Nasal cannula for acquiring breathing information

• US 20050284484A1
• Filed: 06/17/2005
• Published: 12/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Salter Labs
• Original Assignee: Salter Labs
• Inventors: Curti, James N., Chua, James, Salter, Peter W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,640,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.18
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/083 Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4806 Sleep evaluation A61B5/4821 takes precedence; devices for inducing sleep A61M21/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4818 Sleep apnoea
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• 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 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0625 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)

Abstract

A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula. The method comprising the steps of forming the nasal cannula with at least one nare, and at least one nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof. Coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of the patient while the patient is sleeping. Detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least the primary inlet/outlet opening of the nare and sending the detected breathing characteristics of the patient to detection device for evaluation.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula, the method comprising the steps of:

forming the nasal cannula with at least one nare, and the at least one nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof;

coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of the patient while the patient is sleeping;

detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least the primary inlet/outlet opening of the nare; and

sending the detected breathing characteristics of the patient to detection device for evaluation.

2. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling the nasal cannula to the detection device by first and second tubes;

and

providing a filter which at least filters moisture from flowing therealong toward the detection device.

3. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the step of providing the nasal cannula with a first mouthpiece for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and the first mouthpiece communicates with an internal common compartment of the nasal cannula.

4. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second integral mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with an internal compartment and the first nare, and the second mouthpiece also communicates with internal compartment and the first nare.

5. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with a second nare which has a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof;

dividing an internal compartment of the nasal cannula into first and second compartments with respective first and second flow paths, with the primary inlet/outlet opening of the at least one nare communicating with first compartment and the primary inlet/outlet opening of the second nare communicating with second compartment;

preforming a first function using the first compartment and the first flow path; and

preforming a different second function using the second compartment and the second flow path.

6. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second separate, spaced apart mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with an internal compartment and the at least one nare, and the second mouthpiece also communicates with internal compartment and the at least one nare.

7. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second integral mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with first compartment and the at least one nare, and the second mouthpiece communicates with second compartment and a second nare.

8. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 5, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second separate, spaced apart mouthpieces, for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and with first and second separate, spaced apart nares, for communicating with nostrils of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with first compartment and the first nare, and the second mouthpiece communicates with second compartment and the second nare.

9. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

providing at least a secondary inlet/outlet opening in the at least one nare spaced from the primary inlet/outlet opening; and

detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, in the event that the primary inlet/outlet opening of the at least one nare becomes at least partially occluded while the patient is sleeping, via at least the second inlet/outlet opening of the at least one nare.

10. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

providing the nasal cannula with a second nare which has a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof;

dividing the internal compartment of the nasal cannula into first and second compartments with respective first and second flow paths, with the primary inlet/outlet opening and the secondary inlet/outlet opening of the at least one nare communicating with the first compartment and the primary inlet/outlet opening of the second nare communicating with the second compartment;

preforming a first function using the first compartment and the first flow path; and

preforming a different second function using the second compartment and the second flow path.

11. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing at least a secondary inlet/outlet opening in the second nare;

and the secondary inlet/outlet opening of the second nare communicates with the second compartment.

12. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second integral mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and with first and second separate, spaced apart nares, for communicating with nostrils of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with first compartment and the first nare, and the second mouthpiece communicates with the second compartment and the second nare.

13. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with first and second separate, spaced apart mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and with first and second separate, spaced apart nares, for communicating with nostrils of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with the first compartment and the first nare, and the second mouthpiece communicates with the second compartment and the second nare.

14. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 10, further comprising the steps of preforming at least one of the following functions:

a) supplying a treating gas to a nostril of the patient;

b) allow sampling or withdrawal of an exit gas being exhausted by the patient;

c) sampling end tidal CO₂ in the exhaled gas of the patient;

d) monitoring or detecting the breathing characteristic of the patient;

e) respiratory air waves and air flow of the patient during breathing; and

f) detecting changes in pressure within the nostril during breathing of the patient.

15. A nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient, the nasal cannula comprising an elongated hollow body for positioning adjacent a nose of the patient;

a first nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the first nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a first nasal passage of the nose, a second end of the first nare being connected to an internal compartment, and the first nare has at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening which communicates with the internal compartment;

a second nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the second nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a second nasal passage of the nose, a second end of the second nare being connected to an internal compartment, and the second nare has at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening which communicates with the internal compartment; and

coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of a patient while the patient is sleeping;

detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least the primary inlet/outlet opening of at least one of the first and second nares; and

detecting the breathing characteristics of the patient, via at least the second inlet/outlet opening of at least one of the first and second nares, in the event that the primary inlet/outlet opening of one of the first and second nare becomes at least partially occluded.

16. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein the nasal cannula is coupled to the detection device by first and second tubes;

and a filter prevents moisture from flowing along the first and second tubes toward the detection device.

17. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein a mouthpiece is connected to the nasal cannula for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and the mouthpiece communicates with a common internal compartment of the nasal cannula.

18. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein first and second mouthpieces, for communicating with a mouth of the patient, both communicate with the internal compartment and the first and second nares.

19. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein the internal compartment of the nasal cannula is divided into first and second compartments which respectively define first and second flow paths, with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the first nare communicating with first compartment and the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare communicating with second compartment whereby a first function can be performed by the first compartment and the first flow path;

and a different second function can be performed by the second compartment and the second flow path

20. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein the nasal cannula has first and second separate, spaced apart mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the first nare and with the first compartment, and the second mouthpiece communicates with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare and with the second compartment.

21. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein the nasal cannula has first and second integral mouthpieces for communicating with a mouth of the patient, the first mouthpiece communicates with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the first nare and with the first compartment, and the second mouthpiece communicates with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare and with the second compartment.

22. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 15, wherein the first and second function each comprise one of the following:

a) supplying a treating gas to a nostril of the patient;

b) sampling or withdrawing an exit gas being exhausted by the patient;

c) sampling end tidal CO₂ in the exhaled gas of the patient;

d) monitoring or detecting the breathing characteristic of the patient;

e) monitoring or detecting respiratory airwaves and airflow of the patient during breathing; and

f) detecting changes in pressure within the nostril during breathing of the patient.

23. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 16, wherein the detection device is electrically connected to polysomnography equipment for inputting measured respiratory air waves and respiratory air flow information, obtained during a sleep diagnostic session.