Closed loop pain management infusion
The invention refers to an apparatus for controlling a drug infusion pump. The drug is preferably a pain medication. The apparatus controls the infusion pump to apply an infusion protocol, wherein an infusion protocol defines times and amounts of drug infusion. A providing unit provides monitoring data of a patient during the application of an infusion protocol, wherein the monitoring data is indicative of an effect of the infused drug on the respective patient. A customized protocol determination unit determines a customized infusion protocol based on the currently applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data. A controlling unit controls the infusion pump to apply the customized infusion protocol instead of the currently applied protocol.
1 . An apparatus for controlling a drug infusion pump configured for drug infusion of a drug into a patient, wherein the apparatus controls the infusion pump to apply an infusion protocol, wherein the applied infusion protocol defines times and amounts of drug infusion, wherein the apparatus comprises:
a monitoring data providing unit for providing monitoring data of a patient during an application of an infusion protocol, wherein the monitoring data providing unit includes one or more processors, wherein the monitoring data is indicative of an effect of the infused drug on the patient, wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data including a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain-score and/or a bolus demand,
a customized protocol determination unit for determining a customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data, wherein the customized protocol determination unit includes one or more processors, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending a currently applied infusion protocol based on the VAS pain-score and/or the bolus demand, and
a controlling unit for controlling the infusion pump to apply the customized infusion protocol instead of the applied infusion protocol, wherein the controlling unit includes one or more processors, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending an infusion rate by a change percentage, wherein the change percentage is based on a linear regression algorithm, wherein the change percentage is equal to a change coefficient multiplied by a difference in i) the VAS pain-score or the bolus demand converted to a VAS pain-score and ii) a predefined acceptable pain threshold.
2 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising an iteration control unit configured to continuously or regularly a) provide monitoring data during the application of an infusion protocol, b) determine a new customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data and c) control the infusion pump to apply the new customized infusion protocol, wherein the iteration control unit includes one or more processors.
3 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data indicative of pain experienced by the patient and side effect monitoring data indicative of occurring side effects.
4 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by increasing one or both of an infusion rate and a user induced bolus volume, by the change percentage determined by a positive difference between the VAS pain-score provided by the monitoring data and a predetermined threshold pain score.
5 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the monitoring data includes side effect monitoring data, wherein the customized infusion protocol is further determined by decreasing one or both of an infusion rate and a user induced bolus volume, if the side effect monitoring data indicates an increase or appearance in one or more predetermined side effects.
6 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the customized protocol determination unit further determines a customized pain decay curve based on the monitoring data.
7 . The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein determining the customized pain decay curve comprises selecting the customized pain decay curve from a plurality of predefined pain decay curves, based on the monitoring data.
8 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the customized protocol determination unit is configured to determine the customized infusion protocol based on historical data comprising a plurality of historical infusion protocols of the patient and corresponding monitoring data.
9 . The apparatus according to claim 8 , wherein the customized protocol determination unit is configured to determine the customized infusion protocol based on a currently utilized infusion protocol and the monitoring data.
10 . The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a setup unit for determining a base infusion protocol based on therapy information during a setup of the infusion pump, wherein the base infusion protocol is applied to the patient as a first infusion protocol after setup, wherein the setup unit includes one or more processors.
11 . The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein the base infusion protocol further comprises a monitoring data protocol, the monitoring data protocol determining a type and timing of a determined monitoring data, wherein the monitoring data providing unit is configured to apply the monitoring data protocol for providing the monitoring data.
12 . An infusion pump configured for automatic drug infusion in a patient comprising an apparatus according to claim 1 .
13 . A computer-implemented method for controlling a drug infusion pump configured for drug infusion into a patient, wherein the method controls the infusion pump to apply an infusion protocol, wherein the infusion protocol defines times and amounts of drug infusion, wherein the method comprises:
providing monitoring data of a patient during an application of an infusion protocol, wherein the monitoring data is indicative of an effect of the infused drug on the respective patient, wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data including a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain-score and/or a bolus demand,
determining a customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending a currently applied infusion protocol based on the VAS pain-score and/or the bolus demand, and
controlling the infusion pump to apply the customized infusion protocol instead of the applied protocol, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending an infusion rate by a change percentage, wherein the change percentage is based on a linear regression algorithm, wherein the change percentage is equal to a change coefficient multiplied by a difference in i) the VAS pain-score or the bolus demand converted to a VAS pain-score and ii) a predefined acceptable pain threshold.
14 . The method according to claim 13 , further comprising an iteration control unit configured to continuously or regularly a) provide monitoring data during the application of an infusion protocol, b) determine a new customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data and c) control the infusion pump to apply the new customized infusion protocol, wherein the iteration control unit includes one or more processors.
15 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data indicative of pain experienced by the patient and side effect monitoring data indicative of occurring side effects.
16 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by increasing one or both of an infusion rate and a user induced bolus volume, by the change percentage determined by a positive difference between the VAS pain-score provided by the monitoring data and a predetermined threshold pain score.
17 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform computer-implemented method for controlling a drug infusion pump configured for drug infusion into a patient, wherein the method controls the infusion pump to apply an infusion protocol, wherein the infusion protocol defines times and amounts of drug infusion, wherein the method comprises, the method comprising:
providing monitoring data of a patient during an application of an infusion protocol, wherein the monitoring data is indicative of an effect of the infused drug on the respective patient, wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data including a visual analogue scale (VAS) pain-score and/or a bolus demand, determining a customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending a currently applied infusion protocol based on the VAS pain-score and/or the bolus demand, and
controlling the infusion pump to apply the customized infusion protocol instead of the applied protocol, wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by amending an infusion rate by a change percentage, wherein the change percentage is based on a linear regression algorithm, wherein the change percentage is equal to a change coefficient multiplied by a difference in i) the VAS pain-score or the bolus demand converted to a VAS pain-score and ii) a predefined acceptable pain threshold.
18 . The medium according to claim 17 , further comprising an iteration control unit configured to continuously or regularly a) provide monitoring data during the application of an infusion protocol, b) determine a new customized infusion protocol based on the applied infusion protocol and the monitoring data and c) control the infusion pump to apply the new customized infusion protocol, wherein the iteration control unit includes one or more processors.
19 . The medium according to claim 17 , wherein the monitoring data comprises pain monitoring data indicative of pain experienced by the patient and side effect monitoring data indicative of occurring side effects.
20 . The medium according to claim 17 , wherein the customized infusion protocol is determined by increasing one or both of an infusion rate and a user induced bolus volume, by the change percentage determined by a positive difference between the VAS pain-score provided by the monitoring data and a predetermined threshold pain score.