Conference proceedings : ... Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society. Annual Conference
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Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc · Jan 2009
ReviewSpinal cord stimulation for complex regional pain syndrome.
The therapy of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is based on producing an electrical field on the dorsal surface of the spinal cord that blocks only neuropathic pain (ie, pain from damage to the nervous system). Most SCS devices deliver a biphasic pulse consisting of a pair of equal amplitude pulses with opposite polarity. SCS therapy is based on the gate control theory of pain and has been used for the treatment of diverse conditions of neuropathic pain, including complex regional pain syndromes (CRPS). ⋯ When used in the right patient, SCS provides significant pain relief in a majority of patients with CRPS. This review focuses on the effects of SCS on CRPS. In addition, an overview of the state of the art technologies used for implantable SCS medical devices is also provided.
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Pain assessment in patients who are unable to verbally communicate with medical staff is a challenging problem in patient critical care. The fundamental limitations in sedation and pain assessment in the intensive care unit (ICU) stem from subjective assessment criteria, rather than quantifiable, measurable data for ICU sedation and analgesia. ⋯ Recent advancements in pattern recognition techniques using a relevance vector machine algorithm can assist medical staff in assessing sedation and pain by constantly monitoring the patient and providing the clinician with quantifiable data for ICU sedation. In this paper, we show that the pain intensity assessment given by a computer classifier has a strong correlation with the pain intensity assessed by expert and non-expert human examiners.
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Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc · Jan 2009
Comparative StudyStatic forces variation and pressure distribution in laryngoscopy performed by straight and curved blades.
A theoretical analysis of the forces acting on the laryngoscope during the lifting of the epiglottis is carried out by applying the basic principles of statics. The static model of a laryngoscope equipped with a straight and a curved blade and the forces variation, as a function of the introduction angle and of tissue reaction application point, are described. The pharyngeal tissues and epiglottis pressure distribution on the blade is obtained, with a 1mm(2) resolution, by measurements performed in-vitro on a simulation mannequin, using straight and curved blades. ⋯ Average intensity of the tissue reaction has been found in the order of 32+/-11 N. Pressure distribution is maximally concentrated on the tip of curved blades (0.5 MPa on 5mm axial length), whereas it is more dispersed on straight blades (0.2 MPa on 10mm axial length). The inclination of the handle also influences the effort of the operator: for both blades, from 0 rad to 1.57 rad, the lifting force shows a total variation of about 13% of the top value, the transversal forces vary less than 6% of the top value.
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Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc · Jan 2009
Screening of patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome using C4.5 algorithm based on non linear analysis of respiratory signals during sleep.
To classify patients with possible diagnosis of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome (OSAS) into groups according to the severity of the disease using a decision tree producing algorithm based on nonlinear analysis of 3 respiratory signals instead of the use of full polysomnography. ⋯ It is possible to have reliable predictions of the severity of OSAS using linear and nonlinear indices from only two respiratory signals during sleep instead of performing full polysomnography. The proposed algorithm could be used for screening patients suspected to suffer from OSAS.
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Conf Proc IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc · Jan 2009
Pulse rate analysis in case of central sleep apnea: a new algorithm for cardiac rate estimation.
This paper first describes the AM-FM demodulation of an arterial pressure signal. Although it is known to be efficient on signals modulated by breathing, we demonstrate that in case of lack of respiratory modulation (real or simulated central sleep apnea), the AM-FM algorithm doesn't perform well in heart rate extraction. ⋯ The error for cardiac frequency estimation is around 0.2 BPM (Beats Per Minute) versus 5.5 BPM for the AM-FM demodulation. Further experimentations will be performed (with this time both cardiac and respiratory assessments) and will deal with real sleep apnea cases.