Computer-based System for Weaning of Conscious Patients from Mechanical Ventilation

摘要

In this paper, we describe a system intended to minimize the duration of the weaning process in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Different medical devices are remotely accessed and parameters like respiratory rate, tidal volume, airway pressures, heart rate, arterial blood pressures, etc., are collected, analyzed and the current patient status and efforts are estimated. Based on that, the system gives the opportunity for a continuous and automatic refinement of the ventilation settings, according to a defined algorithm. At a preliminary stage, we only monitor different weaning cases, and record patient respiratory- and cardio-circulatory parameters, as well as ventilation settings, chosen by the physicians. Further work will include deriving optimal weaning algorithms, on the base of the collected case records and physicians' experience, and using the system in practice, initially as an advisor.