Multiple function airway adapter

• US 20020029003A1
• Filed: 04/24/2001
• Published: 03/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Labuda, Lawrence L., Blazewicz, Perry R., Mace, Leslie E., Orr, Joseph A., Jaffe, Michael B., Rich, David R., Kofoed, Scott A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,335,164 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/40 Details of construction of the flow constriction devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 1/42 Orifices or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2244 Exhaled gas, e.g. alcohol detecting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2021/6432 Quenching
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/0303 Optical path conditioning in cuvettes, e.g. windows; adapted optical elements or systems; path modifying or adjustment G01N21/031 - G01N21/15 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/05 Flow-through cuvettes G01N21/09 takes precedence; handling fluid samples G01N1/10
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/645 Specially adapted constructive features of fluorimeters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/0036 specially adapted to detect a particular component physical analysis of gaseous biological material G01N33/497
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

An integrated airway adapter capable of monitoring any combination of respiratory flow, O₂ concentration, and concentrations of one or more of CO₂, N₂O, and an anesthetic agent in real time, breath by breath. Respiratory flow may be monitored with differential pressure flow meters under diverse inlet conditions through improved sensor configurations which minimize phase lag and dead space within the airway. Molecular oxygen concentration may be monitored by way of luminescence quenching techniques. Infrared absorption techniques may be used to monitor one or more of CO₂, N₂O, and anesthetic agents.

Claims

1. An airway adapter configured to substantially simultaneously provide data indicative of respiratory gas flow and of a concentration of at least two substances present in respiration of an individual, comprising:

a housing with a bore formed therethrough;

a respiratory flow detection component formed in said housing and in communication with said bore;

a first respiratory detection component in communication with said bore and configured to facilitate sensing of at least a first of the at least two substances; and

a second respiratory detection component in communication with said bore and configured to facilitate sensing of at least a second of the at least two substances.

2. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said respiratory flow sensing component comprises;

a structure within said housing for creating therein a pressure differential in respiratory gas flow; and

first and second pressure bores formed in said housing and located so as to facilitate detection of said pressure differential.

3. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said first respiratory detection component comprises:

a detection chamber within said housing, a boundary of said detection chamber at least partially defined by at least one window.

4. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said boundary of said at least one window is at least partially defined by opposed windows.

5. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said at least one window is optically compatible so as to permit a beam of infrared radiation to traverse said chamber.

6. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said first respiratory detection component is configured to facilitate measurement of at least one of CO₂, N₂O, and an anesthetic agent.

7. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said second respiratory detection component comprises at least one luminescence quenching sensor.

8. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said first respiratory detection component and said second respiratory detection component include at least one common element.

9. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said second respiratory detection component is disposed on at least a portion of said at least one window.

10. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said at least one window is formed from a polymer.

11. The airway adapter of claim 10, wherein said polymer comprises a biaxially oriented polypropylene.

12. The airway adapter of claim 2, wherein said structure for creating said pressure differential comprises at least one strut.

13. The airway adapter of claim 12, wherein said first and second pressurization ports are at least partially formed within said at least one strut.

14. The airway adapter of claim 13, wherein said at least one strut comprises a restriction member with at least one surface oriented so as to substantially perpendicularly face a direction of respiratory gas flow through said housing.

15. The airway adapter of claim 14, wherein said restriction member has a disk shape.

16. The airway adapter of claim 14, wherein said at least one strut includes a taper oriented toward said detection chamber.

17. The airway adapter of claim 13, wherein said at least one strut is diametrically disposed and longitudinally extends within said bore.

18. The airway adapter of claim 17, wherein said first and second pressurization ports communicate respectively with laterally spaced first and second notches formed in said at least one strut proximate a longitudinal axis of said housing.

19. The airway adapter of claim 18, wherein said first and second struts are oriented substantially perpendicularly relative to a length of said at least one strut.

20. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said respiratory flow detection component comprises first and second pressurization ports positioned on opposite sides of said chamber.

21. The airway adapter of claim 3, wherein said respiratory flow detection component comprises first and second pressurization ports formed in said housing on the same side of said chamber.

28. The airway adapter of claim 1, wherein said first detection component comprises a detection chamber configured to communicate with respiration of a patient, a boundary of said detection chamber being at least partially defined by at least one window transparent to at least infrared radiation.

22. An airway adapter, comprising:

a first detection component configured to use infrared radiation to facilitate detection of at least one substance in respiration of an individual; and

a second detection component configured to employ luminescence quenching techniques to facilitate detection of at least another substance in respiration of the individual.

23. The airway adapter of claim 22, further comprising a respiratory air flow detection component.

24. The airway adapter of claim 22, wherein said second detection component is configured to facilitate detection of at least respiratory oxygen.

25. The airway adapter of claim 22, wherein said first and second detection components have at least one element in common.

