Methods, systems and devices for estimating the position and orientation of an invasive surgical devices, for example, a catheter guidewire or endoscope, surgical catheter, or self-guided electrophysiology catheter, relative to a reference frame, are described. An example system comprises one or more permanent magnets mounted on the surgical device, a plurality of magnetometer sensors at fixed location providing a reference frame that are configured to perform magnetic field measurements of the direct current superposition field of the permanent magnets, and computational means for receiving the input signals and calculating the position and orientation of the permanent magnets mounted on the surgical device.

A mechanical ventilation system comprises a plurality of ventilation therapy sub-systems. Each of the ventilation therapy sub-systems is adapted to assist a respiratory function of the patient. The system also comprises a detector of the respiratory drive of the patient, an operator interface receiving one or more control parameters, and a main controller. The main controller assigns a therapeutic contribution to each of the ventilation therapy sub-systems based on the respiratory drive of the patient and on the control parameters. The controller modulates the respiratory drive of a patient by controlling each of the plurality of the ventilation therapy sub-systems according to its assigned therapeutic contribution. Distinct ventilation therapy sub-systems may apply negative pressure on the abdomen of the patient, deliver a non-pressurizing inspiratory flow to the patient, or induce a positive pressure in the airways of the patient.

An intraoperative nerve monitoring system for monitoring nerve activity within a trachea of a patient. The intraoperative nerve monitoring system includes an endotracheal (ET) tube assembly, which includes an ET tube partially inserted within a trachea and a surface electrode wrapped about the ET tube. The ET tube is configured to monitor nerve activity when the ET tube is partially inserted within the trachea and is contacting a target tissue and to output a nerve signal. The intraoperative nerve monitoring system also includes a pressure sensor assembly configured to sense an amount of pressure between the surface electrode and the target tissue and a console including an output device configured to output indicators based on the monitored nerve activity and the sensed amount of pressure to facilitate proper placement of the ET tube in the trachea and to indicate nerve activity.

A system for performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure within a subject includes a device having a distal portion configured for insertion within a lumen or duct of the subject, the device including an elongate body having a longitudinal axis, the elongate body comprising a polymeric material and having a proximal end and a distal end, one or more electrically-conductive tracings carried on a first surface of the elongate body and configured to carry a signal, and one or more conductors embedded within the polymeric material and configured to carry a signal.

A system for performing a diagnostic or therapeutic procedure within a subject includes a device having a distal portion configured for insertion within a lumen or duct of the subject, the device including an elongate body having a longitudinal axis, the elongate body comprising a polymeric material and having a proximal end and a distal end, one or more electrically-conductive tracings carried on a first surface of the elongate body and configured to carry a signal, and one or more conductors embedded within the polymeric material and configured to carry a signal.

The present invention relates to a system (1; 1A) for use in connection with mechanical ventilation of a patient (3), provided by a ventilator (5). The system comprises a sensor arrangement (7; 7A; 7B) configured to register at least one signal (S.sub.LP; S.sub.LP(TA), S.sub.LP(CT); S.sub.e1-5; S.sub.e11-12), herein referred to as LP signal, related to muscular activity of at least one muscle (17, 19) in the laryngopharyngeal region (9) of said patient (3). Furthermore, the system comprises at least one control unit (11; 11A, 11B) configured to control the operation of said ventilator (5) based on said at least one LP signal, and/or to cause display of information related to said at least one LP signal on a display unit (13A, 13B) for monitoring said patient (3) and/or the operation of the ventilator (5).

The present invention relates to a system (1; 1A) for use in connection with mechanical ventilation of a patient (3), provided by a ventilator (5). The system comprises a sensor arrangement (7; 7A; 7B) configured to register at least one signal (S.sub.LP; S.sub.LP(TA), S.sub.LP(CT); S.sub.e1-5; S.sub.e11-12), herein referred to as LP signal, related to muscular activity of at least one muscle (17, 19) in the laryngopharyngeal region (9) of said patient (3). Furthermore, the system comprises at least one control unit (11; 11A, 11B) configured to control the operation of said ventilator (5) based on said at least one LP signal, and/or to cause display of information related to said at least one LP signal on a display unit (13A, 13B) for monitoring said patient (3) and/or the operation of the ventilator (5).

A method of estimating a spatial relationship between at least a part of a patient esophagus and a heart chamber, including: measuring at least one electric parameter at one or more positions within the heart chamber to obtain measured values; and estimating the spatial relationship based on the measured values.

A method of estimating a spatial relationship between at least a part of a patient esophagus and a heart chamber, including: measuring at least one electric parameter at one or more positions within the heart chamber to obtain measured values; and estimating the spatial relationship based on the measured values.

An instrument for internal mapping includes a flexible elongated portion (702) and an expandable portion (710) coupled distally to the elongated portion, the expandable portion having one or more expandable loops. An array of sensors (706) and electrodes (708) is distributed on the expandable portion and is configured to concurrently register the instrument to real-time images of an anatomy using the sensors and measure electrical characteristics of the anatomy with the electrodes to generate an electro-physiology (EP) map having the anatomy and intensities of the electrical characteristics mapped together in the real-time images.