Multilumen unilimb breathing circuit with detachable proximal fitting

• US 20050022828A1
• Filed: 07/16/2004
• Published: 02/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambu A/S (AMBU)
• Original Assignee: Medlis Corp.
• Inventors: Fukunaga, Blanca M., Fukunaga, Atsuo F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,418,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.180
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/435 partial O2 pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/911 Unilimb inhalation-exhalation breathing tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/914 Rebreathing apparatus for increasing carbon dioxide content in inhaled gas
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/35 Respirators and register filters

Abstract

A multilumen unilimb breathing circuit with a detachable proximal fitting for providing respiratory gases to and receiving expiratory gases from a patient. The circuit has unique fittings for connection to patient devices or assisted ventilation systems and components. Despite many teachings away in the prior art from making breathing circuit tubing detachable from the proximal terminal, the proximal end of the rigid multilumen proximal fitting can be attached and detached by a user at a site of use to a mating multilumen proximal terminal while its distal end can be attached to multiple lumens formed of flexible tubing for carrying gases to and from a patient. The present invention introduces for the first time to the multilumen unilimb circuit art a detachable proximal fitting.

Claims

1. A unilimb respiratory conduit for providing inspiratory gases to a patient and receiving expiratory gases therefrom, comprising a unilimb respiratory conduit for use with a proximal terminal that has lumens defining inspiratory and expiratory flow paths that are independent of each other and converge at a distal end of the proximal terminal and diverge from each other proximally of the distal end of the proximal terminal so that the lumen defining the inspiratory flow path of the proximal terminal is independently operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas while the lumen defining the expiratory flow path of the proximal terminal is independently operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet, said respiratory conduit comprising:

flexible tubing forming a first lumen and a second lumen, wherein said flexible tubing forming at least one of said lumens comprises at least one tube formed of accordion-like pleated tubing, said first and second lumens forming independent flow paths, said respiratory conduit having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end of said respiratory conduit is operatively connectable to and detachable from a patient by a user at a site of use, and said proximal end of said conduit is operatively connectable to and detachable from a proximal terminal by a user at a site of use,

wherein when said conduit is operatively connected to a proximal terminal, said first lumen is in fluid communication with the inspiratory flow path and said second lumen is in fluid communication with the expiratory flow path, wherein said first lumen is operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas via the proximal terminal while said second lumen is operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet via the proximal terminal, wherein said respiratory conduit is operatively attachable to and detachable from a proximal terminal after use therewith for independent disposal or sterilization by a user at the site of use.

2. A unilimb respiratory conduit for providing inspiratory gases to a patient and receiving expiratory gases therefrom, comprising a unilimb respiratory conduit for use with a proximal terminal that has lumens defining inspiratory and expiratory flow paths that are independent of each other and converge at a distal end of the proximal terminal and diverge from each other proximally of the distal end of the proximal terminal so that the lumen defining the inspiratory flow path of the proximal terminal is independently operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas while the lumen defining the expiratory flow path of the proximal terminal is independently operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet, said respiratory conduit comprising:

flexible tubing forming a first lumen and a second lumen, said first and second lumens forming independent flow paths, said respiratory conduit having a distal end and a proximal end, wherein said distal end of said respiratory conduit is operatively connectable to and detachable from a patient by a user at a site of use, and said proximal end of said conduit is operatively connectable to and detachable from a proximal terminal by a user at a site of use,

wherein when said conduit is operatively connected to a proximal terminal, said first lumen is in fluid communication with the inspiratory flow path and said second lumen is in fluid communication with the expiratory flow path, wherein said first lumen is operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas via the proximal terminal while said second lumen is operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet via the proximal terminal, wherein said respiratory conduit is operatively attachable to and detachable from a proximal terminal after use therewith for independent disposal or sterilization by a user at the site of use.

