US 20070157930 A1
A system for circuit compliance compensated volume assurance pressure control in a patient respiratory ventilation circuit, having a patient circuit volume estimator for estimating a patient circuit compliance, a patient circuit volume estimator to estimate a circuit volume VOLCKT
1. A circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control system, comprising:
a circuit compliance estimator, operative to estimate a patient circuit compliance;
a patient circuit volume estimator, operative to estimate a circuit volume VOLCKT
a patient volume observer, operative to estimate a patient volume VOLTID
a volume assurance controller, operative to generate a circuit compliance volume compensation factor VOLTID
a decelerating inspiratory flow corrector, operative to generate a decelerating inspiratory flow command based on a preset inspiratory time TINSP, the volume compensation factor VOLTID
2. The system of
3. The system of
4. The system of
5. The system of
6. The system of
7. The system of
so as to compute the dynamic gain KVTID as a function thereof.
8. The system of
9. The system of
10. The system of
11. The system of
12. The system of
13. The system of
a) computing a volume error VOLTID
b) computing the volume compensation factor of the current breath by adding the volume error VOLTID
c) limiting the volume compensation factor of the current breath between a maximum and minimum value.
14. The system of
15. The system of
16. The system of
17. A system for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control in a patient ventilation circuit, comprising:
a volume assurance controller operative to provide an estimated circuit compliance volume compensation factor VOLTID
a decelerating inspiratory flow corrector operative to modulate an inspiratory flow QINSP
18. The system of
19. The system of
20. The system of
21. The system of
22. The system of
23. The system of
24. The system of
25. The system of
26. The system of
27. The system of
28. The system of
29. A patient respiratory ventilation circuit, comprising:
a ventilator, operative to provide an inspiratory gas to and receive an expiratory gas from a patient via a patient circuit;
a system for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control, comprising:
a volume assurance controller operative to provide an estimated circuit compliance volume compensation factor VOLTID
a decelerating inspiratory flow corrector operative to modulate an inspiratory flow QINSP
a servo control subsystem operative to control a flow control valve and an exhalation valve of the ventilator according to the preset waveform, the preset inspiratory time TINSP
30. The circuit of
31. The circuit of
32. The circuit of
33. The circuit of
34. The circuit of
35. The circuit of
36. The circuit of
37. The circuit of
38. The circuit of
39. The circuit of
40. The circuit of
41. The circuit of
an inspiratory pressure servo controller operative to output an inspiratory pressure controller flow QINSP
a comparator operative to output a final inspiratory flow QINSP
an inspiratory flow servo controller operative to receive the final inspiratory flow QINSP
an exhalation pressure servo controller operative to open or close the exhalation valve of the ventilator.
42. The circuit of
43. A method for circuit compliance compensated volume assurance pressure control in a patient respiratory ventilation system, comprising:
a) measuring a patient volume VOLTID
b) predetermining an initial value INICKT
c) generating an inspiratory flow QINSP
44. The method of
d) initializing the circuit compliance pressure compensation factor VOLTID
45. The method of
46. The method of
a1) providing a machine delivered net flow QNET by computing a flow differential of a measured inspiratory flow QINSP and a measured expiratory flows QEXP; and
a2) integrating the machine delivery net flow QNET into the machine delivered net volume VOLNET.
47. The method of
a3) deriving a relationship between circuit pressure PY and circuit volume VCC from the circuit compliance CT;
a4) estimating a circuit volume VOLCKT
a5) subtracting the estimated circuit volume VOLCKT
48. The method of
49. The method of
50. The method of
b1) computing a volume error percentage VOLPCT
b2) determining a gain KVTID as a function of the volume error percentage VOLPCT
b3) updating the circuit compliance volume compensation factor VOLTID
51. The method of
52. The method of
b4) limiting the updated circuit compliance volume compensation factor between a predetermined allowable range.
53. The method of
c1) computing a maximum peak flow QINSP
c2) computing a modulated decelerating inspiratory flow by:
The method of
d1) capturing a preset inspiratory pressure PRSINSP
d2) generating an inspiratory pressure controller flow QINSP
d3) selecting a larger amount between the inspiratory pressure controller flow QINSP
55. The method of
56. The method of
The present invention relates in general to a patient respiratory ventilator and, more particularly, to a system and a method for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control in a patient respiratory ventilator.
