A method and apparatus for the treatment of Sleep Apnea events and Hypopnea episodes wherein one embodiment comprises a wearable, belt like apparatus containing a microphone and a plethysmograph. The microphone and plethysmograph generate signals that are representative of physiological aspects of respiration, and the signals are transferred to an imbedded computer. The embedded computer extracts the sound of breathing and the sound of the heart beat by Digital Signal Processing techniques. The embedded computer has elements for determining when respiration parameters falls out of defined boundaries for said respiration parameters. This exemplary method provides real-time detection of the onset of a Sleep Apnea event or Hypopnea episode and supplies stimulation signals upon the determination of a Sleep Apnea event or Hypopnea episode to initiate an inhalation. In one embodiment, the stimulus is applied to the patient by a cutaneous rumble effects actuator and/or audio effects broadcasting.

Systems and methods for novel ventilation that allows the ventilator to detect a patient intention to cycle exhalation are provided. Further, systems and methods for cycling exhalation based on a muscle pressure are provided.

Active auscultation may be used to determine organ (e.g., lung or heart) characteristics of users. An acoustic or piezo-electric signal (e.g., a pulse, a tone, and/or a broadband pulse) may be projected into an animal (typically human) body or thorax. The signal interacts with the body, or lungs, and in some cases may induce resonance within the body/lungs. A resultant signal may be emitted from the body which may be analyzed to determine, for example, a lung's resonant frequency or frequencies and/or how the sound is otherwise absorbed, reflected, or modified by the body. This information may be indicative of lung characteristics such as lung capacity, a volume of air trapped in the lungs, and/or the presence of COPD.

Described here are systems and methods for monitoring airflow changes in a patient's airway during a medical procedure or as a general patient monitoring tool. Doppler ultrasound signals are acquired from an anatomical region within the patient's airway (e.g., a tracheal wall, a cricothyroid ligament, other connective or cartilaginous tissue within the trachea, larynx, or pharynx) and parameters from those Doppler ultrasound signals are compared to baseline parameters, which may include inputting Doppler ultrasound signals to a suitably trained deep learning model or other machine learning algorithm. When a threshold change is detected, an alarm can be provided to a user to indicate respiratory compromise and/or failure, which can include early airway compromise, airway failure, and/or airway obstruction.

Described here are systems and methods for monitoring airflow changes in a patient's airway during a medical procedure or as a general patient monitoring tool. Doppler ultrasound signals are acquired from the tracheal wall of the patient and parameters from those Doppler ultrasound signals are compared to baseline parameters. When a threshold change is detected, an alarm can be provided to a user to indicate respiratory compromise, which can include early airway compromise or airway obstruction.

Methods and systems for targeting, accessing and diagnosing diseased lung compartments are disclosed. The method comprises introducing a diagnostic catheter with an occluding member at its distal end into a lung segment via an assisted ventilation device; inflating the occluding member to isolate the lung segment; and performing a diagnostic procedure with the catheter while the patient is ventilated. The proximal end of the diagnostic catheter is configured to be attached to a console. The method may also comprise introducing the diagnostic catheter into the lung segment; inflating the occluding member to isolate the lung segment; and monitoring blood oxygen saturation. The method may further comprise introducing the diagnostic catheter into the lung segment; determining tidal flow volume in the lung segment; determining total lung capacity of the patient; and determining a flow rank value based on the tidal flow volume of the lung segment and the total lung capacity.

Methods and systems for targeting, accessing and diagnosing diseased lung compartments are disclosed. The method comprises introducing a diagnostic catheter with an occluding member at its distal end into a lung segment via an assisted ventilation device; inflating the occluding member to isolate the lung segment; and performing a diagnostic procedure with the catheter while the patient is ventilated. The proximal end of the diagnostic catheter is configured to be attached to a console. The method may also comprise introducing the diagnostic catheter into the lung segment; inflating the occluding member to isolate the lung segment; and monitoring blood oxygen saturation. The method may further comprise introducing the diagnostic catheter into the lung segment; determining tidal flow volume in the lung segment; determining total lung capacity of the patient; and determining a flow rank value based on the tidal flow volume of the lung segment and the total lung capacity.

The present invention provides a method of conducting a sleep analysis by collecting physiologic and kinetic data from a subject, preferably via a wireless in-home data acquisition system, while the subject attempts to sleep at home. The sleep analysis, including clinical and research sleep studies and cardiorespiratory studies, can be used in the diagnosis of sleeping disorders and other diseases or conditions with sleep signatures, such as Parkinson's, epilepsy, chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder, or other neurological, cardiac, pulmonary, or muscular disorders. The method of the present invention can also be used to determine if environmental factors at the subject's home are preventing restorative sleep.

Aspects of the of the disclosure relate to a non-contact physiological motion sensor and a monitor device that can incorporate use of the Doppler effect. A continuous wave of electromagnetic radiation can be transmitted toward one or more subjects and the Doppler-shifted received signals can be digitized and/or processed subsequently to extract information related to the cardiopulmonary motion in the one or more subjects. The extracted information can be used, for example, to determine apneic events and/or snoring events and/or to provide apnea or snoring therapy to subjects when used in conjunction with an apnea or snoring therapy device. In addition, methods of use are disclosed for sway cancellation, realization of cessation of breath, integration with multi-parameter patient monitoring systems, providing positive providing patient identification, or any combination thereof.

A method of assessing airway clearance therapy efficacy includes generating a pressure pulse in a respiratory device being used by a patient. The patient's lung impedance is measured during the pressure pulse and the patient's lung condition is assessed based on the patient's lung impedance. The patient's lung condition is then assessed after airway clearance therapy.