in wireless communication with the base unit;   monitoring a length of time where there is no wireless communication between the user interface unit and the base unit; and   setting the power of the heater to be in the low power state if the length of time exceeds a time threshold.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the length of time is less than or equal to about 2 minutes. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first period of time is less than or equal to about 20 seconds. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the first period of time is the same duration as the second period of time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the low power state comprises providing less than or equal to about 200 mW of power to the heater. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein the high power state comprises providing at least about 7.5 W of power to the heater.