METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING THE FLUID BALANCE OF THE BODY

Abstract: Two high-frequency partial alternating currents of constant and equal size, 100 mu A, but with highly different frequencies, 1,5 and, respectively, 150 kHz, are delivered by means of a constant current source (K) to tape electrodes (E1 and, respectively, E2) about two places of peripherally remote relationship on the patient, for example one wrist and the diametrically opposed ankle. The voltage drop between two additional electrodes (E3 and, respectively, E4) located each near one the firstmentioned electrodes is measured by a detector (D) and divided into its two voltage components of different frequency, which components are proportional to the impedance of the body for the respective frequencies. The analogous component values are fed via an A/D-converter to a microprocessor (MD), which comprises a memory (M) for the measuring values received. To the microprocessor also information on the patient's weight and length are fed by setting devices (V, L). A first measurement is carried out and the result thereof is stored in the memory of the microprocessor. A second measurement is carried out, and a calculation of the change in the fluid balance relative to the first measurement now is carried out by the microprocessor according to an empirically constructed formula <IMAGE> where DELTA V = change in fluid weight, k = a proportionality constant, S = body surface, based on patient's weight and length, Z1 and Z2 = impedance at 1,5 kHz and, respectively, 150 kHz at the second measuring occasion, Z1i< and Z>2i< = corresponding impedances at the first measuring occasion (initial values) and are shown on a digital indicator (R) connected to the microprocessor.

Description: Method and apparatus for monitoring the fluid balance of the body This invention relates to a method of monitoring the fluid balance of the body and to an apparatus for carr¬ ying out the method. At many illnesses and their treatment it is of vital importance to be able to determine changes in the pat¬ ient's fluid balance. For making this determination, conventionally the patient has been weighed repeated¬ ly, and in combination therewith the liquid and food¬ stuff intake and the amounts of urine and.of evacuat¬ ion of the bowls were accurately recorded. This method is very complicated and uncomfortable both for the patient and the medical staff. The method,, moreover, yields unsafe results, due to many sources of error, of which the human factor is not the least one. The present invention proceeds .on an entirely " di fer¬ ent and more direct way and eliminates the aforesaid shortcomings, in that two constant high-frequency partial alternating currents of a size innocious for the body, for example IOOJCA, but with frequencies of entirely different magnitudes, for example 1,5 and, respectively, 150 kHz, are caused to pass through the body between two peripherally remote places thereof, for example a wrist and a diametrically opposed ankle, that the voltage drop between two other places each located near one of the two firstmentioned places is measured, that the voltage drop is separated , .into its two components of different frequency, each of which scalary represents the impedance of the body at the frequency in question, that the measuring process is repeated after a desired period, and the ratio betw¬ een the differences in impedance at the two measuring occasions is evaluated so as to indicate the change in the fluid balance between the first and the second measuring occasion. The invention proceeds from the fact that the body flu¬ id contains substantially constant concentrations of electrolytes and, therefore, the body impedance is a measure of the fluid amount. The application of two significantly different frequencies is based on the observation, that the tissue resistance varies with the frequency, due to the fact that the current flows on different paths at different frequencies. At low frequencies, for example, the current flows substant¬ ially on paths between the cells while at high frequ¬ encies it also passses through the cells. This is ex¬ plained in that the cell membranes act as capacitors and at sufficiently high frequencies behave as high- -pass filters. It was found that the frequency combin¬ ation 1,5 and 150 kHz yields a conception of optimum correctness of the fluid amount. On the basis of a great number of test series, the foll¬ owing general relation was established empirically for the change in the fluid balance. where AV = change in fluid weight k = a proportionality constant S = body surface, based on patient's weight and length Z→ and Z- = impedance at the lower Frequency (for example 1,5 kHz) and, res¬ pectively, higher frequency (for example 150 kHz) at the second measuring occasion Z l- and z -p = corresponding impedances at the ι ± first measuring occasion (init¬ ial values) A preferred embodiment of the invention is