Methods and apparatus for guiding medical care based on detected gastric function

Inventors

Bennett-Guerrero, Elliott

Assignees

Gravitas Medical Inc

Abstract

Embodiments relate to guiding medical care based on detected gastric function. For example, gastric acid stimulant or suppressant is administered, and then a change in the gastric juice H+ concentration is measured. This change is compared to a guidance H+ concentration differential indicative of relatively healthy gastric function. Medical care is guided based on a relatively healthy gastric function if the measured H+ concentration differential is equal to or exceeds the guidance H+ concentration differential, while medical care is guided based on a relatively unhealthy gastric function if the measured H+ concentration differential is less than the guidance H+ concentration differential. Disclosed embodiments implementing this procedure include, but are not limited to, methods, apparatus, processors, computer programs, and computer-readable mediums.

Core Innovation

The invention addresses stressed pH testing in which repeated pH measurements after pentagastrin become diagnostically meaningful only if later measurements become positive. The reliability of the stressed test is improved by aspirating all gastric contents shortly before pH measurement to reduce dilution from mucous and non-acid secretions. This stressed gastric pH testing is linked to downstream patient care decisions based on gastric acidity-related measurements.

The document further discloses systems and methods for guiding ICU/critical-care decisions based on gastric functional response to a pharmacological gastric acid stimulant or suppressant. Baseline gastric juice H+ concentration or pH is measured, a gastric challenge agent is administered, and stressed H+ or pH is measured, with guidance generated from a guidance differential that classifies gastric function as relatively healthy versus unhealthy and produces care instructions.

The disclosure also provides a device and approach for enteral feeding that determines measurements of gastric contents volume by correlating an electrical property of gastric contents to the volume of gastric contents. The device includes an indwelling tube with one or more impedance sensors configured to detect an electrical property of gastric contents, and a controller that provides measurements on a continuous basis and guidance for patient care based on the measurements of the volume of gastric contents.

The document extends the control logic by using impedance-derived measurements for guidance that may include calculating a rate of change of the measurements of gastric contents volume. The controller can also compare a patient’s measurements against aggregate measurements of additional gastric contents volume obtained from other patients having profile data correlated to the patient, and the disclosure includes measuring presence and passage of agents intended to affect the measurement of gastric contents.

Claims Coverage

The independent claims collectively define a device with an indwelling tube, one or more impedance sensors, and a controller that correlates an electrical property of gastric contents to determine a volume measurement for patient care guidance. The inventive features span continuous volume measurement, rate-of-change-based guidance, and cross-patient aggregate comparison using correlated profile data.

The claims center on correlating an impedance-detected electrical property of gastric contents to a gastric contents volume measurement, using the resulting measurements to guide patient care. The inventive features include continuous measurements, rate of change, and comparison to aggregate measurements from other patients with correlated profile data.

Stated Advantages

Documented Applications