Patent ID: 8731652

Claim:
A method for monitoring the autonomous nervous system of a sedated patient, comprising: measuring, by an electrode arrangement and a measurement converter, a skin conductance signal at an area of the patient's skin through a measurement interval, calculating, by a processing device, a characteristic of said skin conductance signal, establishing, by a processing device, a first output signal indicating a state of pain or discomfort in the patient, based on said characteristic of said skin conductance signal, establishing, by a processing device, a second output signal indicating a state of awakening in the patient, based on said characteristic of said skin conductance signal, wherein said step of calculating said characteristic comprises calculating, by a processing device, a value representative of a statistical dispersion of values of said skin conductance signal through said measurement interval, the value being a standard deviation of the values of said skin conductance signal through said measurement interval, further wherein said step of establishing said first output signal indicating the state of pain or discomfort in the patient comprises comparing said standard deviation with a first limit value, the first signal being established as indicating pain or discomfort in the patient if the standard deviation exceeds the first limit value, and wherein said step of establishing said second output signal indicating the state of awakening in the patient comprises comparing said standard deviation with a second limit value, the second signal being established as indicating awakening in the patient if the standard deviation exceeds the second limit value.