Abstract:
A manometer with a cadence indicator includes a housing and a gas pressure indicator interfaced to the housing. An input port of the housing is for connecting the manometer to a source of gas pressure, such that the gas pressure at the input port is reflected in the gas pressure indicator, providing a pressure reading. A cadence module is interfaced to the housing such that cadence is provided concurrently with the local of the gas pressure indicator in two cadence pulse frequencies, one for timing of chest compressions and one for timing of administration of breaths. Cadence is provided visually or audibly.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29/493,024, issued as D748773 on Feb. 2, 2016. 
         [0002]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/296,548 filed on Jun. 5, 2014, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0003]    This invention relates to the field of medicine and more particularly to a system for measuring breath pressure while concurrently and locally marking cadence. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    Often, when performing various procedures on a patient (for example cardio-pulmonary resuscitation or CPR), it is beneficial to know the air pressure that is being used to inflate the patient&#39;s lungs and/or exhaled by the patient if the patient is breathing. Likewise, in many procedures, it is beneficial to keep a specific cadence such as 100 times per minute for providing chest compressions during CPR. Also, when resuscitating an adult, it is often beneficial to deliver one breath every 6 seconds, or 10 breaths per minute. 
         [0005]    Some systems such as defibrillators provide an audible or visible metronome for compression frequency, but with such, the caretaker must look away from the patient and towards the defibrillators to see such metronomes. 
         [0006]    What is needed is a system that will include both breathing pressure and cadence in view of a caretaker while performing procedures upon a patient. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0007]    A manometer is used in many medical procedures to measure and display pressure of a gas, typically air, oxygen, or a mix of oxygen and other gases provided to initiate or assist with breathing by a patient such as when cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is performed on the patient. Often, a provider (e.g. a person administering CPR) uses the displayed pressure to achieve a proper pressure for the specific patient as to properly inflate the patient&#39;s lungs without over-inflating. In many such medical procedures, it is also necessary to maintain a specific cadence, for example when making chest compressions during CPR. Although there are often periodically changes to the suggested cadence, current CPR guidelines indicate a preferred chest compression rate of 100 compressions per minute and 10 breaths per minute. The manometer disclosed includes a cadence device (e.g. pulses of light or pulses of sound) to provide a proper cadence for the intended use, such as 100 blinks/tones per minute for use in administration of chest compressions or 10 blinks/tones per minute for use in delivering breaths to the patient. By integrating the manometer and cadence device, the person performing CPR need not constantly change eye focus between the manometer and cadence device while, for example, saving a person&#39;s life. In past systems, a cadence device was on, for example, a defibrillator or was a stand-alone device, adding to confusion during an emergency (e.g. finding separate components) and forcing the provider to look back and forth between the manometer and the distant cadence device. 
         [0008]    In one embodiment, a manometer with a cadence indicator is disclosed including a housing and a gas pressure indicator interfaced to the housing. An input port is provided for connecting the manometer to a source of gas pressure, such that the gas pressure at the input port is reflected in the gas pressure indicator, providing a pressure reading. A cadence module is interfaced to the housing such that cadence is provided concurrently from the local of the gas pressure indicator. Cadence is provided by a flashing light or audible noise. 
         [0009]    In another embodiment, a method of performing CPR is disclosed including periodically pressurizing a patients lungs while measuring pressure through a manometer and applying chest compressions at a rate determined by a cadence device, the cadence device providing pulses at a rate of approximately 100 pulses per minute. The manometer and the cadence device are integrated with a common housing. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment, a manometer with a cadence indicator is disclosed including a housing and a hub with pointer rotatably interfaced within the housing. The hub is biased by a resilient member such that at atmospheric pressure, the pointer indicates a zero reading on a set of gas pressure indicia. An input port for connecting the manometer to a source of gas pressure provides the gas pressure to a diaphragm such that increases in the gas pressure above atmospheric pressure works against the bias of the resilient member, therefore rotating the hub such that the pointer addresses a corresponding indicia related to the pressure on the gas pressure indicia. The manometer with a cadence indicator includes a cadence module interfaced to the housing such that cadence (visible or audible) is provided concurrently from the local of the gas pressure indicia. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    The invention can be best understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a manometer with a cadence indicator. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  illustrates a side view of a manometer with a cadence indicator. 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  illustrates an exemplary schematic view of a visual metronome. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  illustrates an second exemplary schematic view of a visual metronome. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates an exemplary schematic view of an audio metronome. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures. 
