Response testing for conscious sedation utilizing a hand motion response

Abstract

A conscious sedation system and a response testing apparatus for a conscious sedation system. A controller generates a request for a predetermined hand motion response from a patient and analyses at least a hand motion response made by the patient to the request to determine a level of sedation of the patient. The response testing apparatus includes a request assembly and a response assembly. The request assembly communicates to the patient the request generated by the controller. The response assembly senses the hand motion response and communicates the hand motion response to the controller.

1 . A conscious sedation system comprising: 
 a) a controller which generates a request for a predetermined hand motion response from a patient and which analyses at least a hand motion response made by the patient to the request to determine a level of sedation of the patient; and    b) a response testing apparatus including: 
 (1) a request assembly which communicates to the patient the request generated by the controller; and  
 (2) a response assembly which senses the hand motion response and which communicates the hand motion response to the controller.  
   
     
     
         2 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 1 , wherein a user and/or the controller determines a delivery schedule of a conscious-sedation drug to the patient based at least in part on the determined level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         3 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 1 , wherein the response assembly includes a handpiece which sends a signal to the controller when the handpiece is moved.  
     
     
         4 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the handpiece includes at least one accelerometer.  
     
     
         5 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 4 , wherein the handpiece includes three mutually-orthogonal accelerometers.  
     
     
         6 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller analyzes at least the position and/or orientation and/or changes therein of the handpiece to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         7 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller analyzes at least the velocity of the handpiece to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         8 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller analyzes at least the acceleration of the handpiece to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         9 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller analyzes at least two of the position, the velocity, and the acceleration of the handpiece to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         10 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 3 , wherein the controller analyzes at least the position, the velocity, and the acceleration of the handpiece to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         11 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined hand motion response is the patient moving a hand toward another part of the body.  
     
     
         12 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined hand motion response is the patient moving a hand to trace out a figure.  
     
     
         13 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller makes two requests, one of the two requests being for the patient to move a hand toward another part of the body and the other of the two requests being for the patient to move a hand to trace out a figure, wherein the controller at least analyzes the responses from the two requests to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         14 . A conscious sedation system comprising: 
 a) a controller which generates a request for a predetermined hand motion response from a patient, which analyses at least a hand motion response made by the patient to the request to determine a level of sedation of the patient, and which generates a feedback signal which is communicated to the patient when the hand motion response from the patient meets a predetermined criteria; and    b) a response testing apparatus including: 
 (1) a request assembly which communicates to the patient the request generated by the controller; and  
 (2) a response assembly which senses the hand motion response and which communicates the hand motion response to the controller.  
   
     
     
         15 . The conscious sedation system of  claim 14 , wherein the controller changes the predetermined criteria between two requests and at least analyzes the responses from the two requests to determine the level of sedation of the patient.  
     
     
         16 . A response testing apparatus for a conscious sedation system comprising: 
 a) a request assembly which communicates to a patient a request generated by a controller of the conscious sedation system for a predetermined hand motion response from the patient; and    b) a response assembly which senses a hand motion response made by the patient to the request and which communicates the hand motion response to the controller which analyzes at least the hand motion response to determine a level of sedation of the patient.    
     
     
         17 . The response testing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the response assembly senses at least one of a translation and a rotation of the hand of the patient.  
     
     
         18 . The response testing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the response assembly includes a telemetry tracking system for tracking hand motion of the patient.  
     
     
         19 . The response testing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the response assembly includes a motion detector supportable by the hand of the patient.  
     
     
         20 . The response testing apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the response assembly includes a touch pad disposable proximate the hand of the patient.