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METABOLIC GAS EXCHANGE AND NONINVASIVE CARDIAC OUTPUT MONTTOR
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a respiratory gas analyzer employing a flow
sensor and a capnometer which may be interconnected in a first configuration to measure metabolic activity of a patient or in a second configuration to measure
the cardiac output of the patient.
Background of the Invention
My U.S. Patent No. 5,179,958 and related patents including 5,038,792
and 4,917,708 disclose respiratory calorimeters connected to a mouthpiece
which measure the volume of gas inhaled by a patient over a period of time and pass the exhaled gasses through a carbon dioxide scrubber and then a flow
meter. Broadly, the integrated flow differences between the inhalations and the carbon dioxide scrubbed exhalations are a measure of the patient's oxygen
consumption and thus the patient's metabolic activity. These devices may incorporate a capnometer to measure the carbon dioxide concentration of the
exhaled air. A computer receiving signals from the flow meter and the
capnometer may calculate, in addition to the oxygen consumption of the patient,
the Respiratory Quotient and the Resting Energy Expenditure of the patient as
calculated from the Weir equation.
The cardiac output of a patient, that is the volume of blood ejected from
the heart per unit time, is another important measured parameter in hospitalized
patients. Currently, cardiac output is routinely measured by invasive techniques
2 including thermal dilution using an indwelling pulmonary artery catheter. This
technique has several disadvantages including the morbidity and mortality of
placing an invasive intracardiac catheter, the infectious disease risks, significant
expense and the fact that it provides an intermittent rather than a continuous
measurement. A noninvasive, reusable, continuous cardiac output measurement
device would substantially improve patient care and reduce hospital costs.
The partial rebreathing technique is a known method for cardiac output
measurement. As described in Capek and Roy, "The Noninvasive Measurement
of Cardiac Output Using Partial CO2 Rebreathing", IEEE Transactions on
Biomedical Engineering, Vol. 35, No. 9, September 1988, pp. 653-659, the
method utilizes well known Fick procedures, substituting carbon dioxide for
oxygen, and employing a sufficiently short measurement period such that venous
carbon dioxide levels and cardiac output can be assumed to remain substantially
constant during the measurement. In its original form, the Fick method of
measuring cardiac output requires blood gas values for arterial and mixed venous
blood as follows:
VC c o. =-
Ca 02 -Cv02
where CO. is cardiac output, VO2 is oxygen consumption, CaO2 is the arterial
oxygen content and CvO2 is the venous oxygen content. By substituting carbon
dioxide for oxygen in the Fick equation, the partial rebreathing method allows
3 computation of cardiac output without invasive blood gas measurements as follows:
VCO^
C O .
Ca C02 ~CvC02
The partial rebreathing technique uses the change in CO2 production (VCOj) and
end-tidal CO2 in response to a brief change in ventilation. The change in CO2 production divided by the change in CO2 content of arterial blood (CaCO2), as
estimated from end-tidal CO2, equals pulmonary capillary blood flow as follows:
ΔVCO. C . O . = -
ΔetCO„
Clinical studies have verified the accuracy of this partial rebreathing method
relative to more conventional invasive techniques. Despite the advantages of the
partial rebreathing technique it has not achieved extensive usage.
I have discovered that minor modifications of my respiratory calorimeter
will enable it to practice cardiac output measurement using the partial carbon
dioxide rebreathing technique as well as making the metabolic related
measurements described in my patent.
Summary of the Invention
The present invention is accordingly directed toward a respiratory gas
analyzer capable of measuring either the metabolic activity or the cardiac output
of a subject. The configuration of the preferred embodiment of the analyzer
substantially resembles the indirect calorimeter disclosed in my previous patents
4 in that it incorporates a bi-directional flow meter, a capnometer and a carbon
dioxide scrubber. Conduits connect the flow meter between a source of
respiratory gasses, which is typically atmospheric air, and a mouthpiece, so that
the flow meter measures the gas volume during inhalation. During exhalation
the gas is passed through a capnometer to the carbon dioxide scrubber and the output of the scrubber is fed back through the flow meter to the atmosphere. In
this configuration the computer connected to receive the electrical outputs of the flow meter and capnometer calculates the patient's oxygen consumption either
alone or along with one or more of the derivative measurements of Respiratory
Quotient and Respiratory Energy Expenditure.