In order to accurately deliver at least a set assured volume to the patient during a pressure-control mode of ventilation, a ventilator must compensate for patient circuit compliance. This is particularly crucial for neonatal patients for whom the circuit compliance is often much larger than the lung compliance. Without adequate compensation of the patient circuit compliance, inaccurate volume and flow may be delivered to the patient. Included in the prior art are several approaches of patient circuit compliance. These prior art approaches have been designed and applied to currently available ventilators such as the AVEA Comprehensive Ventilator, commercially available from Viasys Healthcare Inc., assignee of the subject disclosure.
Unfortunately, most of the approaches, while compensating for the patient circuit compliance, inevitably cause gas trapping and auto PEEP, which consequently impacts the ability of the patient to exhale the delivered tidal volume. Therefore, many ventilators of the prior art do not allow application of patient circuit compliance to neonatal patients due to the stringent volume precision requirement. The burden of providing accurate volume delivery is thus shifted to the clinician.
Currently, known volume assurance algorithms, such as may be used with the AVEA Comprehensive Ventilator mentioned above as well as other prior art ventilators, are typically only suitable for pediatric and adult-sized patients. In such volume assurance algorithms, when a volume assurance is set in a pressure-controlled mode, the inspiratory flow controller command is the maximum of the pressure-control flow command and a decelerating flow command. Therefore, depending on the set inspiratory pressure, assured volume, airway resistance, lung compliance and circuit compliance, the breath delivery can result in a pressure-controlled breath, a volume controlled breath, or a hybrid of pressure and volume controlled breath.
By setting the volume assurance, a decelerating flow command profile for the current breath is generated by using an estimate of circuit volume from the previous breath, the set assured volume and the set inspiratory time. During inspiration, the decelerating flow command will be terminated if the system delivered volume, as measured by the inspiratory sensor, exceeds the set assured volume and the circuit volume that is computed during the breath. The breath is cycled to exhalation control when the set inspiratory time is reached and the system delivered volume exceeds the set assured volume & circuit volume computed during the breath.
Using a MATLAB-based rapid prototyping HITL system, simulated applications of the above-mentioned algorithm to different patient sizes, including neonates, have been performed and certain deficiencies in the algorithm have been discovered. Firstly, during ventilation of a patient, the system may not achieve the desired volume delivery within the set inspiratory time. This is particularly a problem for neonate patients where the circuit to lung compliance ratio can be large. If the delivered system volume fails to reach the set assured and circuit volumes within the set inspiratory time, the inspiratory time is extended to allow time for volume delivery until the I:E ratio limit is eventually reached. In most cases, the system consecutively reaches the I:E ratio limit for up to 5 breaths before stabilization. Secondly, for cases where the circuit to lung compliance ratio is as high as 13:1 and a minimal set inspiratory time is set, volume delivery errors may occur if the decelerating flow command reaches the allowable maximum flow command.
This can be a problem when the airway resistance is high and additional flow is required to compensate for the circuit compliance. The I:E limit will be reached in these cases because the flow required to compensate for the circuit volume cannot be achieved. Thirdly, because net system delivery volume is not used, exhalation valve leaks during inspiration are not accounted for during volume delivery. This can significantly affect the accuracy of volume delivery. Fourthly, excess volume delivery due to flow control valve closing dynamics is not accounted for during volume delivery. Fortunately, this may not be as critical in the pressure-control mode with a set volume assurance since only a minimum volume is required.
Provided is a volume assurance algorithm that is based upon the currently-available approach as described above. However, the volume assurance algorithm as provided herein shifts from direct use of patient circuit volume for volume delivery to a servo control system approach for volume delivery. More specifically, instead of directly using the patient circuit volume in an open-loop system for volume delivery, the patient circuit volume is used to estimate the patient volume for feedback control. Based on measurements provided by sensors in the patient circuit, the patient delivered volume is estimated by a conceptual volume observer or virtual sensor.
