The present invention relates to a method of identifying or monitoring circulatory failure in a subject, which method comprises assessing the subject's microcirculation in respect of the following parameters: (a) functional capillary density (FCD); (b) heterogeneity of the FCD; (c) capillary flow velocity; (d) heterogeneity of capillary flow velocity; (e) oxygen saturation of microvascular erythrocytes (SmvO.sub.2); and (f) heterogeneity of SmvO.sub.2; wherein parameters (a) to (d) are assessed visually by microscopy and parameters (e) and (f) are assessed by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS); well as apparatus and software designed for performance of such a method.

Systems and methods are described, and one method includes determining a fetal blood oxygenation level, including: activating at least one light source with at least two distinct wavelengths of light on an abdomen of a pregnant mammal to direct light into a maternal abdomen toward a fetus; receiving a set of mixed signals from a set of photodetectors positioned at different locations on the maternal abdomen from reflected light that traverses maternal tissue or maternal tissue and fetal tissue; determining the fetal blood oxygenation level by performing computations on a composite fetal signal produced from the mixed signals; and ensuring a skin temperature of the maternal abdomen does not rise to unsafe levels due to activating the at least one light source.

A trans-abdominal non-invasive fetal blood oxygen saturation detection device comprises a trans-abdominal fetal oximeter and a signal detection assembly connected to the trans-abdominal fetal oximeter. The trans-abdominal oximeter comprises a signal processing controller. The signal detection assembly comprises a light-emitting light source device and a light receiving device, wherein the light-emitting light source device, the light receiving device and a reference signal detection device are all connected to the signal processing controller. The light-emitting light source device irradiates two or more different wavelengths of light into the abdominal cavity of a pregnant woman. The light receiving device comprises a plurality of light receivers respectively placed at a plurality of different positions outside the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman, and is configured to collect a plurality of optical signals related to the fetal blood oxygen saturation, which are scattered and reflected back from the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman through the plurality of light receivers, synthesize the optical signals into an optical signal sum related to the fetal blood oxygen saturation and then output it to the signal processing controller, such that the intensity of the received optical signals is improved.

A trans-abdominal non-invasive fetal blood oxygen saturation detection device comprises a trans-abdominal fetal oximeter and a signal detection assembly connected to the trans-abdominal fetal oximeter. The trans-abdominal oximeter comprises a signal processing controller. The signal detection assembly comprises a light-emitting light source device and a light receiving device, wherein the light-emitting light source device, the light receiving device and a reference signal detection device are all connected to the signal processing controller. The light-emitting light source device irradiates two or more different wavelengths of light into the abdominal cavity of a pregnant woman. The light receiving device comprises a plurality of light receivers respectively placed at a plurality of different positions outside the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman, and is configured to collect a plurality of optical signals related to the fetal blood oxygen saturation, which are scattered and reflected back from the abdominal cavity of the pregnant woman through the plurality of light receivers, synthesize the optical signals into an optical signal sum related to the fetal blood oxygen saturation and then output it to the signal processing controller, such that the intensity of the received optical signals is improved.

Fetal tissue oxygenation may be performed transabdominally by, for example, receiving a plurality of detected electronic signals that correspond to light emitted from a pregnant mammal's abdomen and a fetus contained therein that has been detected by the detector and converted into the detected electronic signal. An indication of a depth of the fetus within the pregnant mammal's abdomen may be received and a portion of the detected electronic signals that correspond to light that was incident upon the fetus may be isolated responsively to the indication of the depth of the fetus using, for example, time of flight of photons that correspond to the detected electronic signals. A fetal tissue oxygen saturation level may then be determined using the isolated portion of the detected electronic signals that correspond to light that was incident upon the fetus.

Fetal tissue oxygenation may be performed transabdominally by, for example, receiving a plurality of detected electronic signals that correspond to light emitted from a pregnant mammal's abdomen and a fetus contained therein that has been detected by the detector and converted into the detected electronic signal. An indication of a depth of the fetus within the pregnant mammal's abdomen may be received and a portion of the detected electronic signals that correspond to light that was incident upon the fetus may be isolated responsively to the indication of the depth of the fetus using, for example, time of flight of photons that correspond to the detected electronic signals. A fetal tissue oxygen saturation level may then be determined using the isolated portion of the detected electronic signals that correspond to light that was incident upon the fetus.

A modular patient monitor has a docking station configured to accept a handheld monitor. The docking station has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a first set of parameters. At least some of the first parameter set are displayed simultaneously on a full-sized screen integrated with the docking station. The handheld monitor also has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a second set of parameters. At least some of the second set of parameters are displayed simultaneously on a handheld-sized screen integrated with the handheld monitor. The docking station has a port configured to accept the handheld monitor. While the handheld monitor is docket in the port, the docking station functionally combines the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters, and at least some of the combined first and second sets of parameters are displayed simultaneously on the full-sized screen.

A modular patient monitor has a docking station configured to accept a handheld monitor. The docking station has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a first set of parameters. At least some of the first parameter set are displayed simultaneously on a full-sized screen integrated with the docking station. The handheld monitor also has standalone patient monitoring functionality with respect to a second set of parameters. At least some of the second set of parameters are displayed simultaneously on a handheld-sized screen integrated with the handheld monitor. The docking station has a port configured to accept the handheld monitor. While the handheld monitor is docket in the port, the docking station functionally combines the first set of parameters and the second set of parameters, and at least some of the combined first and second sets of parameters are displayed simultaneously on the full-sized screen.

Methods and system are described for multi-parametric, non-invasive, and real-time assessment of blood perfusion and oxygenation in the fetal brain during labor and delivery of a fetus through a vaginal birth canal of a maternal pelvis, and include positioning a probe device in the maternal pelvis during active labor, transmitting and receiving a plurality of ultrasound (US) and photoacoustic (PA) signals between the probe device and fetal brain, displaying in real-time on an US machine communicatively coupled to the probe device one or more images of venous and arterial blood flow of respective blood vessels in the fetal brain, measuring oxygen saturation of the respective venous and arterial blood vessels based on data from the one or more images, and estimating the oxygen measurement in the fetal brain during active labor based on the measured oxygen saturation.

During childbirth process, trauma to an infant can readily arise, ultimately resulting in fetal hypoxia, academia, and brain damage. Such unfavorable conditions can be prevented by measuring the fetus' blood-oxygen level and heart rate. Without a fetal pulse oximeters, blood oxygen level cannot be monitored non-invasively reliably, which reduces the chance for birth complications to be recognized in time. A noninvasive system to implement such goals and maximize the potential welfare of the fetus may include devices to measure oxygen saturation of hemoglobin (SpO2). Such a device may be an oxy probe that uses a trans-reflective method of SpO2 measurement where oxygen saturation data can be transmitted through wire, fiber optics, and or using a radio frequency link, fetal monitor data can be analyzed, compared to existing data base, and or transmitted via radio waves or internet.