In order to perform measurements of patient's cardiac output using
partial CO2 rebreathing the system is convertible into the configuration in which
the exhaled breath is not passed through the carbon dioxide scrubber but is
rather passed directly to the flow meter or into an interior volume within the
analyzer that connects to the flow meter but allows the accumulation of a
fraction of an exhalation which is then mixed with additional air passing through
the flow meter on the next inhalation to increase the carbon dioxide content of
that subsequent inhalation. The analyzer may be formed so that the carbon
dioxide scrubber is completely removable for purposes of taking cardiac output
measurements, or, alternatively, the scrubber may be maintained in position on
the analyzer with the flow passages altered so that the exhaled air is not passed
through the scrubber.
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The analyzer further includes valving connected to the circuitry to shift
the circuitry between two alternative configurations. In the first configuration
exhaled gasses are passed through the capnometer and then directly to the flow
meter. Upon the subsequent inhalation fresh respiratory gasses are drawn
through the flow meter. In the second alternative configuration, after the valve
is shifted, the exhaled gasses are passed through the capnometer and then fed
into a conduit connecting to the flow meter. The conduit volume thus acts as a
dead space. When the subject then inhales a substantial portion of the inhaled
gasses constitutes rebreathed gasses from the conduit dead space having a high
carbon dioxide content. Preferably from 20% to 70% of the inhaled air
constitutes rebreathed air, with the balance being made up of air drawn in
through the flow meter with the inhalation.
The metabolic measurements are made with the scrubber connected in
operative configuration so that exhaled air passes through the carbon dioxide
scrubber and then the flow meter. A computer connected to the flow meter
integrates the inhaled and exhaled flow signals. Their difference is a function
of the subject's metabolic rate. To use the device to calculate cardiac output, the
scrubber is either removed or its input is blocked and the computer receives
signals from the flow meter and the capnometer while the subject breathes while
the valve is in the first configuration in which the exhaled gas is passed through
the capnometer and then directly out through the flow meter. The computer
integrates the capnometer measurement over the flow volume to determine the
6 carbon dioxide content of the exhalations and also determines the carbon dioxide
content of an exhalation at the end of the breath; i.e. the end-tidal carbon dioxide measurement. The valve is then shifted to bring the circuitry into the alternate
configuration in which the exhaled breath is introduced into the dead space volume within the circuitry so that only a proportion of each exhaled breath
passes out through the flow sensor. Each inhaled breath includes a proportion
of rebreathed air having an increased carbon dioxide content. Measurement is
made for about thirty seconds during which time the computer again measures
the end-tidal carbon dioxide. This measurement is used with the measurements made while the valve was in its first configuration to calculate cardiac output.
Alternatively, the volume of the flow chamber containing rebreathed air
is made adjustable and/or computer controlled so as to adjust the dead space to
the breath volume of the user.
Other objects, advantages and applications of the present invention will
be made apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred
embodiments.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a preferred embodiment of
my invention in the configuration which measures metabolic activity;
Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the system of Figure 1 in a
configuration for making the first measurements required to determine a
patient's cardiac output; and
7 Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the system of Figure 1 in a
configuration for making the second measurement required to determine cardiac
output.
Detailed Description of the Invention
The preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in Figure 1 ,
and generally indicated at 10 is in a configuration in which it may be used to
measure a patient's metabolic activity. The analyzer employs a mouthpiece 12
adapted to engage the inner surfaces of the user's mouth, so as to form the sole
passage for flowing respiratory gasses into and out of the mouth. A nose clamp
of conventional construction (not shown) may be employed in connection with
the mouthpiece 12 to assure that all respiratory gas passes through the
mouthpiece. In alternative configurations, a mask that engages the nose as well
as the mouth might be employed or an endotracheal tube could be used.