26. The airway adapter of claim 22, wherein said second detection component comprises a luminescable material.

27. The airway adapter of claim 26, further comprising at least one window transparent to wavelengths of radiation capable of exciting said luminescable material and emitted by said luminescable material.

29. The airway adapter of claim 28, wherein said second detection component comprises a luminescable material.

30. The airway adapter of claim 29, wherein said luminescable material is at least partially disposed adjacent a surface of said detection chamber.

31. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing including a bore formed at least partially therethrough;

a respiratory flow detection component in communication with said bore; and

an oxygen detection component in communication with said bore.

32. The airway adapter of claim 31, further comprising another respiratory detection component in communication with said bore.

33. The airway adapter of claim 32, wherein said another respiratory detection component is configured to facilitate detection of at least respiratory carbon dioxide.

34. The airway adapter of claim 32, wherein said oxygen detection component and said another respiratory detection component share at least a portion of at least one element.

35. The airway adapter of claim 31, wherein said oxygen detection component comprises a luminescable material exposed to gases flowing through said bore.

37. The airway adapter of claim 36, wherein said luminescable material is facilitates detection of at least oxygen.

38. The airway adapter of claim 36, further comprising an infrared-transparent portion.

39. The airway adapter of claim 38, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is configured to facilitate detection of at least carbon dioxide.

40. The airway adapter of claim 38, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is configured to facilitate detection of at least one anesthetic agent.

41. The airway adapter of claim 37, wherein said luminescable material is located at least partially within a sampling chamber adjacent said infrared-transparent portion.

36. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing with a bore extending at least partially therethrough;

a respiratory flow detection component; and

a quantity of luminescable material exposed to gases flowing through said bore to facilitate detection of at least one component of said gases.

42. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing including a bore formed at least partially therethrough;

a quantity of luminescable material in communication with said bore; and

an infrared-transparent portion in communication with said bore.

43. The airway adapter of claim 42, further comprising a respiratory flow detection component in communication with said bore.

44. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said luminescable material is at least partially located within a sampling chamber positioned adjacent said infrared-transparent portion.

45. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said luminescable material is configured to facilitate detection of at least oxygen.

46. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is configured to facilitate detection of at least carbon dioxide.

47. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is configured to facilitate detection of at least nitrous oxide.

48. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is configured to facilitate detection of at least an anesthetic agent in respiration.

49. The airway adapter of claim 42, wherein said infrared-transparent portion is also substantially transparent to at least one wavelength of radiation that will excite said luminescable composition and to at least another wavelength of radiation that is emitted by said luminescable composition and that is indicative or an amount of a substance present in respiration of the individual.

50. A method for monitoring respiration of an individual, comprising, within a single housing, concurrently effecting sensing methods including at least two of employing infrared techniques to monitor at least one substance in respiration of the individual, employing luminescence quenching techniques to monitor at least one other substance in respiration of the individual, and measuring flow of respiration of the individual.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein said employing infrared techniques comprises monitoring an amount of at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and an anesthetic agent in respiration of the individual.

52. The method of claim 50, wherein said employing luminescence quenching techniques comprises monitoring at least an amount of oxygen in respiration of the individual.

53. The method of claim 50, wherein said measuring flow comprises generating a pressure differential across at least a portion of said single housing.

54. The method of claim 53, wherein said generating said pressure differential is effected at substantially a same location within said single housing as that at which at least one gas in respiration of the individual is monitored.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein said generating said pressure differential is effected as substantially said same location within said single housing as that at which infrared techniques are employed.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein said generating said pressure differential is effected at substantially said same location within said single housing as that at which luminescence quenching techniques are employed.

57. The method of claim 50, comprising employing both infrared techniques and luminescence quenching techniques.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein said employing infrared techniques and said employing luminescence quenching techniques are effected to monitor gases present at substantially a same location of said single housing.

59. The method of claim 50, comprising each of said employing infrared techniques, said employing luminescence quenching techniques, and said measuring flow of respiration of the individual.

60. A method for monitoring respiration of an individual, comprising:

generating a pressure differential across a location of a housing of an airway adapter;

employing said pressure differential to measure a flow of respiration of the individual; and

monitoring an amount of at least one substance in respiration of the individual substantially at said location of said housing.

61. The method of claim 60, wherein said monitoring said amount of at least one substance comprises:

directing infrared radiation of at least one wavelength from a first location, into said housing, through a flow path in said housing at said location, and through at least one of gases and other substances located within said flow path; and

detecting, from said location, an intensity of said at least one wavelength of infrared radiation that has passed through said gases or other substances in said flow path at said location.

62. The method of claim 61, wherein said directing infrared radiation comprises directing infrared radiation through a gas mixture including at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and an anesthetic agent.

63. The method of claim 61, further comprising comparing an intensity of at least one wavelength of detected radiation to an original intensity of said infrared radiation of said at least one wavelength directed through said substance.

