Description:THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a device attachable as a removable unit to a ventilator for the monitoring of airway defects in a patient on said ventilator. Specifically, it relates to a digital device comprising electronic mechanisms for detection of health parameters of the lungs of a patient put on ventilator to determine the status of any obstruction or restriction in the bronchioli structure of said patient.

BACKGROUND
Recently due to COVID and other chronic diseases, such as asthma and obstructive airways disease or severe COPD [chronic obstructive pulmonary disease], pneumonia, pneumothorax, etc; the patient admission to ICU has jumped up tremendously. This has increased the need of continuous monitoring of lung health among the hospital admitted patients; and if any abnormality found in the bronchioli structure of the lung of such patients, a systemic and personalised treatment can be provided by the healthcare persons for the affected patients.
Since patients put on the ventilators are admitted based on various possible pathology, the lung structure and function need to be monitored continuously as a part of treatment. This lung disease management includes providing physicians with education and monitoring to prevent acute episodes of the disease in order to eliminate costly medical intervention and promote patient welfare. The therapy of disease management needs to be customised to a particular patient since diseased patients may respond differently to the prescribed dosage or ventilatory supply.
The monitoring of airway abnormality is an important component in the decision-making process for patients admitted with respiratory defects. Not only does it help in arriving at a specific diagnosis, but it also helps in evaluating severity so that appropriate pharmacotherapy can be instituted, it helps determine prognosis and it helps evaluate response to therapy. Objective spirometry, chest X-ray or CT scan are currently the most commonly performed diagnostic/monitoring tests in clinical practice and is considered to be the gold standard diagnostic test for chronic conditions such as asthma and COPD. However, spirometry is not an easy test and requires patient participation, further the X-ray and CT scan does not produce real time and continuous data. Hence there is a need for a device that is easy to use, non-invasive and provides information on the status of the ventilatory defects in airway structure in the affected persons rapidly to the caregivers for the effective management of such lung conditions.
The invention disclosed herein relates to the detection of airway abnormality in the lung structure and lung health in all types of admitted patients in ICU. The said device that incorporates novel elements of the information technology and electronic devices connected to each other along with the principles of oscillometry and analytical methods for the benefits of the patients, medical practitioners and caregiver alike.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device is a removable, portable medical device attachable to a ventilator to image abnormality in airway structure of the patients put on the ventilators in the ICU in hospitals. Compared to traditional lung function measurements, the device uniquely combines of non-invasiveness, ease of use and new outcomes that provide early detection and of airway abnormality and exacerbations, and better insight into disease mechanisms and small and large airway disease.
In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device works on the tidal breathing pattern and no forced expiration by the user is required.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said digital device captures the respiratory mechanics and information relating to the small and large airways in the lungs of the patient.
In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device it has automated workflows for impulse oscillometry mechanism.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said digital device is easy to calibrate, compact and portable in size. It can continuously generate local data of airway structure.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said digital device provides real-time imaging for correctly determining abnormality in airways of the user or patient.
In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device uses Qualcomm computing technology for interpretation of imaging.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said digital device provides an early prediction of symptom or flare ups in the patients.
In one embodiment of the present invention, said digital device provides numerical information about compliance of treatment for technicians. It further provides resistance, reactance and impedance calculations for the benefit of the technicians.
In another embodiment of the present invention, said digital device a ventilator attachable device for monitoring of airway defects in a patient in ICU comprising: in first part, an electronic hardware unit comprising means for connecting: a gyro sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor and a pressure and flow transducer; an audio input and output module made up of speaker and microphone; a display unit made up of LCD or LED; a wireless communication module like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; an indicator module made up of a buzzer or LED; a chipset module with high powered microprocessor or microcontroller; a rechargeable battery unit; an input and an output tube connected to said ventilator; pressure and volume control sensors; and airway bypass valves, in second part, a software program to control and management said electronic hardware unit comprising means for: determining the position of said device during its use; and feedback and communication with healthcare technician; and, in third part, said device analysing the information collected in first and second part leading to reporting of said disease condition with a lung health index of said user or patient.
, Claims:WE CLAIM:
1) A ventilator attachable device for monitoring of ventilatory airway defects in a patient in ICU comprising:
(a) an electronic hardware unit comprising means for connecting:
i) a gyro sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor and a pressure and flow transducer;
ii) an audio input and output module made up of speaker and microphone;
iii) a display unit made up of LCD or LED;
iv) a wireless communication module like Wi-Fi or Bluetooth;
v) an indicator module made up of a buzzer or LED;
vi) a chipset module with high powered microprocessor or microcontroller;
vii) a rechargeable battery unit;
viii) an input and an output tube connected to said ventilator;
ix) pressure and volume control sensors; and
x) airway bypass valves,
(b) a software program to control and management said electronic hardware unit comprising means for:
i) determining the position of said device during its use; and
ii) feedback and communication with healthcare technician; and,
(c) Said device analysing the information collected in steps (a) and (b) leading to reporting of said disease condition with a lung health index of said user.
2) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said electronic hardware unit is a computer or a hand-held electronic device.
3) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said software program is integrated or embedded as a part of said electronic hardware unit.
4) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device works on the principle of pulse oscillometry and superimposition of tidal breathing data of said patient.
5) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device provides respiratory mechanics of small and large airways in the lungs of said patient.

6) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device provides real-time data on abnormality, including the position and dimension of such abnormality, present in the respiratory airway structure of said patient.
7) The device as claimed in claim 1, uses Qualcomm computing platform for interpretation of respiratory conditions of said patient.
8) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said device uses high powered data processing and computer vision for real time imaging of respiratory structures of said patient.