Systems and methods for automatically determining patient swallow frequency

Abstract

Patient swallow frequency is automatically determined by collecting patient data, analyzing the patient data to automatically identify swallow events, and automatically calculating the swallow frequency based upon the identified swallow events. In some cases, the patient data is collected by a patient interface that wirelessly transmits the data to a computing device for analysis.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for determining patient swallow frequency, the system comprising:
 a patient interface monitoring device comprising a single sensor configured to be positioned on a neck of a patient and to monitor and collect patient swallow data indicative of the patient swallowing; and   a computing device comprising a processor and memory that stores a data analyzer, the computing device configured to at least:   receive the patient swallow data collected by the patient interface and with the data analyzer to, without additional human input;   analyze the patient swallow data to identify patient swallow events by applying a swallow identification algorithm to the patient swallow data;   count a number of identified swallow events over a predetermined time period, determine the patient swallow frequency based on the counted number of patient swallow events over a predetermined time period, wherein the patient swallow event identification is performed without data collected by other sensors;   determine reference data comprising a plurality of model swallow data representative of a model swallow event based on patient parameters, the patient parameters including at least one of an age or a sex of the patient;   compare the determined patient swallow frequency to the plurality of model swallow data from the reference data;   make a patient diagnosis of dysphagia based upon the patient swallow frequency and the comparison of the patient swallow frequency to the plurality of model swallow data; and   report results to a user including the patient diagnosis of dysphagia.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer that is configured to sense accelerations associated with movement of patient tissue when the patient swallows. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the sensor is a microphone that senses sounds associated with patient swallowing. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface further comprises its own power source such that a separate power source is not needed to operate the interface. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface further comprises a component configured to wirelessly transmit the collected patient swallow data to the computing device. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface comprises a layer o adhesive that enable the interface to adhere to the patient's neck. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the patient interface monitoring device comprises a thin flexible polymeric substrate with a circular outer periphery and electronic components positioned at a center of the patient interface, the thin flexible polymeric substrate comprises a layer of adhesive that enables the device to adhere to the patient's neck, and the electronic components comprise a microprocessor configured to transmit the collected spontaneous patient swallow data to the computing device. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the patient interface monitoring device is configured as a one-time-use patch that is applied to the patient's skin. 
     
     
         9 . A patient interface for use in automatically determining patient swallow frequency, the interface comprising: a sensor configured to sense data indicative of the patient swallowing; a control device configured to control operation of the interface and to transmit the data sensed by the sensor to another device for analysis; and a power source configured to power the sensor and the control device. 
     
     
         10 . The patient interface of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is an accelerometer that is configured to sense accelerations associated with movement of patient tissue when the patient swallows. 
     
     
         11 . The patient interface of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is a microphone that senses sounds associated with the patient swallowing. 
     
     
         12 . The patient interface of  claim 9 , wherein the patient interface comprises a layer of adhesive that enables the interface to adhere to the patient's neck. 
     
     
         13 . The patient interface of  claim 12 , wherein the interface is configured as a one-time-use patch that is applied to the patient's skin. 
     
     
         14 . The patient interface of  claim 9 , wherein the interface is configured for placement at a point over a lateral border of a trachea immediately inferior to a cricoid cartilage of the patient 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising: a data analyzer including a swallow identification algorithm configured to automatically identify patient swallow events from patient data collected by a patient interface, and a swallow counter configured to automatically count the number of identified swallow events in a predetermined period of time and calculate the swallow frequency, wherein the swallow identification algorithm automatically identifies swallow events based solely on the data collected by a single sensor. 
     
     
         16 . A method for determining spontaneous patient swallow frequency, the method comprising:
 continuously collecting spontaneous patient swallow data using a patient interface monitoring device positioned in contact with a neck of a patient, the patient interface monitoring device comprising an adhesive patch and a sensor that is configured to monitor and collect spontaneous patient swallow data comprising of measuring sound, tissue acceleration, or combinations thereof;   transmitting the collected spontaneous patient swallow data to a computing device, wherein the patient interface is configured to transmit the spontaneous patient swallow data to the computing device without receiving additional human input;   analyzing the spontaneous patient swallow data with a data analyzer on the computing device to identify spontaneous patient swallow events;   counting a number of identified spontaneous swallow events over a predetermined time period;   determining the spontaneous patient swallow frequency on the computing device based upon the number of identified swallow events over the predetermined time period, wherein the computing device is configured to receive collected spontaneous patient swallow data from the patient interface monitoring device, analyze the spontaneous patient swallow data, identify and count spontaneous patient swallow events and determine the spontaneous patient swallow frequency without receiving additional human input;   determining reference data comprising a plurality of model swallow data representative of a model swallow event based on patient parameters, the patient parameters including at least one of an age or a sex of the patient;   comparing the determined spontaneous patient swallow frequency to the plurality of model swallow data from the reference data;   making a patient diagnosis of dysphagia based upon the spontaneous patient swallow frequency and the comparing of the spontaneous patient swallow frequency to the plurality of model swallow data; and   reporting results to a user including the patient diagnosis of dysphagia.