When the patient circuit compliance is estimated and a machine delivered net volume that accounts for leaks and valve dynamics is measured, such values are used to estimate the patient delivered volume. The estimated patient delivered volume is then fed back via a feedback volume controller. The difference between the estimated patient delivered volume and the set assured volume is used to modulate the required system volume to be delivered. The feedback volume controller for modulating the delivered system volume is executed on a breath-by-breath basis in order to achieve the set assured volume.
At the beginning of every breath, the commanded system volume to be delivered is converted to a decelerating flow command profile based on the set inspiratory time. The decelerating flow command profile for the current breath compensates for volume delivery errors, exhalation valve leaks, flow control valve closing dynamics and changes in patient conditions. The final inspiratory flow controller command is the maximum of the pressure control flow command and the decelerating flow command when the volume assurance is set.
Thus, depending on the set inspiratory pressure, assured volume, airway resistance, lung compliance and circuit compliance, the breath delivery can result in a pressure controlled breath, a volume controlled breath, or a hybrid of pressure and volume controlled breath. When a patient wye (Y) flow sensor is also used, a volume limit can be set up by the measurement thereof. Alternatively, the volume measured by the patient Y flow sensor can also be used as the feedback patient delivered volume for modulating the system delivered volume.
The volume assurance algorithm can be used in a method and a system for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control in a patient respiratory ventilator. In the system for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control, the system volume command is adjusted based on the error between the estimated patient delivered volume from the last breath and the set assured volume at the start of every new breath. The required decelerating flow command profile is then computed and updated into a volume assurance controller flow command based on the adjusted system volume command and a set inspiratory time for the breath.
An inspiratory flow controller command is set as the maximum of the pressure controller flow command and the volume assurance controller flow command. When the system delivered volume in the inspiratory phase exceeds the updated system volume command (which is equal to the sum of the set assured volume and a volume controller correction) and when the set inspiratory time is reached, the breath cycles to an exhalation phase.
After cycling to the exhalation phase, the estimate of patient circuit volume is updated using the circuit compliance estimate and the measured patient WYE pressure when the net system flow passes zero. The estimate of patient volume for the current breath is also updated using the updated patient circuit volume and the measured net delivered system volume. These steps are repeated breath-by-breath for the duration of patient ventilation.
These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout and in which:
The system and method for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control in a patient respiratory ventilator is based upon a similar theory of operation as disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/247,568 entitled System and Method for Circuit Compliance Compensated Volume Control in a Patient Respiratory Ventilator, filed Oct. 11, 2005, and in U.S. patent application entitled System and Method for Circuit Compliance Compensated Pressure Regulated Volume Control in a Patient Respiratory Ventilator filed Nov. 9, 2005 assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, the disclosures of both applications being expressly incorporated herein by reference.
An inhalation flow control valve or orifice is typically installed at the inspiratory port 14 for controlling the inspiratory flow QINSP, and an exhalation valve is preferably installed at the expiratory port for controlling the open/close conditions of the expiratory port 16. In this embodiment, inspiratory and expiratory flow sensors 11 and 13 are disposed adjacent to the inspiratory and expiratory ports 14 and 16 and are configured for measuring the inspiratory QINSP and expiratory flows QEXP, respectively. In addition, an inspiratory pressure transducer 15 and an expiratory pressure transducer 17 may also be installed to measure the inspiratory and expiratory pressures PINSP and PEXP, respectively.
The patient circuit 20, such as a Y circuit, is used to connect the ventilator 10 to the patient so as to construct the respiratory circuit for circulating gas between the ventilator 10 and the patient. The Y circuit 20 includes an inspiratory limb 22 with one end connected to the inspiratory port 14 and an expiratory limb 24 with one end connected to the expiratory port 16 of the ventilator 10. The other ends of the inspiratory limb 22 and the expiratory limb 24 merge with each other at one end of a patient Y piece 26 of which an opposite end is applied to the patient.
