A Novel Measurement System to Estimate the Trans-Pulmonary Pressure Exploiting the Central Venous Pressure and ECG Signals

We present a measurement system to estimate the trans-pulmonary pressure combining the information provided by the central venous pressure and the electrocardiographic signals. We discuss the characterization of the measurement system with theoretical modeling, numerical analysis and experiments based on signals acquired from intensive care unit patients. The results confirm the validity of the proposal, suitable to define a novel method for the continuous monitoring of the respiratory mechanics. When considering that mechanically ventilated patients are supposed to have a central venous catheter already in position, the proposed measurement approach can be considered as minimally invasive if compared to other techniques based on esophageal balloons.