Patent ID: 6849049
Filing Date: 2005-02-01
Classification: A61B,A61G,A61M

Abstract:
1. A patient monitoring apparatus, comprising: a patient interface adapted to be located at an airway of a patient such that substantially all gas passing through the airway passes through the patient interface; at least one vent element associated with the patient interface to communicate a portion of gas passing through the patient interface with an ambient atmosphere, thereby creating a pressure differential between a pressure within the patient interface and a pressure of ambient atmosphere; a sensor operatively coupled to the patient interface and adapted to measure a fluid characteristic resulting from the pressure differential, wherein the sensor outputs a signal indicative of the fluid characteristic; an oxygen source; a conduit connecting the oxygen source to the patient interface to provide a flow of oxygen from the oxygen source to the airway of such a patient; and a processing unit, receiving the signal, and accounting for an offset in the signal caused by the flow of oxygen to the patient interface.