Therapeutic agent delivery device and method

• US 20040003808A1
• Filed: 06/30/2003
• Published: 01/08/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Inventors: Dowby, Mark S., Fuhrman, Bradley P.
• Granted Patent: US 7,367,335 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/00 Sprayers or atomisers specially adapted for therapeutic purposes in general B05B; aerosol containers B65D83/14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0891 Closed circuit, e.g. for anaesthesia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00

Abstract

A particulate therapeutic agent delivery device and method are disclosed. In an embodiment of the device there is a respiratory-gas channel having a patient end to which a patient may be pneumatically connected, a particulate-therapeutic-agent channel in pneumatic communication with the respiratory-gas channel, a scrubber housing in pneumatic communication with the respiratory-gas channel, the scrubber housing having an expired-gas orifice for receiving expired gas from the respiratory-gas-channel, and a scrubber material situated within the housing so as to receive expired gas via the expired-gas orifice and remove carbon dioxide from the expired gas to provide treated gas, and situated so as to provide the treated gas to the respiratory-gas channel. In a method according to the invention, a patient having a respiratory system is provided, a particulate therapeutic agent is provided to the respiratory system, a carbon dioxide scrubber is provided in pneumatic communication with the respiratory system, expired gas is passed from the respiratory system to the scrubber and through the scrubber to provide treated gas, and the treated gas is provided to the respiratory system.

Claims

1. A particulate therapeutic agent delivery device comprising:

a respiratory-gas channel having a patient end to which a patient may be pneumatically connected;

a particulate-therapeutic-agent channel in pneumatic communication with the respiratory-gas channel;

a scrubber housing in pneumatic communication with the respiratory-gas channel, the scrubber housing having an expired-gas orifice for receiving expired gas from the respiratory-gas-channel; and

a scrubber material situated within the housing so as to receive expired gas via the expired-gas orifice and remove carbon dioxide from the expired gas to provide treated gas, and situated so as to provide the treated gas to the respiratory-gas channel.

2. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the particulate-therapeutic-agent channel is in pneumatic communication with an agent delivery location on the respiratory-gas channel, the agent delivery location being located so that a general flow of gas from the expired-gas orifice to the patient end passes by the agent delivery location.

3. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising an aerosol generator in pneumatic communication with the particulate-therapeutic-agent channel.

4. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the aerosol generator is a nebulizer.

5. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a first channel from the respiratory-gas channel to the aerosol generator, and a second channel from the aerosol generator to the respiratory-gas channel.

6. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the scrubber housing includes an electrically conductive material.

7. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the scrubber material is soda-lime.

8. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the scrubber housing has a treated-gas orifice, and the delivery device further comprises a treated-gas channel situated so as to provide pneumatic communication between the treated-gas orifice and the respiratory-gas channel, so that gas that has past through the scrubber housing is delivered to the respiratory-gas channel.

9. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a check valve positioned and oriented in the delivery device to encourage particulate therapeutic agent in the respiratory-gas channel to flow generally toward the patient end during inspiration.

10. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a check valve positioned and oriented in the delivery device to prevent expired gas from bypassing the scrubber housing during expiration.

11. The delivery device of claim 1, further comprising a ventilator in pneumatic communication with the respiratory-gas channel.

12. The delivery device of claim 1, wherein the particulate-therapeutic-agent channel has therein a particulate therapeutic agent.

13. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a liquid.

14. The delivery device of claim 12, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a solid.

15. A method of delivering a particulate therapeutic agent, comprising:

providing a patient having a respiratory system;

providing a particulate therapeutic agent to the respiratory system;

providing a carbon dioxide scrubber in pneumatic communication with the respiratory system;

providing expired gas from the respiratory system to the scrubber;

passing the expired gas through the scrubber to provide treated gas; and

providing the treated gas to the respiratory system.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

providing a ventilator; and

moving the ventilator to force the therapeutic agent into the respiratory system.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein providing the therapeutic agent includes nebulizing the therapeutic agent.

18. The delivery device of claim 15, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a liquid.

19. The delivery device of claim 15, wherein the particulate therapeutic agent is a solid.