| abstract |
The invention comprises devices and methods for the noninvasive monitoring of a physiologic characteristic of a patient's blood, such as blood pressure. One embodiment is a tissue probe combined with a position sensor for determining the relative height of the probe compared to a level corresponding to the patient's heart. Alternatively, the tissue probe can be combined with a movement generator for inducing a height change of the probe with respect to patient's heart. By measuring absorbance characteristics of the blood at varying positions relatively to the level of the patient's heart, characteristics such as arterial and central venous blood pressure and cardiac output can be determined. In yet another embodiment, two probes are used to compute pulse delays between coupled tissues or opposing tissues. Measuring delays in pulse arrival times in coupled organs or members on opposite sides of the body allows the determination of various physiological characteristics. |