64. The method of claim 60, wherein said monitoring said amount of said at least one substance comprises:

directing toward a luminescable material at said location and exposed to a flow path in said housing radiation of at least one wavelength capable of exciting said luminescable material;

detecting an intensity of radiation of at least one other wavelength emitted by said luminescable material; and

determining a rate at which said intensity decreases.

65. The method of claim 62, further comprising exposing said luminescable material to a mixture of at least gases that includes oxygen.

66. The method of claim 62, comprising determining an amount of oxygen present in said mixture of at least gases based on said rate at which said intensity decreases.

67. The method of claim 60, wherein said measuring said amount of at least one substance comprises measuring amounts of a plurality of substances in respiration of the patient.

68. The method of claim 67, wherein said monitoring said amounts of said plurality of substances comprises at least employing infrared sensing techniques.

69. The method of claim 68, wherein said employing infrared sensing techniques comprises monitoring an amount of at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and a gaseous anesthetic agent.

70. The method of claim 67, wherein said monitoring said amounts of said plurality of substances comprises at least employing luminescence quenching techniques.

71. The method of claim 70, wherein said employing luminescence quenching techniques comprises monitoring an amount of at least oxygen.

72. The method of claim 67, wherein said monitoring said amounts of said plurality of substances comprises:

employing infrared sensing techniques to monitor an amount of at least a first substance; and

employing luminescence quenching techniques to monitor an amount of at least a second substance.

73. The method of claim 72, wherein said employing infrared sensing techniques comprises monitoring an amount of at least one of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and an anesthetic agent.

74. The method of claim 72, wherein said employing luminescence quenching techniques comprises monitoring an amount of at least oxygen.

75. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing with a flow passage extending therethrough;

a first window in said housing for facilitating luminescence quenching measurements of at least one substance within said flow passage;

a luminescable material disposed in communication with said flow passage and adjacent said first window; and

a pair of second windows positioned in said housing on opposite sides of said flow passage for facilitating infrared measurements of at least one substance within said flow passage.

76. The airway adapter of claim 75, wherein a membrane carrying said luminescable material is disposed on an inside of said first window.

77. The airway adapter of claim 75, wherein said first window is positioned on a top of said housing.

78. The airway adapter of claim 77, wherein each second window of said pair is positioned on a side of said housing.

79. The airway adapter of claim 75, wherein said housing includes a seat for receiving a complementarily configured portion of a transducer.

80. The airway adapter of claim 79, wherein said seat is configured to orient a radiation source and luminescence detector adjacent toward said first window, an infrared source toward one second window of said pair, and an infrared detection component toward another second window of said pair.

81. The airway adapter of claim 75, further comprising a respiratory flow detection component located along another position of said flow passage that said first window and said pair of second windows.

83. The airway adapter of claim 81, wherein a membrane carrying said luminescable material is disposed on an inside of said first window.

84. The airway adapter of claim 81, wherein said first window is positioned on a top of said housing.

85. The airway adapter of claim 81, wherein said second window is positioned on a side of said housing.

86. The airway adapter of claim 81, wherein said housing includes a seat for receiving a complementarily configured portion of a transducer.

87. The airway adapter of claim 86, wherein said seat is configured to orient a radiation source and luminescence detector adjacent toward said first window and an infrared source and infrared detection component toward said second window.

88. The airway adapter of claim 81, further comprising a respiratory flow detection component located along another position of said flow passage that said first window and said pair of second windows.

90. The airway adapter of claim 89, wherein said luminescable material is carried by a membrane disposed adjacent said one window.

91. The airway adapter of claim 90, wherein said membrane has an annular configuration.

92. The airway adapter of claim 90, wherein said membrane has a semicircular configuration.

93. The airway adapter of claim 89, wherein said housing includes a seat for receiving a transducer.

94. The airway adapter of claim 93, wherein said seat is configured to orient each of a radiation source that emits radiation of at least one wavelength that excites said luminescable material, a luminescence detector, an infrared source, and an infrared detection component toward one of said pair of windows.

95. The airway adapter of claim 94, wherein said seat is configured to orient said radiation source and said infrared source to direct radiation into a first of said pair of windows.

96. The airway adapter of claim 95, wherein said seat is configured to orient said luminescence detector and said infrared detection component so as to receive radiation exiting a second of said pair of windows.

97. The airway adapter of claim 94, further comprising optics in communication with said flow passage for redirecting at least one wavelength of radiation transmitted therethrough.

82. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing including a flow passage extending through at least a portion of a length thereof;

a first window in said housing for facilitating luminescence quenching measurements of at least one substance in said flow passage;

a luminescable material disposed in communication with said flow passage and adjacent said first window; and

a second window in said housing for facilitating infrared measurements of at least one substance in said flow passage.

89. An airway adapter, comprising:

a housing with a flow passaged extending through at least portion of a length thereof;

a pair of windows positioned on opposite sides of said housing; and

luminescable material positioned proximate at least a portion of one window of said pair of windows.