Training simulator for mechanical ventilation
A diaphragm respiratory signal simulator is activated by skin voltage that is coupled to the simulator by many ways such as but not limited to a user sliding a finger over a conductive surface, the user sliding a finger over surfaces close to the conductive element, touch or sliding the finger over the ventilator screen. The conductive surface is electrically connected to a ring electrode at a distal part of a manikin's esophagus. The diaphragm respiratory signal simulator produces a synthetic diaphragm electrical signal that triggers a ventilator to deliver a supported breath, which is proportional to the strength of the generated signal. This process allows safe and successful training on the operations of NAVA mode of ventilation and catheter positioning.
1. An electrically passive device for simulating an Edi signal detected by a sensor array mounted on a catheter disposed in an esophagus of a manikin to trigger supported breath in NAVA mode of ventilation, comprising:
a signal actuator configured to couple a skin voltage of an operator based on an operator's moving contact on the signal actuator and generates a simulated Edi signal;
a conductor that couples the simulated Edi signal from the signal actuator outside the manikin to inside the manikin; and
a ring electrode coupled to the conductor and positioned inside the manikin so as to receive there-through the catheter that hosts the sensor array and collects-the simulated AEdi signal which in turn triggers supported breath in the NAVA mode.
2. The device according to claim 1 , further comprising: at least one conductive plate that couples the conductor to the ring electrode.
3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the signal actuator includes a conductive plate disposed on a dielectric body.
4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein the conductive plate has a roughness of between 200 and 1000 grit.
5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the signal actuator comprises a conductive wire or a conductive mesh sandwiched between a plastic film and a dielectric substrate.
6. The device according to claim 5 , wherein the signal actuator comprising the conductive wire, and the wire is arranged in a sinuous pattern with a pitch between 0.05″ to 1″.
7. An electrically passive device for simulating an Edi signal detected by sensor array mounted on a catheter disposed in an esophagus of a manikin to trigger supported breath in NAVA mode of ventilation, comprising:
an internal diaphragm respiratory signal simulator configured to couple a skin voltage of an operator based on an operator's movement in proximity to, but not in contact with, the internal diaphragm respiratory signal simulator so as to generate a simulated Edi signal on the internal diaphragm respiratory signal simulator, the internal diaphragm respiratory signal simulator including
a conductive wire net sandwiched between two plastic layers, wherein the simulated Edi signal is generated on the conductive wire net, and
a ring electrode electrically and directly connected to the conductor and positioned inside the manikin so as to receive there-through the catheter that hosts the sensor array and collects-the simulated Edi signal which in turn triggers supported breath in the NAVA mode.
8. The device of claim 7 , wherein
the two plastic plates are oval shaped.
9. The device of claim 7 , wherein
the device has a thickness between 0.1 to 0.3 cm.
10. The device of claim 7 , wherein
a longest axis of the device is between 15 cm and 35 cm.
11. The device of claim 7 , wherein
the ring electrode is conductive and is has a cylindrical shape.
12. A device for simulating an Edi signal detected by a sensor array mounted on a catheter disposed in an esophagus of a manikin to trigger supported breath in NAVA mode of ventilation, comprising:
a ring electrode positioned inside the manikin so as to receive there-through the catheter that hosts the sensor array and collects a simulated Edi signal which in turn triggers supported breath in the NAVA mode;
a signal actuator configured to convey the simulated Edi signal to the ring electrode, said signal actuator having an external interface; and
a computer having processing circuitry, a display and a signal interface, the signal interface being configured to transmit the simulated Edi signal to the external interface of the signal actuator, said computer being programmed to
provide a graphical user interface on the display that includes a plurality of user selectable icons that each represent a different Edi signal waveform stored in memory, detect a user selection of one of the user selectable icons and retrieve a stored Edi signal as the simulated Edi signal in response to the user selection, and
provide the simulated Edi signal to the external interface of the signal actuator.
13. The device of claim 12 , wherein the computer is a tablet computer, and the display is a touch panel.
14. The device of claim 12 , wherein
the signal actuator is configured to generate the simulated Edi signal by coupling a skin voltage of an operator based on an operator's moving contact on the signal actuator, and
the computer is programmed to detect the simulated Edi signal and provide a display indication of a strength of the simulated Edi as visual feedback to the operator.
15. The device of claim 14 , wherein the display indication a weak indication or a strong indication.
16. The device of claim 14 , wherein the display includes a visual display of the simulated AEdi signal.
17. The device of claim 14 , wherein the computer is programmed to correlate the simulated Edi with a stored Edi signal to determine if the simulated signal is weak signal or a strong signal.
18. The device of claim 12 , wherein the computer is further programmed to include on the graphical user interface user-customizable signal controls.
19. The device of claim 18 , wherein the user-customizable signal controls includes an amplitude signal control.
20. The device of claim 18 , wherein the user-customizable signal controls include a pulse width signal control and a peak shape signal control.