Other accessories or component devices such as filters may also be installed in various locations of the Y circuit 20. For example, a flow sensor 28 is preferably installed at the patient piece 26 to directly measure the patient flow QY delivered to the patient. It will be appreciated that the inspiratory and expiratory flow sensors 11 and 13 may also be installed on the inspiratory limb 22 and the expiratory limb 24, respectively. Preferably, the measurable process variables, including the inspiratory flow QINSP, the expiratory flow QEXP, the inspiratory pressure PINSP, the expiratory pressure PEXP, and positive end expiratory pressure PEEP are measured according to a predetermined sampling rate. For example, in one embodiment, these process variables are sampled every 2 msec.
The ventilator 10 may further comprise a sensor processor 18 that is preferably operative to process the measured process variables or parameters, including QINSP, QEXP, PINSP, PEXP and other sensor readings such as QY and calculating or computing the desired variables such as the estimated patient pressure PY, estimated machine net volume VOLNET, the estimated patient tidal volume VOLTID, PEEP and the measured patient volume VY for the circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control system 30. The sensor processor 18 may be configured as an individual sensor in communication with the sensors 11, 13, 15, 17 and 28 and the circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control system 30, integrated into the ventilator 10, or incorporated into the system for circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control 30.
Preferably, the patient pressure PY is defined as the expiratory pressure PEXP measured from the expiratory pressure transducer 17 during the inspiratory phase, and the average of the expiratory pressure PEXP and the inspiratory pressure PINSP measured from the inspiratory pressure transducer 15 during the expiratory phase. That is, based on the following Equation (1), the sensor processor 18 is operative to compute and output the patient pressure PY to the circuit compliance compensated volume assured pressure control system 30.
The relationship may be in the form of a mathematical equation of VCC and ΔPY or a lookup table reflecting the corresponding circuit volumes VCC for a specific circuit pressure ΔPY. When the empirical data shows a linear relationship as expressed by Equation (2) as:
The patient volume observer 33 is operative to receive the measured net machine delivered volume VOLNET. That is, the machine delivered net volume is derived by integrating the net flow QNET, and the estimated circuit volume VOLCKT
When a patient circuit disconnect is detected or when any type of circuit integrity alarm is activated, the volume variables will not be updated until the patient circuit is reconnected or the alarm is deactivated. The volume variables are the measured machine delivered net volume VOLNET, the estimated patient volume VOLTID
When the flow sensor 28 is installed at the patient Y piece 26 of the patient circuit 20, the patient flow QY can be measured, and a measured patient volume VOLTID
In addition to the measured patient volume VOLTID
Preferably, at the start of every inspiratory phase, the measured machine delivered net volume VOLNET, the measured patient volume VOLTID
During the inspiratory phase, the net flow QNET, the patient delivered flow QY, and the inspiratory flow QINSP are continuously monitored. When the inspiratory phase has started for at least a predetermined period of time (such as for 50 milliseconds) and the net flow QNET is detected to cross zero, that is, when QNET
Upon entering the expiratory phase, if the net flow QNET has been detected to cross zero during the inspiratory phase, the estimated circuit volume VOLCKT
If the net flow QNET does not cross zero during the inspiratory phase, the machine delivered net volume VOLNET and the measured patient volume VOLTID
Referring now to
As shown in
The volume assurance controller 34 further comprises a volume restrictor 345 to prevent a negative circuit compliance volume compensation factor VOLTID
As discussed above, the measured patient volume VOLTID
If the circuit compliance compensation is not enabled and the preset assured volume VOLASS
Further referring to
A volume assurance decelerating flow command carrying data regarding the modulated volume assurance decelerating inspiratory flow QINSP
As shown, upon receiving the estimated patient pressure PY defined by Equation (1), the inspiratory pressure servo controller 46 is operative to output an inspiratory pressure controller flow QINSP
When the inspiratory time TINSP reaches the preset inspiratory time TINSP
The above description is given by way of example, and not limitation. Given the above disclosure, one skilled in the art could devise variations that are within the scope and spirit of the invention disclosed herein. Further, the various features of the embodiments disclosed herein can be used alone, or in varying combinations with each other and are not intended to be limited to the specific combination described herein. Thus, the scope of the claims is not to be limited by the illustrated embodiments.