Life Support and Monitoring Apparatus with Malfunction Correction Guidance

Abstract

A life support and monitoring apparatus with malfunction correction guidance is provided. The life support and monitoring apparatus of the present disclosure identifies the root cause or potential cause of a fault/failure and then prompts an operator to take appropriate steps to assure the continuance of life support and critical physiologic monitoring. When multiple faults/failures exist, the apparatus automatically prioritizes them based on risk to the patient and prompts the operator to do the most appropriate intervention to assure patient safety.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A ventilator and monitoring apparatus for providing mechanical ventilation to a patient, comprising:
 at least one sensor for sensing at least one physiological parameter of the patient;   a user interface; and   a controller configured to:
 control the ventilator and monitoring apparatus in delivering breathing gas to the patient, 
 determine that at least one alarm condition has occurred, wherein the at least one alarm condition relates to at least one of: (1) at least one physiological parameter value that is above or below an acceptable limit, or (2) at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, and 
 upon determining that the at least one alarm condition has occurred:
 display, on the user interface, an alarm message providing a description of the at least one alarm condition that has occurred, and 
 display, on the user interface, a visual indicator of an alarm condition priority, wherein the alarm condition priority comprises at least one of: a high priority alarm condition, a medium priority alarm condition, and a low priority alarm condition, wherein the high priority alarm condition occurs at least when the controller detects the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the high priority alarm condition requires immediate attention by an operator of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, and
 wherein the low priority alarm condition requires awareness by the operator of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition requires attention by an operator of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the low priority alarm condition requires awareness by an operator of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein, for the high priority alarm condition, the visual indicator is illuminated in a red color, and
 wherein, for the low priority alarm condition, the visual indicator is illuminated in a yellow color.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the high priority alarm condition occurs at least when the controller detects the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, wherein the at least one fault comprises a battery related fault. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the high priority alarm condition occurs at least when the controller detects the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, wherein the at least one fault comprises a sensor related fault. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the high priority alarm condition occurs at least when the controller detects the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, wherein the at least one fault comprises a self-test related fault. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the high priority alarm condition occurs at least when the controller detects the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus, wherein the at least one fault comprises an internal communication related fault. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition comprises a low tidal volume alarm condition. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition comprises a high breath rate alarm condition. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition comprises a battery related alarm condition. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition comprises a PEEP related alarm condition. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the medium priority alarm condition comprises a high heart rate alarm condition, wherein the high heart rate alarm condition relates to a determined heart rate that is above a highest acceptable heart rate limit. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises a low SpO 2  alarm condition. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises a patient disconnect alarm condition. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises a loss of external power alarm condition, and
 wherein the controller is configured to, upon determining that the loss of external power alarm condition has occurred, display an icon that provides an indication of loss of external power.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises a high pressure alarm condition relating to a determined pressure that is above a highest acceptable pressure limit. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the determined pressure is a determined airway pressure. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises a low pressure alarm condition relating to a determined pressure that is below a lowest acceptable pressure limit. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises an oxygen supply related alarm condition. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control the ventilator and monitoring apparatus in delivering the breathing gas to the patient based at least in part on a sensed one or more physiological parameters of the patient. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the alarm message describes a nature of the at least one alarm condition that has occurred. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the alarm message identifies and provides a verbal description of the at least one alarm condition that has occurred. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one alarm condition comprises at least a first alarm condition and a second alarm condition,
 wherein the first alarm condition relates to the at least one physiological parameter value that is above or below an acceptable limit, and   wherein the second alarm condition relates to the at least one fault of the ventilator and monitoring apparatus.   
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to display, on the user interface, a visual indication of the at least one physiological parameter that is above or below an acceptable limit.