         [0018]    Although useful in many applications, one known use for the manometer with attached cadence device  10  is when performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. In such, a practitioner often uses an inflation device such as a CPR bag to inflate the patient&#39;s lungs while/between chest compressions. In such procedures, it is often desired to maintain a chest compression rate of 100 compressions per minute and/or administering of 10 breaths per minute. Additionally, depending upon the patient&#39;s age and/or body mass, specific lung filling pressures are desired so as to not underinflate or overinflate/rupture the patient&#39;s lungs. Therefore, in this application, the manometer with attached cadence device  10 , attached to the CPR bag, provides a visual or audible cadence of, for example, approximately 10 per minute and concurrently displays the air pressure being introduced into the patient&#39;s lungs at the display  20 / 22  of the manometer section. 
         [0019]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , views of an exemplary manometer with attached cadence device  10  are shown. The manometer portion is housed within an enclosure, typically made of plastic, and includes a hub  20  around which a dial rotates, pointing to successive indicators  22 , indicating a gas pressure measurement of a pressure entering the manometer through an input port  24 . Although any type and composition of manometer is equally anticipated, one such manometer includes a base section  26  that houses a spring or other resilient member that counteracts the gas pressure as the gas pressure is exerted against, for example, a diaphragm. U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,049, issued Sep. 17, 1996 and included by reference, discloses one exemplary manometer, showing one way to construct/build a manometer as an example and any similar or different construction is fully anticipated. Any type of manometer, analog or digital, is anticipated, as long as the manometer is responsive to pressurized gas entering the manometer inlet  24 . The indicator (either analog or digital) on the manometer provides an indication of the pressure of such gas. In the example of U.S. Pat. No. 5,557,049, a diaphragm reciprocates against the force of a biasing spring moving the stem coupling with respect to the actuator stem for the pointer so that the interaction between the spiral-shaped protrusion and the groove causes rotation of the pointer to indicate the pressure of the gas. Such manometers are intended to be used with a CPR bag or a patient breathing tube, though there is no restriction on the use of the present invention. In  FIG. 2 , a clear cover  21  is visible, covering the dial and indicators  22  to, for example, contain system pressure and prevent debris from interfering with the movement of the dial. 
         [0020]    Included in the manometer with attached cadence device  10  is a cadence module  30 / 32 / 34 . Although shown as a cadence device  10  that is mounted aside from the manometer dial  22 , it is equally anticipated that the cadence device  10  have an indicator  32  positioned on the manometer dial  22 . 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, the cadence module  30 / 32 / 34  includes an internal circuit  70  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ) that generates pulses at a fixed interval and an indicator  32  (e.g. an LED) or a transducer  84  (e.g. speaker), thereby emitting light pulses or sound responsive to the pulses from the electronic circuit  70 . The circuit  70 , indicator  32 , and transducer  84  are typically powered by one or more battery cells  62  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ). In some embodiments, though not required, a switch or interrupter  34  is provided to disconnect the battery cell(s) from the circuit until needed, thereby preserving battery power until the cadence module  30 / 32 / 34  is needed. As shown, the switch or interrupter  34  is a pull strip  34  made of an electrically insulative material (e.g. plastic, Teflon, etc.) and is positioned electrically between the battery(s) and the circuit  70  during manufacturing, thereby disconnecting the battery(s) from the circuit  70  until the pull strip  34  is pulled/removed, at which time the battery(s) are connected to the circuit  70  and the cadence module  30 / 32 / 34  starts operation. 
