ALVEOLAR BREATH COLLECTION DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20030050567A1
• Filed: 09/13/2001
• Published: 03/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pranalytica, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pranalytica, Inc.
• Inventors: Baghdassarian, Ohan
• Granted Patent: US 6,582,376 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Abstract

A device for collecting alveolar breath. Breath is expired into the inlet of a hollow body. The hollow body has two outlets, with a valve disposed in each outlet. The concentration of a specific gaseous component of expired breath is monitored by a gas concentration monitor as the expired breath passes through the hollow body to determine when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body. When alveolar breath is present in the hollow body, the valve in the second outlet is actuated to an open position to collect the alveolar breath in the collection reservoir affixed to the hollow body at the second outlet.

Claims

1. A device for collecting alveolar breath comprising:

a hollow body having an inlet, a first outlet, and a second outlet, wherein a first valve is disposed in the first outlet and a second valve is disposed in the second outlet;

a collection reservoir affixed to the hollow body at the second outlet;

a gas concentration monitor operatively connected to the hollow body to monitor a concentration of a specific gaseous component of expired breath and determine when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body based upon the concentration of the specific gaseous component, wherein the monitor actuates the second valve to an open position when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the gas concentration monitor compares the concentration of the specific gaseous component to a predetermined threshold concentration to determine when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first valve comprises a one-way pressure sensitive valve.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the second valve is biased in the closed position.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the hollow body includes integrated heating elements.

6. The device of claim 1 further comprising a third valve disposed in the inlet, the third valve being a one-way pressure sensitive valve.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein the collection reservoir is detachably affixed to the hollow body.

8. A method for collecting alveolar breath comprising:

expiring breath into a hollow body through an inlet and out of the hollow body through a first valve disposed in a first outlet;

monitoring a concentration of a specific gaseous component of the breath to determine when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body;

actuating a second valve disposed in a second outlet of the hollow body to an open position when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body to divert the alveolar breath out of the hollow body and into a collection reservoir.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the concentration of the specific gaseous component is compared to a predetermined threshold concentration to determine when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first valve comprises a pressure sensitive valve.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the second valve is biased in the closed position.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the collection reservoir is detachably affixed to the hollow body.

13. The method of claim 8 further comprising heating the hollow body to prevent condensation of the expired breath in the hollow body.

14. A method for collecting alveolar breath comprising:

expiring breath into a hollow body through an inlet and out of the hollow body through a first valve disposed in a first outlet;

taking successive absorption measurements of a specific gaseous component of the breath in the hollow body;

determining when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body from the successive absorption measurements;

actuating a second valve disposed in a second outlet to an open position when the alveolar breath is present in the hollow body to divert the alveolar breath out of the hollow body and into a collection reservoir.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein determining when alveolar breath is present in the hollow body includes determining a concentration of the specific gaseous component from the successive absorption measurements and comparing the concentration to a predetermined threshold concentration.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first valve comprises a pressure sensitive valve.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the second valve is biased in the closed position.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the collection reservoir is detachably affixed to the hollow body.

19. The method of claim 14 further comprising heating the hollow body to prevent condensation of the expired breath in the hollow body.