Breathing assistance device with serveral secure repirator modes and associated method

• US 20070000491A1
• Filed: 08/28/2003
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Resmed Paris (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Societe d'Applications Industrielles Medicales Et Electroniques SAIME
• Inventors: Chalvignac, Philippe
• Granted Patent: US 7,891,353 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.230
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0069 the speed thereof being controlled by respiratory parameters, e.g. by inhalation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/021 operated by electrical means A61M16/202 – A61M16/205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/205 used for exhalation control
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0039 in the inspiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/702 automatically during use

Abstract

This invention relates to a breathing assistance device, capable of operating according to several respiratory modes forming a list of possible modes, and equipped with means of selecting a desired mode from a group of modes that can be selected, characterised in that the device includes: • means for realising a configuration diagnostic of the device, • means for associating an authorisation level with each possible mode, according to the results of the diagnostic, with the lowest authorisation level corresponding to unauthorised modes, • means for authorising only the selection of authorised modes, in such a way that selecting unauthorised modes is impossible. The invention also relates to a method of handling the operation of said device.

Claims

1. Breathing assistance device, capable of operating according to several respiratory modes forming a list of possible modes, and equipped with means of selecting a desired mode from a group of modes that can be selected, characterised in that the device includes:

means for realising a configuration diagnostic of the device,

means for associating an authorisation level with each possible mode, according to the results of the diagnostic, with the lowest authorisation level corresponding to unauthorised modes,

means for authorising only the selection of authorised modes, in such a way that selecting unauthorised modes is impossible.

2. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the means for realising a configuration diagnostic of the device are means making it possible to realise an automatic diagnostic.

3. Diagnostic as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the results of the configuration diagnostic include an indication of a correctly connected expiratory valve.

4. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the device includes means for detecting a correctly connected expiratory valve, said means consisting of:

means to set a pressure setting to be reached at the level of the expiratory valve,

means to control a pressure source of the device to reach this setting at the level of the expiratory valve,

means for measuring a characteristic of said source of pressure when the setting is reached,

means of deducing from said characteristic the presence of a correctly connected expiratory valve.

5. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that said characteristic of the pressure source is energy associated with the operation of a turbine.

6. Device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the results of the configuration diagnostic include an indication of a correctly connected proximal pressure tap.

7. Device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the levels of authorisation for modes include:

a high level corresponding to authorised modes without restriction, and

an intermediate level corresponding to authorised modes, but associated with a systematic alarm.

8. Device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the device includes means of detecting a change in the mode and means for locking the device in case a new mode is detected in which the authorisation level is different from that of the previously selected mode.

9. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the device includes means of detecting a change in the mode and means for locking the device in case a new mode is detected that corresponds to a change in the level of authorisation to a mode of a lower level.

10. Device as claimed in one of the two preceding claims, characterised in that the device includes means of detecting a change in the mode and means for locking the device in case a new mode is detected that corresponds to a change in the level of authorisation to a mode of a lower level than the previously selected mode.

11. Device as claimed in one of the three preceding claims, characterised in that the device also includes means of unlocking that can be accessed according to a particular operating mode.

12. Device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the possible modes include modes destined to be implemented in a “

ventilator”

configuration of the device, and modes destined to be implemented in a “

respirator”

configuration of the device.

13. Device as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that:

the possible modes include modes S, ST, CPAP, PAC, AI, VPAC, AIVT, VAC, and

according to the detection of an expiratory valve during configuration diagnostic, modes S, ST, CPAP, PAC are selectively authorised or unauthorised, while the other modes are selectively unauthorised or authorised, respectively.

14. Device as claimed in the preceding claim taken in combination with claim 7, characterised in that the AIVT mode is selectively associated with a systematic alarm in the case where, during configuration diagnostic no correct connection of a proximal pressure tap was detected.

15. Method for handling the operation of a device as claimed in one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the method includes the following steps:

Realisation of a configuration diagnostic of the device,

association of an authorisation level with each possible mode, according to the results of the diagnostic, with the lowest authorisation level corresponding to unauthorised modes,

selective authorisation of authorised modes, in such a way that selecting unauthorised modes is impossible.

16. Method as claimed in the preceding claim, characterised in that the levels of authorisation for modes include:

a high level corresponding to authorised modes without restriction, and

an intermediate level corresponding to authorised modes, but associated with a systematic alarm.