         [0022]    In an alternate embodiment, instead of a visual indicator  32 , the circuit  70  is connected to an audio transducer  84  (see  FIG. 4 ) and each pulse from the circuit  70  generates a sound at the audio transducer  84 . 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, the cadence device  10  emits a single cadence such as ten blinks or sounds per minute to indicate timing for administering air pressure into the patient&#39;s lungs. In some embodiments, the cadence device  10  emits a single cadence such as  100  blinks or sounds per minute to indicate timing for administering chest compressions. In some embodiments, the cadence device  10  emits two distinct cadence signals, one for timing as to when to administering air pressure into the patient&#39;s lungs and another for timing as to administering chest compressions. For example, blinking at a rate of 100 blinks per minute, but changing color between a first color and a second color 10 times per minute; or beeping at a rate of 100 sounds per minute, but changing tone between a first tone and a second tone 10 times per minute. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIGS. 3, 3A, and 4 , exemplary schematic views of a visual metronome ( FIGS. 3 and 3A ) and an audio metronome ( FIG. 4 ) are shown. Both exemplary metronomes provide a cadence beat as used in the specific application of the manometer with attached cadence device  10 . In both examples, a switch  34  is shown with an insulator  35  inserted between contacts  37 , thereby disconnecting the battery  62  from the other circuitry of the cadence module. Once the insulator  35  is extracted from between the contacts  37 , power is supplied to the pulse generator circuit  70  and, in the visual metronome of  FIGS. 3 and 3A , to a driver  72 / 72 A that provides power pulses to the indicator  32 / 32 A (e.g. LED), typically though a current limiting resistor  74 / 74 A. Note that in some embodiments, the pulse generator circuit  70  provides internal circuitry to drive the indicator(s)  32 / 32 A, and therefore, the driver(s)  72 / 72 A and/or current limiting resistor(s)  74 / 74 A are not present. Any type of switching apparatus  34  is anticipated, including providing a power disconnect by removal of one or more batteries  62 . 
         [0025]    In the embodiments shown in  FIG. 3A , the generator circuit  70  drives two emitters  32 / 32 A (shown as LEDs). In this, it is anticipated that the emitters  32 / 32 A are either located at different locations and/or are of different colors so that, through the combination of the two emitters  32 / 32 A, cadence is provided in two beats. For example, the first emitter  32  emits at a first rate and the second emitter  32 A emits at a second rate, providing a first beat for administering breaths and a second beat for administering compressions. In such, it is anticipated that in some embodiments, the emitters  32 / 32 A are in different locations so the technician administering compressions looks at the first emitter  32  and the technician administering breaths looks at the second emitter  32 A. Alternatively, the emitters  32 / 32 A are in the same location (e.g., dual element LED) and the visual effect is every n beats, the color changes; or the first k beats are a first color and the nth beat is the second color, etc. 
         [0026]    As another example, both emitters  32 / 32 A are different colors (e.g., emitter  32  is blue and emitter  32 A is red) and both are co-located to appear as a single device (or are part of a dual-color LED). In such, the first emitter  32  blinks for a first number of pulses at a first cadence frequency (e.g. 10 pulses at a first cadence frequency of 100 beats per minute), then the second emitter  32 A blinks for a number of pulses (e.g. 10 pulses at the first cadence frequency of 100 beats per minute), and then this repeats. The color change occurs at a second cadence frequency (e.g. 10 beats per minute). This results in 10 pulses of red, ten pulses blue, ten pulses red, etc., providing clear indication of when to administer breaths (e.g., at the time of color change). 
         [0027]    In the metronome of  FIG. 4 , once the insulator  35  is extracted from between the contacts  37 , power is supplied to the pulse generator circuit  70  and power pulses from the pulse generator circuit drive an audio transducer  84 , typically, though not always required, through an audio amplification circuit or driver  82 , as known in the industry. Any transducer  84  is anticipated including, but not limited to, a piezo-sounder, a relay, a buzzer, a speaker, etc. 
         [0028]    Again, although flashing or sounding rates of 10 per minute and 100 per minute have been discussed, there is no limitation on the pulse rate from the generator circuit  70 , and hence, the indicator  34  and/or audio transducer  84 . In some embodiments, the pulse generator emits sounds at a rate (e.g., of 100 sounds per minute), changing tones between a first tone and a second tone at a second rate (e.g., 10 times per minute). For example, a first tone of 800 hz and a second tone of 1200 hz. In another embodiment, the pulse generator emits sounds at a rate (e.g., of 100 sounds per minute), but instead of changing tones a second rate, the tone of some of the beats is different, indicating when to perform a certain action (e.g., administer a breath). For example, the tone of the first nine beats (100 beats per minute) is at a first frequency (e.g. 800 hz) and the tone of the tenth beat is a second frequency (e.g., 150 hz), providing, for example, 10 low-frequency beats per minute). 
         [0029]    Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result. 
         [0030]    It is believed that the system and method as described and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.