Inhalation system

• US 20030125633A1
• Filed: 02/10/2003
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: United States of America as Represented by The Secretary of The Army On Behalf USAMRMC
• Original Assignee: U.S. Army Medical Research And Materiel Command
• Inventors: Liverette, Gerald M., Roy, Chad J., Hartings, Justin M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,221,329 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A01K 1/031 Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0806 by whole-body plethysmography measuring blood flow using plethysmography A61B5/0295; impedance plethysmography A61B5/053; measuring volume of the body or parts thereof A61B5/1073
• CPC Class Codes: A61D 7/04 Devices for anaesthetising animals by gases or vapours; Inhaling devices

Abstract

A system includes but is not limited to at least one manifold; an inhalant dissemination device coupled to the at least one manifold; an inhalant characterization device coupled to the at least one manifold; and a control module operably coupled to the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device, said control module configured to (a) determine an inhalant concentration in a manifold, and (b) calculate at least one of a retrospective and a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration, and (c) start and stop a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose. A method includes but is not limited to starting a flow of an inhalant through a manifold; determining an inhalant concentration of the inhalant in the manifold; and stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

starting a flow of an inhalant through a manifold;

determining an inhalant concentration of the inhalant in the manifold; and

stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

an inhalant concentration greater than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

repeating said starting, determining, and stopping when the inhalant concentration is in a second specified inhalant-concentration range.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the second specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

an inhalant concentration less than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a metabolic waste product concentration in the manifold; and

repeating said starting, determining, and stopping when the metabolic waste product concentration is in a first specified range.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the metabolic waste product concentration comprises:

a biological waste product concentration greater than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the metabolic waste product comprises:

at least one metabolic waste product of the metabolic-waste product group including but not limited to carbon dioxide and ammonia.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

reducing an input flow down to substantially only that necessary to operate an inhalant characterization device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

substantially stopping an exhaust flow.

10. A system comprising:

means for starting a flow of an inhalant through a manifold;

means for determining an inhalant concentration of the inhalant in the manifold; and

means for stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

an inhalant concentration greater than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for repeating said starting, determining, and stopping when the inhalant concentration is in a second specified inhalant-concentration range.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the second specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

an inhalant concentration less than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

14. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for determining a metabolic waste product concentration in the manifold;

means for repeating said starting, determining, and stopping when the metabolic waste product concentration is in a first specified range.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the metabolic waste product concentration comprises:

a biological waste product concentration greater than or equal to a specified threshold concentration.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the metabolic waste product comprises:

at least one metabolic waste product of the metabolic-waste product group including but not limited to carbon dioxide and ammonia.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

means for reducing an input flow down to substantially only that necessary to operate an inhalant characterization device.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said means for stopping the flow of the inhalant through the manifold when the inhalant concentration is in a first specified inhalant-concentration range comprises:

means for substantially stopping an exhaust flow.

19. A method comprising:

determining an inhalant concentration in a manifold;

calculating at least one of a retrospective and a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration; and

starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said determining an inhalant concentration in a manifold comprises:

sensing the inhalant concentration.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said calculating a retrospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration comprises:

measuring an elapsed time of exposure of an animal in an animal port;

determining a respiratory minute volume of the animal in the animal port, and calculating an actual inhalation dosage in response to one or more of the elapsed time, the respiratory minute volume, and the inhalant concentration

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said calculating a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration comprises:

recalling at least one volume of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold;

determining a respiratory minute volume of the animal in the animal port; and

calculating a projected inhalation dosage in response to one or more of the at least one volume, the respiratory minute volume, and the inhalant concentration.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said recalling at least one volume of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold comprises:

recalling at least fifteen volumes of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold, said fifteen volumes corresponding to fifteen air exchanges.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

starting the flow of inhalant through the manifold in response to specification of at feast one of an upper concentration limit, a lower concentration limit, a volume of an intake manifold, a volume of an exposure manifold, a respiratory minute volume of an animal in an animal port, a waste product concentration, and a dose to be delivered to the animal in the animal port.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

activating at least one of an input flow and an exhaust flow such that a desired flow rate is achieved.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

activating at least one of an input flow and an exhaust flow such that a desired chamber pressure is achieved.

27. The method of claim 19, wherein said starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

reducing an input flow down to substantially only that necessary to operate an inhalant characterization device.

28. The method of claim 19, wherein said starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

substantially stopping an exhaust flow.

29. A system comprising:

means for determining an inhalant concentration in a manifold;

means for calculating at least one of a retrospective and a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration; and

means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for determining an inhalant concentration in a manifold comprises:

means for sensing the inhalant concentration.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for calculating a retrospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration comprises:

means for measuring an elapsed time of exposure of an animal in an animal port;

means for determining a respiratory minute volume of the animal in the animal port; and

means for calculating an actual inhalation dosage in response to one or more of the elapsed time, the respiratory minute volume, and the inhalant concentration.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for calculating a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration comprises:

means for recalling at least one volume of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold;

means for determining a respiratory minute volume of the animal in the animal port; and

means for calculating a projected inhalation dosage in response to one or more of the at least one volume, the respiratory minute volume, and the inhalant concentration.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein said means for recalling at least one volume of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold comprises:

means for recalling at least fifteen volumes of an intake manifold and an exposure manifold, said fifteen volumes corresponding to fifteen air exchanges.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

means for starting the flow of inhalant through the manifold in response to specification of at least one of an upper concentration limit, a lower concentration limit, a volume of an intake manifold, a volume of an exposure manifold, a respiratory minute volume of an animal in an animal port, a waste product concentration, and a dose to be delivered to the animal in the animal port.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

means for activating at least one of an input flow and an exhaust flow such that a desired flow rate is achieved.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

means for activating at least one of an input flow and an exhaust flow such that a desired chamber pressure is achieved.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

means for reducing an input flow down to substantially only that necessary to operate an inhalant characterization device.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein said means for starting and stopping a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose comprises:

means for substantially stopping an exhaust flow.

39. A system comprising:

at least one manifold;

an inhalant dissemination device coupled to the at least one manifold;

an inhalant characterization device coupled to the at least one manifold; and

a control module operably coupled to the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device, said control module configured to

determine an inhalant concentration in a manifold, and

calculate at least one of a retrospective and a prospective inhaled dose in response to the inhalant concentration, and

start and stop a flow through the manifold until the at least one of the retrospective and the prospective inhaled dose is greater than or equal to a specified dose.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said control module operably coupled to the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device comprises:

a program running on a computer system, said computer system operably coupled to at least one of the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device.

41. The system of claim 39, wherein said control module operably coupled to the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device comprises:

an ASIC, said ASIC operably coupled to at least one of the inhalant dissemination device and the inhalant characterization device.