Systems and methods for indicating an amount of use of a sensor
View Patent ↗Aspects of the present disclosure include systems and methods for indicating an amount of use of a pulse oximetry sensor. According to one embodiment, the system includes an oximeter that monitors the amount of use for a given sensor. The oximeter and/or the sensor may advantageously include a visual alarm, an audio alarm, a vibrational alarm, a power down function, or the like, which can be activated when a predetermined amount of use has expired. According to another embodiment, the system includes a sensor having a memory device storing a unique identifier.
1. A method of determining an amount of use of a medical sensor capable of communicating signals indicative of physiological parameters of a patient to a medical monitoring device, the method comprising:
monitoring transitions from a medical monitoring device, said transitions usable to activate one or more light sources of a medical sensor, said light sources configured to irradiate tissue of a monitored patient;
applying a sensor life formula to at least the transitions to determine a cumulative use indication indicative of an amount of use of the medical sensor;
storing data related to said sensor life formula in a memory;
when said use indication is above a threshold, indicating to a caregiver that at least a portion of said medical sensor has expired.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said medical sensor comprises a noninvasive optical sensor.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said optical sensor includes reusable and disposable components.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said memory is a component of said optical sensor.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said memory is a component of a patient monitor.
6. A system for monitoring medical device use, the system comprising:
one or more memories storing one or more cumulative use parameters responsive to a cumulative use of a medical device, at least one of said one or more parameters includes a count indicative of transitions of an emitter drive signal; and
a processor configured to use a useful-life formula using the one or more cumulative use parameters, configured to calculate a cumulative use indication indicative of the use of the medical device, configured to determine whether said use indication is above a use threshold, and when said use indication is above said threshold, configured to indicate to a caregiver that at least a portion of said medical device has expired.
7. The system of 6 , wherein said medical device comprises an optical sensor configured to output signals indicative of one or more physiological parameters of a monitored patient.
8. The system of 7 , wherein said optical sensor includes reusable and disposable components.
9. The system of 7 , wherein said optical sensor comprises said memory.
10. The system of 7 , comprising a patient monitor, said patient monitor comprising said memory.