Patent ID: 7666146
Filing Date: 2010-02-23
Classification: A61B

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for determining intrathoracic blood volume (ITBV) and other cardio-vascular parameters of a patient by thermodilution measurements comprising: a) temperature influencing means for provoking an initial local temperature change in the proximity of a first place of a patient's vascular system, thus introducing a traveling temperature deviation to patient's blood stream, b) a temperature sensor device for measuring the local temperature of patient's blood at a second place of patient's vascular system downstream of said first place, c) means for determining a pressure at least approximately representing an airway pressure of said patient, d) a computer system coupled to said temperature sensor device and said means for determining said pressure and adapted to record said patient's local blood temperature measured at said second place as a function of time to determine a thermodilution curve, e) said computer system being further adapted to determine patient's global enddiastolic blood volume (GEDV) and patient's intrathoracic thermovolume (ITTV) from said thermodilution curve, f) said computer system being further adapted to determine patient's intrathoracic blood volume (ITBV) according to the following formula: ITBV being the intrathoracic blood volume, GEDV being the global enddiastolic blood volume, ITTV being the intrathoracic thermovolume, P being said airway pressure inside patient's lungs.