3. A respiratory conduit interface device capable of operatively coupling the unilimb, multilumen flexible respiratory conduit of claim 2 to an anesthesia machine or respirator type device, comprising a rigid housing having first and second lumens defining respectively first and second-flow paths therein, said first and second lumens being independent of each other and each having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal ends of said independent lumens converging at a distal end of said housing so as to be capable of simultaneous operative connection to a unilimb flexible respiratory conduit, and wherein said first and second flow paths in said housing diverge from each other proximally of said distal end of said housing so that said proximal end of said first lumen is independently operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas while said proximal end of said second lumen is independently operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet, wherein a unilimb flexible respiratory conduit is operatively attachable to said housing for use and detachable therefrom after use for independent disposal or sterilization.

4. The interface device of claim 3, wherein said interface device is permanently connected to an anesthesia machine or to a respirator type device, wherein a respiratory conduit is operatively detachable from said anesthesia machine or respirator type device after use therewith for disposal or sterilization.

5. The unilimb respiratory conduit of claim 2, wherein said flexible tubing forming at least one lumen comprises at least one tube formed of accordion-like pleated tubing.

6. A multilumen proximal connector for a multilumen unilimb breathing circuit for connecting at least two flexible tubes to a multilumen proximal terminal, comprising a multilumen proximal fitting, said fitting comprising a rigid housing forming at least two independent lumens, said lumens comprising a first lumen and a second lumen each having a proximal and a distal end, wherein said fitting can be directly attached to a mating, rigid multilumen proximal terminal having first and second ports at the distal end of third and fourth lumens so that, when said proximal ends of said first and second lumens of said fitting are operatively attached to said first and second ports respectively the third lumen and said first lumen both form part of a first flow path that is independent of a second flow path that is formed at least in part by said second lumen and the fourth lumen, wherein said fitting is operatively attachable to and detachable from a mating rigid multilumen proximal terminal by a user at a site of use and can be used to operatively connect a flexible multilumen patient respiratory conduit to a proximal terminal of an assisted ventilation or anesthesia machine.

7. The fitting of claim 6, wherein said first lumen is coaxial with said second lumen.

8. The fitting of claim 6, further comprising a filter in at least one of said first lumen and said second lumen.

9. The fitting of claim 7, further comprising at least one filter, wherein at least one of said at least one filter is positioned in at least one of said first lumen and said second lumen.

10. The fitting of claim 6, wherein said first and second lumens terminate at third and fourth distal ports and fifth and sixth proximal ports, wherein said fifth and sixth proximal ports are co-axial.

11. The multilumen proximal fitting of claim 6, further comprising an interface device, wherein said fitting can be operatively attached to and detached from said interface device by a user at a site of use, said interface device comprising a rigid housing having third and fourth lumens defining respectively third and fourth flow paths therein, said third and fourth lumens being independent of each other and each having a distal end and a proximal end, said distal ends of said independent lumens converging at a distal end of said housing so as to be capable of simultaneous operative connection to a unilimb flexible respiratory conduit, and wherein said third and fourth flow paths in said housing diverge from each other proximally of said distal end of said housing so that said proximal end of said third lumen is independently operatively connectable to an inlet for a source of inspiratory gas while said proximal end of said fourth lumen is independently operatively connectable to an expiratory outlet, wherein a unilimb flexible respiratory conduit is operatively attachable to said housing for use and detachable therefrom after use for independent disposal or sterilization via said proximal fitting.

12. The proximal connector of claim 6, further comprising a flexible multilumen patient respiratory conduit connected to said fitting, wherein a fifth and a sixth lumen are within said flexible respiratory conduit, and at least a portion of said fifth lumen continues said first flow path and at least a portion of said six lumen continues said second flow path, wherein said first flow path and second flow path are independent for at least a portion of the length of said flexible respiratory conduit.

13. The proximal connector of claim 12, further comprising a flexible multilumen patient respiratory conduit connected to said fitting, wherein at least one lumen of said respiratory conduit is formed of accordion-like pleated tubing.