The mouthpiece 12 connects through a short passage 14 to a capnometer
sensor 16. The capnometer 16 generates an electrical signal which is a function
of the instantaneous carbon dioxide concentration of gas passing through the
mouthpiece 12. The capnometer may be of a conventional type such as those
described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,859,858; 4,859,859; 4,914,720 or 4,958,075.
The capnometer provides an electrical output signal to a computation unit 18
incorporating a suitably programmed microprocessor (not shown), a display 20,
and a keypad 22.
8 The capnometer is connected by a short passage 24 to a two position,
three-way valve, generally indicated at 26. The valve has a single input flow
channel from a one-way valve 28 which connects to a gas flow conduit 30. The
valve has a first position, illustrated in Figure 1 , in which output is provided to
a second one-way valve 32 connecting to the input of a carbon dioxide scrubber
34. In its second position, schematically illustrated in Figure 3, the valve is
shifted so as to block gas flow to the valve 32 and thus the scrubber and to direct
flow to an air passage 34 which connects with the gas conduit volume 30.
The carbon dioxide scrubber 34 is a container having a central gas
passageway filled with a carbon dioxide absorbent material such as sodium
hydroxide or calcium hydroxide. Such absorbent materials may include sodium
hydroxide and/or calcium hydroxide mixed with silica in a form known as "Soda
Lime™. " Another absorbent material which may be used is "Baralyme™" which
comprises a mixture of barium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide. The carbon
dioxide scrubber has internal baffles 36 which provide a labyrinth flow of
gasses.
The output 38 of the scrubber is located adjacent to a bi-directional
volume flow sensor 40 which is positioned at the end of the volume 30 opposite
to the valve 26. The flow sensor is preferably of the pressure differential type
such as manufactured by Medical Graphics Corporation of St. Paul, Minnesota
under the trademark "Medgraphics" of the general type illustrated in U.S. Patent
No. 5,038,773. Alternatively other types of flow transducers such as
9 pneumatics or spirameters might be employed. The other end of the flow sensor
is connected to a source and sink for respiratory gasses through a line 42. The
source and sink is typically the atmosphere but may alternatively be a suitable
form of positive pressure ventilator. The electrical output of the bi-directional volume flow sensor is connected to the computation unit 18.
With the valve 26 in the first position schematically illustrated in Figure
1 , the system operates in the same manner as the unit described in my patent
5, 179,958 to calculate various respiratory parameters of the patient such as
oxygen consumption per unit time, the Respiratory Quotient (RQ) which equals VCO2 divided by VO2, and the Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) preferably
calculated from the Weir equation.
In this mode of operation, assuming that room air is being inhaled, an
inhalation by the subject on the mouthpiece 12 draws room air in through the
intake 42 through the flow meter 40, generating an electrical signal to the
computation unit 18. The inhaled air then passes through the volume 30 and
through the one-way valve 28, to the passage 24 leading to the capnometer
sensor 16. The sensor 16 generates an electrical signal which is provided to the
computation unit 18. The inhaled air then passes through the passage 14 to the
patient via the mouthpiece 12. When the patient exhales the expired gasses pass
through the capnometer 16 in the reverse direction and then through the one-way
valve 32 to the input of the carbon dioxide scrubber 34. The scrubber absorbs
the carbon dioxide in the exhaled breath and provides its output into the volume
10 30 immediately adjacent the bi-directional volume flow sensor 40 in a direction
opposite to the inhaled gas.
The volume of exhaled air passing through the flow sensor 40 will be
lower than the volume of inhaled air because of the absorption of the carbon
dioxide by the scrubber 34. This difference in volume is a function of the
oxygen absorbed from the inhaled air by the patient's lungs. The computation unit 18 converts the signals from the capnometer 16 and the flow sensor 40 into
digital form if the signals are in analog form, as employed in the preferred
embodiment of the invention. The computation unit 18 otherwise operates in the manner disclosed in my U.S. Patent 4,917,718 to integrate signals representing the difference between the inhaled and exhaled volume for the period of the test
and multiply them by a constant to arrive at a display of kilocalories per unit
time. The Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) and the Respiratory Quotient
(RQ) are similarly calculated. The keyboard 22 associated with the computation
unit 18 allows storage and display of various factors in the same manner as the
systems of my previous patent.