described in the following, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig: 1 is a basic diagram for the total arrangement, Fig/ 2 is a block diagram for the current supply part, and Fig. 3 is a block diagram for the detecting part. According to Fig. 1, tape electrodes El and, respect¬ ively, E2 are applied low-resistant about the left- -hand wrist and the right-hand ankle of the patient P. The electrodes are connected via flexible lines LI and, respectively, L2 to a constant current source. At the embodiment described, the current source is capable to feed the electrodes with alternating curr¬ ent of 100 LfA of two differently high frequencies, viz. 1,5 and 150 kHz. The measuring, of course, also can be carried out between a right-hand wrist and a left-hand ankle or even between hand and foot on the same side of the body. It is also possible to carry out local measurements, for example over only one leg or one arm in order to study the changes in fluid in the body part in question. At a short distance (in practice about 3 cm) from the two electrodes El, E2, two additional electrodes E3 and E4 are applied about the wrist and, respectively, ankle. The electrodes are connected via lines L3 and, respectively, L4 to a detector D. The detector is cap¬ able to sense the voltage drop between wrist and ankle and to divide the drop into its voltage components, which are of different frequency and proportional to the impedance of the body for the frequency in quest¬ ion. These analogous components are fed to an A/D-con¬ verter, the output of which is connected to an input on a microprocessor MD (for example type ZδO). The microprocessor also has inputs for setting means V and L for the weight and, respectively, length of the patient. These means preferably are thumbwheel-oper- ■ j RE ated. The processor also communicates with a memory M for storing previous measurement values or initial val¬ ues. The output of the microprocessor is connected to a recording unit R, preferably in the form of a digital display with visual indication of the fluid amount in liters. When required, the display can be remote-posit¬ ioned and also may be comprised in an indicator board common to several patients. The processor processes the information received acc¬ ording to the above formula, which in this case applies to the frequencies 1,5 and 150 kHz. The measuring is carried out in a rapid and simple mann¬ er as follows: When the four electrodes have been.applied to the wash¬ ed and defatted wrist and ankle of the patient, the patient's weight and length are set. An initial measur¬ in is thereafter carried out for adjusting the appar¬ atus by guidance of the digit display. Thereafter, fluid changes occurring are indicated continuously by the indicator with an accuracy of about 0,1 1. Fig. 2 shows a suitable arrangement for the current ' supply. A first frequency divider FI connected to a crystal controlled oscillator 0 of 1,5 MHz reduces the frequency by one step to 150 kHz. ' By means of two add¬ itional frequency dividers F2 and F3 the frequency is reduced to 1,5 kHz. The two signals of 1,5 and, res¬ pectively, 150 kHz are fed each to a low-pass filter LP1 and, respectively, LP2 for converting the ingoing square wave to a sine wave and are added in a summing- -up amplifier SF and are converted to constant curr¬ ent in the constant current source K. The lines LI and L2 in Fig. 1 to the electrodes should be coaxial lin¬ es, the screens driven to signal voltage by two volt¬ age followers in order to minimize capacitive losses at the higher frequency. * Fig. 3 shows a suitable detection arrangement. For obtaining optimum results, high-impedance, low-noise • * voltage followers (input impedance about 10 12 ohm) in the form of probes PI and P2 should be mounted on the lines (L3 and L4 in Fig. 1) near the electrodes. The probes are connected to a differential amplifier DF, which feeds wo parallel narrow-band band-pass filters BP1 and BP2 tuned to 1,5 and, respectively, 150 kHz. The filters are connected each to a full-wave rectif¬ ier HL1 and HL2, which detect the amplitude of the respective measuring signals being proportional to the impedance and pass it on to the A/D-converter. The measuring probes PI and P2 have an impedance transform¬ ing function, so that the measuring is carried out highly resistive on the patient. Hereby the advant¬ age is gained that a very low measuring current flows through the patient through the skin/electrode trans¬ ition, which implies that the polarization in this zone can be held low. Otherwise, the polarization would affect the measuring by disturbances in the form of varying direct voltages, especially at the low meas¬ uring frequency. The output impedance of the probes is low, below 10 ohm, so that the measuring signal can be fed loss-free to the differential amplifier DF. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment des¬ cribed, but different modifications are obvious to the expert. At the expense of comfort and speed, the proc¬ essor calculations and indication can be replaced by conventional calculation according to the formula. Furthermore, at least minor deviations from the pre¬ ferred frequencies 1,5 kHz and 150 kHz can be made without thereby bungling the result. o-v?ι

