US 12,171,722 B2
System and method for acoustic sensing to verify proper nasogastric tube placement
Donald McMichael, Roswell, GA (US); and James F. Tassitano, Marietta, GA (US)
Assigned to Avent, Inc., Alpharetta, GA (US)
Filed by Avent, Inc., Alpharetta, GA (US)
Filed on Jul. 30, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/526,077.
Prior Publication US 2021/0030629 A1, Feb. 4, 2021
Int. Cl. A61J 15/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61M 39/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61J 15/0088 (2015.05) [A61M 25/0105 (2013.01); A61M 39/105 (2013.01); A61J 2200/70 (2013.01); A61J 2205/20 (2013.01); A61J 2205/50 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0166 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0238 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0244 (2013.01); A61M 2205/18 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3375 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3523 (2013.01); A61M 2205/50 (2013.01); A61M 2205/502 (2013.01); A61M 2205/52 (2013.01); A61M 2205/584 (2013.01); A61M 2205/6018 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A catheter guidance system comprising:
(a) a processor;
(b) a power source;
(c) a display device; and
(d) a tubing assembly comprising:
a catheter having a proximal end and a distal end and extending in a longitudinal direction, wherein the proximal end and the distal end define a lumen therebetween; and
an acoustic sensor, wherein the acoustic sensor is located upstream from the distal end of the catheter, wherein the acoustic sensor is protected from fluid ingress by a flexible coating surrounding the acoustic sensor;
wherein the acoustic sensor communicates sound data acquired directly by the acoustic sensor from sound waves traveling through the lumen from an opening in the distal end of the catheter to the processor in real-time via an electrical connection;
wherein the display device is coupled to the processor and displays a graph of the sound data communicated by the acoustic sensor;
wherein the catheter guidance system alerts a user as to correct placement of the catheter in a digestive tract of a patient or alerts the user as to incorrect placement of the catheter in a respiratory tract of the patient, wherein the incorrect placement is determined by the presence of sinusoidal respiratory patterns associated with the sound data acquired directly by the acoustic sensor.