US 12,226,571 B2
Apparatus and method for early detection of ventilator associated pneumonia
Benjamin G. Johnson, Buda, TX (US); Michelle Colleen Cole, Anchorage, AK (US); Chase Christenson, San Antonio, TX (US); Mikayla Li Rahman, Colorado Springs, CO (US); and Teja Guda, San Antonio, TX (US)
Filed by BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM, Austin, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 19, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/234,544.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/011,830, filed on Apr. 17, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0330905 A1, Oct. 28, 2021
Int. Cl. A61M 16/00 (2006.01); A61M 16/04 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/0003 (2014.02) [A61M 16/0402 (2014.02); A61M 2205/3317 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus for detection of ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in a patient, the apparatus comprising:
an endotracheal tube;
at least two non-selective electrode contacts located in proximity to each other within the endotracheal tube, the contacts lacking any structural feature or component that particularly recognizes a chemical or biological species;
an electrical subsystem that is capable of generating, receiving and processing electrical signals;
wiring for connecting each of the electrode contacts with the electrical subsystem; and tubing for insulating the wiring from any sputum material that is introduced into the endotracheal tube by the patient,
wherein the electrical subsystem generates at least two distinct and oscillating electrical signals, the distinct electrical signals having distinct frequencies, each electrical signal being associated with an oscillating current that passes through the sputum material, enabling the electrical subsystem to calculate an impedance associated with each electrical signal, the plurality of impedances constituting a pattern of impedances; and
wherein the pattern of impedances correlates with a presence of one or more species of bacteria, wherein the apparatus is configured to determine a relative concentrations of the species of bacteria.