Nasal and oral cannula having two capabilities and method of producing same

• US 20050103347A1
• Filed: 12/13/2004
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salter Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: Salter Labs
• Inventors: Curti, James N., Salter, Peter W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,832,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.180
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0672 Nasal cannula assemblies for oxygen therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0625 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 Composition of exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/485 cores or mandrels collapsible mandrels for shaping tube ends B29C57/02; collapsible mandrels for winding and joining B29C53/824
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/14 Dipping a core B29C41/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 41/22 Making multilayered or multicoloured articles

Abstract

A nasal cannula comprising a hollow main body having opposed first and second openings formed therein and the main body defining an internal chamber. A partition divides the internal chamber into first and second flow compartments. A flow passageway of a first nasal prong communicates with the first compartment and a flow passageway of the first mouth piece communicates with the first compartment to define a first flow passageway which communicates with both a first nostril and a mouth of the patient. A flow passageway of a second nasal prong communicates with the second compartment and a flow passageway of the second mouth piece communicates with the first compartment to define a second flow passageway which communicates with both a second nostril and the mouth of the patient.

Claims

1. A nasal cannula comprising:

a hollow main body having opposed first and second ends with a first opening formed in the first end and a second opening formed in the second end, and the main body defining an internal chamber therein;

a partition dividing the internal chamber into first and second flow compartments, the first flow compartment communicating with the first opening and the second flow compartment communicating with the second opening;

a flow passageway of a first nasal prong communicating with the first compartment and a flow passageway of the first mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a first flow path communicating with both a first nostril and a mouth of the patient; and

a flow passageway of a second nasal prong communicating with the second compartment and a flow passageway of the second mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a second flow path communicating with both a second nostril and the mouth of the patient.

2. The cannula according to claim 1, wherein a first tubing is connect to the first opening in the first end of the cannula for one of supplying a gas thereto removing a gas therefrom and sensing pressure and a second tubing is connect to the second opening in the second end of the cannula for one of supplying a gas thereto, removing a gas therefrom and sensing pressure.

3. The cannula according to in claim 2, wherein an opposite end of the first tubing is connect to a device for one of supplying a gas thereto, removing a gas sample therefrom and sensing pressure, and an opposite end of the second tubing is connect to a device for one of supplying a gas thereto, removing a gas sample therefrom and sensing pressure.

4. The cannula according to claim 1, wherein a first end of a first tubing is connect to the first opening in the first end of the cannula and an opposite end of the first tubing is connect to a device for supplying a treating gas to the first compartment, and a first end of a second tubing is connect to the second opening in the second end of the cannula and an opposite end of the second tubing is connect to a device for facilitating one of monitoring, detecting and sampling of a gas withdrawn from the patient via the second fluid passageway.

5. The cannula according to claim 4, wherein the device for supplying a treating gas to the first compartment is an oxygen supply device, and the device for facilitating one of monitoring, detecting and sampling of a gas withdrawn from the patient via the second fluid passageway is a capnograph.

6. The cannula according to in claim 1, wherein the first and second mouthpieces extend substantially parallel to one another but are spaced from one another by a distance of between about ⅛

on an inch to ½

of an inch or so.

7. The cannula according to in claim 1, wherein the first and second mouthpieces each have a radius of curvature between about 0.5 of an inch to about 2.5 inches or so.

8. The cannula according to in claim 1, wherein the first and second mouthpieces extend substantially parallel to but are spaced from one another and the first and second mouthpieces each have a substantially similar radius of curvature.

9. The cannula according to in claim 1, wherein the main body, the first and the second nasal prongs and the first and second mouthpieces are all formed as an integral molded structure during a single manufacturing process.

10. The cannula according to in claim 2, wherein the first and second gas passageways have a substantially identical internal cross sectional area to one another.

11. The cannula according to in claim 2, wherein the first and second gas passageways have different internal cross sectional area from one another.

12. The cannula according to in claim 2, wherein the first gas passageway has a larger internal cross sectional area than an internal cross sectional area of the second gas passageway.

13. The cannula according to in claim 2, wherein the first and second mouthpieces extend substantially parallel to but are spaced from one another and a web interconnects the first mouthpiece with the second mouthpiece.

14. A method of using a nasal cannula comprising a hollow main body having opposed first and second ends with a first opening formed in the first end and a second opening formed in the second end, and the main body defining an internal chamber therein;

a partition dividing the internal chamber into first and second flow compartments, the first flow compartment communicating with the first opening and the second flow compartment communicating with the second opening;

a flow passageway of a first nasal prong communicating with the first compartment and a flow passageway of the first mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a first flow path communicating with both a first nostril and a mouth of the patient; and

a flow passageway of a second nasal prong communicating with the second compartment and a flow passageway of the second mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a second flow path communicating with both a second nostril and the mouth of the patient, and a first end of a first tubing being connected to the first opening and a first end of a second tubing being connected to the second opening;

placing the first and second nasal prongs in the nostrils of the patient;

connecting the second end of the first tubing to one of a device for monitoring breathing of a patient, a device for sampling the end tidal CO₂ content in the exhaled breath of a patient to determine the patient'"'"'s CO₂ blood concentration level, a device for supplying a treating gas to the patient and a device for detection of apnea; and

connecting the second end of the second tubing to one of a device for monitoring breathing of a patient, a device for sampling the end tidal CO₂ content in the exhaled breath of a patient to determine the patient'"'"'s CO₂ blood concentration level, a device for supplying a treating gas to the patient and a device for detection of apnea.

15. The method according to in claim 14, further comprising the step of trimming the mouthpieces such that the extends substantially perpendicular to an exhalation/inhalation path of the patient.

16. A method of manufacturing a nasal cannula comprising:

a hollow main body having opposed first and second ends with a first opening formed in the first end and a second opening formed in the second end, and the main body defining an internal chamber therein;

a partition dividing the internal chamber into first and second flow compartments, the first flow compartment communicating with the first opening and the second flow compartment communicating with the second opening;

a flow passageway of a first nasal prong communicating with the first compartment and a flow passageway of the first mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a first flow path communicating with both a first nostril and a mouth of the patient; and

a flow passageway of a second nasal prong communicating with the second compartment and a flow passageway of the second mouth piece communicating with the first compartment to define a second flow path communicating with both a second nostril and the mouth of the patient, the method comprising the steps of;

assemblying a main body mandrel with a pair of nasal mandrels and a pair of oral mandrels;

dipping the mandrel assembly in a plastisol to form the nasal cannula on the mandrel assembly; and

removing the main body mandrel, the pair of nasal mandrels and the pair of oral mandrels to thereby result in the nasal cannula.