Ventilator-initiated prompt regarding detection of double triggering during ventilation

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems and methods for monitoring and evaluating ventilatory parameters, analyzing those parameters and providing useful notifications and recommendations to clinicians. That is, modern ventilators monitor, evaluate, and graphically represent multiple ventilatory parameters. However, many clinicians may not easily recognize data patterns and correlations indicative of certain patient conditions, changes in patient condition, and/or effectiveness of ventilatory treatment. Further, clinicians may not readily determine appropriate ventilatory adjustments that may address certain patient conditions and/or the effectiveness of ventilatory treatment. Specifically, clinicians may not readily detect or recognize the presence of double triggering during ventilation. According to embodiments, a ventilator may be configured to monitor and evaluate diverse ventilatory parameters to detect double triggering and may issue notifications and recommendations suitable for a patient to the clinician when double triggering is implicated. The suitable notifications and recommendations may further be provided in a hierarchical format.

1 . A ventilator-implemented method for detecting double triggering during ventilation of a patient, the method comprising:
 collecting data associated with ventilatory parameters;   processing the collected ventilatory parameter data, wherein the step of processing the collected ventilatory parameter data comprises deriving ventilatory parameter data from the collected ventilatory parameter data;   analyzing the processed ventilatory parameter data, wherein the step of analyzing the processed ventilatory parameter data comprises:
 receiving at least one predetermined threshold associated with the processed ventilatory parameter data; and 
 detecting whether the processed ventilatory parameter data breaches the received at least one predetermined threshold at a predetermined frequency; 
   determining that double triggering is implicated upon detecting that the processed ventilatory data breaches the received at least one predetermined threshold at the predetermined frequency; and   issuing a smart prompt when the double triggering is implicated.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed ventilatory parameter data comprises exhaled tidal volume, and
 wherein the step of analyzing of the exhaled tidal volume further comprises:
 receiving a predetermined threshold for the exhaled tidal volume, the predetermined threshold comprising:
 an exhaled tidal volume that is less than 10 percent of a delivered tidal volume; determining the delivered tidal volume; and 
 determining that the exhaled tidal volume is less than 10 percent of the delivered tidal volume. 
 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed ventilatory parameter data comprises an expiratory time (T E ) for a patient-initiated mandatory breath. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of analyzing the expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath comprises:
 receiving a predetermined threshold for the expiratory time (T E ) the predetermined threshold comprising:
 an expiratory time (T E ) threshold of less than 240 ms; 
 determining an expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath; and 
 determining that the expiratory time (T E ) is less than 240 ms. 
   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of analyzing the expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath comprises:
 receiving a predetermined threshold for the expiratory time (T E ), the predetermined threshold comprising:
 an expiratory time (T E ) threshold of less than 210 ms; 
 determining an expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath; and 
 determining that the expiratory time (T E ) is less than 210 ms. 
   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the step of analyzing the expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath comprises:
 receiving a predetermined threshold for the expiratory time (T E ) the predetermined threshold comprising:
 an expiratory time (T E ) threshold of less than 190 ms; 
 determining an expiratory time (T E ) for the patient-initiated mandatory breath; and 
 determining that the expiratory time (T E ) is less than 190 ms. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the processed ventilatory parameter data comprises a disconnect alarm, and
 wherein the step of analyzing of the disconnect alarm comprises:
 determining that the disconnect alarm has not been activated. 
   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 identifying one or more ventilatory settings associated with a ventilatory treatment of the patient;   determining an appropriate smart prompt based at least in part on evaluating the one or more ventilatory settings; and   wherein the issued smart prompt is the appropriate smart prompt.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more ventilatory settings are a ventilation breath type selected from a group of ventilation breath types of pressure controlled (PC), volume-targeted-pressure-control (VC+), pressure-support (PS), and volume-support (VS). 
     
     
         10 - 22 . (canceled)