Abstract:
A system can perform the following procedure as part of a plan to treat sleep apnea, according to an embodiment. The system monitors a degree to which an airway of a subject is open, and monitors a condition that is related to the degree to which the airway is open. The system also correlates the condition to the degree to which the airway is open, and generates a data structure that represents the correlation between the condition and the degree to which the airway is open. This system can allow a sleep-apnea-treatment system to operate in a closed-loop mode, i.e., to monitor a level of sleep apnea in a subject by monitoring the correlated condition, and to treat the subject in a manner that the treatment system deems appropriate for the level of sleep apnea that the treatment system determines that the subject is experiencing.
Abstract:
Systems, devices, and methods are described for tracking, registering, etc. of medical staff, patients, instrumentation, events, or the like according to a treatment staging plan. For example a medical apparatus includes a right-patient verification device having an interrogation interface device that elicits at least one of identification data, authorization data, or treatment plan data from a medical procedure authorization device associated with a patient; and a right-site verification device that generates patient-specific treatment staging data consistent with the at least one of the identification data, the authorization data, or the treatment plan data.
Abstract:
A system includes an apparatus and a controller, according to an embodiment. The apparatus is configured to maintain an airway of a subject open while the subject is sleeping by applying to the airway a pressure having a magnitude, and the controller is configured to cause the apparatus to change the magnitude of the pressure over a period that begins at a settable start time. For example, the system can be configured to treat a subject's sleep apnea with positive or negative pressure, and to function as an alarm clock by beginning to change the pressure magnitude at a settable start time, and to continue changing the pressure over a period with a settable duration (or settable stop time) to gently awaken the subject by the end of the period.
Abstract:
System and methods are described herein for generating an injection guide, which include receiving one or more digital images of a body region of an individual, the body region including one or more physical registration landmarks, generating at least one digital representation of the body region using the one or more digital images, the at least one digital representation including one or more digital registration landmarks corresponding to the one or more physical registration landmarks on the body region, adding one or more digitally registered injection sites to the at least one digital representation of the body region in an injection-treatment pattern, the one or more digitally registered injection sites registered relative to the one or more digital registration landmarks, and generating one or more output signals having information for controlling one or more controllable light-emitting elements to illuminate a location on a surface of the body region of the individual corresponding in location to at least one of the one or more digitally registered injection sites.
Abstract:
Methods and systems are described for monitoring patient speech to determine compliance of the patient with a prescribed regimen for treating for a brain-related disorder. Patient speech is detected with an audio sensor at the patient location, and speech data is transmitted to a monitoring location. Patient speech is processed at the patient location and/or monitoring location to identify speech parameters and/or patterns that indicate whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. Patient identity may be determined through biometric identification or other authentication techniques. The system may provide a report to an interested party, for example a medical care provider, based on whether (and/or the extent to which) the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. The monitoring system may transmit a report to a wireless device such as a pager or cell phone, generate an alarm or notification, and/or store information for later use.
Abstract:
Methods and systems are described for monitoring patient speech to determine compliance of the patient with a prescribed regimen for treating for a brain-related disorder. Patient speech is detected with an audio sensor at the patient location, and speech data is transmitted to a monitoring location. The audio sensor and other components at the patient location may be incorporated into, or associated with, a cell phone, computing system, or stand-alone microprocessor-based device, for example. Patient speech is processed at the patient location and/or monitoring location to identify speech parameters and/or patterns that indicate whether the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen. Patient identity may be determined through biometric identification or other authentication techniques. The system may provide a report to an interested party, for example a medical care provider, based on whether (and/or the extent to which) the patient has complied with the prescribed treatment regimen.
Abstract:
Breast implants including sensor modules and related methods are described herein. Breast implants include those with: a shell configured to be substantially filled with a viscous material; a plurality of projections extending from an external surface of the shell, the projections forming a plurality of compartments adjacent to the external surface of the shell; at least one fluid-permeable cover attached to the projections, the cover completely enveloping the shell and the plurality of projections; a plurality of sensor modules attached to the shell, each of the sensor modules oriented to detect one or more analytes in a fluid within one of the plurality of compartments, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules includes a unique identifier; and at least one power source operably attached to the plurality of sensor modules.
Abstract:
Devices and methods are disclosed herein for preventing or treating ventilator associated pneumonia in a mammalian subject. The device includes an endotracheal tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface; an actively-controllable anchoring cuff comprising two or more inflatable balloons configured to contact the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube and configured to contact the trachea of a mammalian subject; a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure of one or more of the inflatable balloons; and a controller in communication with the pressure sensor, the controller configured to actively vary pressure of the two or more of the inflatable balloons of the anchoring cuff.
Abstract:
Devices and methods are disclosed herein for preventing or treating ventilator associated pneumonia in a mammalian subject. The device includes an endotracheal tube having an interior surface and an exterior surface; a sealant composition in contact with the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube; and a temperature control element in contact with the endotracheal tube configured to heat or cool the sealant composition to a level required to reversibly convert the sealant composition from a solid sealant composition to a flowable sealant composition.
Abstract:
Breast implants including sensor modules and related methods are described herein. Breast implants include those with: a shell configured to be substantially filled with a viscous material; at least one fluid-permeable cover, the cover completely enveloping the shell; and a plurality of sensor modules attached to the shell and positioned at a distance from each other, each of the sensor modules oriented to detect one or more analytes in a fluid between the shell and the cover, wherein each of the plurality of sensor modules includes a unique identifier and is configured to utilize energy transmitted from an external source.