Real-time respiratory monitoring workstation--software and hardware engineering aspects

We have applied advanced real-time techniques in software, that are intensively used in critical areas like space research and defence applications, to realise an Integrated Real-Time Respiratory Monitoring System at the Thorax Anesthesiology, Academic Hospital Rotterdam. The system is called the 'SERVO WINDOW'--a window to the servo ventilator. The heart of the system is a real-time kernel that uses preemptive scheduling to achieve multitasking on a IBM PC compatible hardware platform. To the clinician this means that he gets all relevant information from one source i.e. the Respiratory Workstation. The waveforms of the airway pressure, airway flow and the expired CO2 curve are displayed continuously on the screen. The Vector Loops like Pressure Volume, Flow Pressure and Flow Volume loops are also available in addition to the lung mechanics parameters like Expiratory and Inspiratory Resistances, Compliances, Peak Pressure, PEEP, etc. The Single Breath Diagram i.e. expired CO2 concentration versus volume and dead space ventilation is also calculated. The blood gas analysis data is plotted in convenient diagrams like the O2-CO2 diagram, Oxygen Chart, etc. The trend of all these parameters are available with a granularity of one minute. An industry standard laser printer is used for report generation to produce reports of the real-time waveforms, parameter values and the trends. User interface is through easy menus with the traditional keyboard, touchscreen including keyboard on screen for data entry and the mouse.