The unit may incorporate an artificial nose and/or a bacterial filter as
described in my previous patents or may incorporate a temperature sensor which
provides a signal to the computation unit 18 to adjust the measurements as a
function of the breath and external air temperature.
In order to use the analyzer to noninvasively measure the patient's
cardiac output, the connections between scrubber 34 and the main body of the
11 unit are blocked. The scrubber may be physically removed from the main unit
or may continue to be supported on the main unit with appropriate valving (not
shown) shifted to block off the scrubber so it is inoperative during the measurement.
Figure 2 illustrates the unit with the scrubber 34 physically detached and
with wall sections 50 and 52 blocking off the ports in the main body to which
the input and output connections of the scrubber 34 connect. This creates a
relatively narrow, low volume passage 54 connecting the output of the one way
valve 32 to the area adjacent the flow meter 40.
In this position, when the patient inhales air or respiratory gasses are drawn in through the inlet 42, passed through the bi-directional sensor 40,
passed through the volume 30 and the one way valve 28, through the capnometer
16 to the mouthpiece 12. When the patient exhales, gasses are passed from the
mouthpiece 12, through the passage 14, through the capnometer 16, through the
one way valve 32 and the passage 54 and out the bi-directional sensor 40.
The computation unit 18 may control the two position valve 26 and move
it to a second position, illustrated schematically in Figure 3, in which the flow
passage to the one-way valve 32 is blocked and the passage 34 is open to the
flow volume 24 adjacent the capnometer 16. The shifted valve prevents exhaled
gasses from entering the passage 56 and instead returns the exhaled gasses back
in the direction of the flow sensor 40 through the conduit volume 30. This
creates a temporary increase in dead space that causes rebreathing of carbon
12 dioxide enriched air from the volume 30 when the patient inhales to create
changes in the carbon dioxide content of the exhalation (VCO2) and in the end-
tidal carbon dioxide (etCO2) so that the computation unit 18 may generate a signal which is a function of the cardiac output.
The measurement sequence is as follows:
1. With valve 26 in the position illustrated in Figure 2, VCO2 and
etCO2 are recorded over three minutes. The volume of VCO2 is
calculated by integrating the instantaneous measurements of the capnometer sensor over the flow volume as indicated by sensor
40. The etCO2 is calculated on a breath-by-breath basis using a
peak detection algorithm which stores the maximum value of the transient CO2 signal from the capnometer 16 for each breath.
The inhaled air is not admixed to any appreciable degree with previously exhaled air.
2. The computation unit 18 then switches the valve 26 to the
position illustrated in Figure 3. The volume of the conduit 30 is
then filled with exhaled breath, with the overflow being passed
out through the bi-directional flow sensor 40. The volume of the
passage 30 is preferably about 15-25% of the tidal volume of the
subject. Typical tidal volumes range between 600 ml and 1000
ml and the volume of the chamber 30 is preferably about 150 ml.
The subject therefore rebreathes carbon dioxide from the
13 temporary dead space chamber for approximately thirty seconds.
During this thirty second period breath-to-breath end-tidal carbon
dioxide and total integrated volume of carbon dioxide are
recorded. 3. The collected data are than processed by the computation unit 18
and the results are displayed or printed.
The unit can thus calculate and display the following parameters: oxygen
consumption (VO2), measured energy expenditure (MEE), carbon dioxide
production (VCO2), cardiac output (CO), respiratory exchange ratio (RER), minute ventilation (V), and end-tidal carbon dioxide (etCO2).
The computation unit 18, in the cardiac output mode may employ a
computation algorithm of the type described in the Capek and Roy paper.
Having thus described my invention I claim: