Computer Control of Propofol Infusion Using Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

摘要

A two-level hierarchical structure using quantitative and qualitative approaches for controlling propofol infusion rate is proposed in this paper. The first level merges on-line measurements (i.e. systolic arterial pressure and heart rate) to interpret the primary depth of anaesthesia. The second level uses an average three-compartment pharmacokinetic model to predict the propofol concentration in the blood of the patient. Then, using fuzzy set theory to combine these two levels, a lookup table to administer the propofol infusion rate is obtained. This lookup table has given confidence of anaesthetists to perform automatic control of propofol in clinical trials at the next stage.