Claims: Claims 1. A method of monitoring the fluid balance of the body by using two constant high-frequency alternating currents of a size innocuous to the body, for example 100 .A, but with different frequencies, which currents are caused to pass between two electrodes applicable to the body in spaced places for effecting separately meas¬ urable voltages over the current path and impedances deducible therefrom, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the two currents are selected with frequencies of entirely different magnitudes, for example 1,5 and, respectively, 150 kHz, and are caused simultaneously to pass through the body between .two places of spaced relationship on the body, such as on one wrist and the diametrically opposed ankle, that the voltage drop between two other places located each near one of the two first places is measured, which voltage drop is separated into its two components of different fre¬ quency, each of which scalarly represents the imped¬ ance of the body at the frequency in question, that the measuring process is repeated after a desired per¬ iod, and the ratio between the differences in 'imped¬ ance at the two measuring occasions is evaluated so as to indicate the change in the fluid balance between the first and the second measuring occasion. 2. A method as defined in claim 1, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d i n that the change in the fluid bal¬ ance is calculated by an empirically constructed form¬ ula "" * where ΛV = change in fluid weight k = a proportionality constant S = body surface, based on patient's weight and length Z → and Z = impedance at the lower frequency (for example 1,5 kHz) and, resp¬ ectively, the higher frequency (for example 150 kHz) at the sec¬ ond measuring occasion Z→ and Z → = corresponding impedances at the i i first measuring occasion (initi¬ al values) 3. An apparatus for carrying out the method as defin¬ ed in claim 1 for monitoring the fluid balance of the body by using a device for generating two constant high- frequency alternating currents of a size innocuous to the body, for example 100 ,A, but with different fre¬ quencies . , in order via two flexible lines (L1,L2) term¬ inating each in an electrode (E1,E2) applicable low- -resistive on the body to effect separately measurable voltages over the current path and impedances deducible therefrom, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the device for generating the two constant alternating curr¬ ents consists of a constant current source (K) for del¬ ivering simultaneously two current components with fre¬ quencies of entirely different magnitude, for example 1,5 and, respectively, 150 kHz, which electrodes (El, E2) are intended to be applied to places of spaced rel¬ ationship on the body of the patient (P), for example on one wrist and the diametrically opposed ankle, for causing the composite current to pass in a long path through the body, that two additional electrodes (E3 3 E are provided for being applied low-resistive in places each near one of the two first electrodes and are connected via respective flexible lines (L3,L*0 to a detector (D) for dividing the sensed voltage drop between the lastmentioned places into its two comp¬ onents of different frequency and proportional to the impedences of the body for the respective frequenc¬ ies, that to said detector a calculating unit (A/D,MD) is connected for processing the two impedances express¬ ed in voltages in relation to the. twp impedances deduc¬ ed at a preceding or initial measuring process for obt¬ aining the change in the fluid balance relative to the initial measurement, according to an empiric formula Δ = k S log - Z 2 ~ Z 2, where _AV = change in fluid weight k = a proportionality constant S = body surface, based on the patient's weight and length Z→ and Z- = impedance at the lower frequency (for example 1,5 kHz) and, res¬ pectively, the higher frequency (for example 150 kHz) at the second measuring occasion Z Λ and Z = corresponding impedances at the i i first measuring occasion (init¬ ial values) . . An apparatus as defined in claim 3, c h a r a c t¬ e r i z e d i n that the calculating unit is a mi¬ croprocessor (MD) connected to the detector (D) via an A/D-converter, with a memory (M) for a preceding or initial measuring result, inputs for feeding in the weight and length of the patient from corresponding setting means (V.L) and an output for connection to a recording unit (R), preferably a digital indicator for direct digit indication of the change in fluid in lit¬ re.

Inventors: TEDNER BO, TEDNER, BO
Applicants: KAROLINSKA INST, KAROLINSKA INSTITUTET
Application year: 1983
Main classification: A61B5
IPC codes: A61B5