Method and Apparatus for Providing Positive Airway Pressure to a Patient
First Claim
1. An apparatus for delivering pressurized breathing gas to an airway of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
- a gas flow generator;
a patient interface adapted to couple the gas flow generator to an airway of a patient;
a sensor adapted to detect a fluid characteristic associated with a flow of breathing gas within the patient interface and to transmit a signal corresponding to the characteristic;
a pressure controller associated with at least one of the gas flow generator and the patient interface to control a pressure of the flow of breathing gas provided by the gas flow generator;
control means, receiving the signal from the sensor, for controlling the pressure controller so as to cause the flow of breathing gas to be delivered to the patient at a minimally sufficient pressure during at least a portion of a breathing cycle to prevent airway collapse, wherein the minimally sufficient pressure is a summation of a pressure needed to overcome mechanical airway collapsing forces and a pressure needed to overcome airway collapse due to respiratory effort; and
a first selector unit operatively connected to the control means to selectively establish a first gain, the control means controlling the pressure controller so as to deliver the flow of breathing gas at the minimally sufficient pressure during at least a portion of a breathing cycle based on the first gain and the signal from the sensor.
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Abstract
A system including methods and apparatus for treatment of a medical disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or congestive heart failure. The system involves applying a gain to flow rate of pressurized gas delivered to a patient during inspiratory and/or expiratory phases of a respiratory cycle to deliver the pressurized gas in proportion to the respective gains during inspiration and/or expiration. A base pressure may be applied in addition to the gain-modified pressures and an elevated pressure profile may be employed to assist or control inspiration. The system may be fully automated responsive to feedback provided by a flow sensor that determines the estimated patient flow rate. A leak computer can be included to instantaneously calculate gas leakage from the system. The system may be utilized in connection with conventional continuous positive airway pressure treatments, such as CPAP or bi-level positive airway pressure equipment to effect various beneficial treatment applications.
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Citations
1 Claim
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1. An apparatus for delivering pressurized breathing gas to an airway of a patient, the apparatus comprising:
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a gas flow generator;
a patient interface adapted to couple the gas flow generator to an airway of a patient;
a sensor adapted to detect a fluid characteristic associated with a flow of breathing gas within the patient interface and to transmit a signal corresponding to the characteristic;
a pressure controller associated with at least one of the gas flow generator and the patient interface to control a pressure of the flow of breathing gas provided by the gas flow generator;
control means, receiving the signal from the sensor, for controlling the pressure controller so as to cause the flow of breathing gas to be delivered to the patient at a minimally sufficient pressure during at least a portion of a breathing cycle to prevent airway collapse, wherein the minimally sufficient pressure is a summation of a pressure needed to overcome mechanical airway collapsing forces and a pressure needed to overcome airway collapse due to respiratory effort; and
a first selector unit operatively connected to the control means to selectively establish a first gain, the control means controlling the pressure controller so as to deliver the flow of breathing gas at the minimally sufficient pressure during at least a portion of a breathing cycle based on the first gain and the signal from the sensor.
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Specification