SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MOBILIZING OCCLUSIONS FROM A BREATHING TUBE

• US 20090266360A1
• Filed: 04/23/2008
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Tzanetakis, Andreas, Acker, Jaron Matthew, Levi, Andrew Phillip
• Granted Patent: US 8,752,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.210
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/18 with alarm

Abstract

A method for mobilizing an occlusion from a breathing tube is presented. The method includes automatically mobilizing the occlusion from the breathing tube by regulating an inspiratory flow, an expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, where the breathing tube is configured to operationally couple a patient to a ventilation system, and where the ventilation system is configured to provide artificial respiration to the patient.

Claims

1. A method for mobilizing an occlusion from a breathing tube, comprising:

automatically mobilizing the occlusion from the breathing tube by regulating an inspiratory flow, an expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, wherein the breathing tube is configured to operationally couple a patient to a ventilation system, and wherein the ventilation system is configured to provide artificial respiration to the patient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically mobilizing the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises automatically mobilizing mucus, secretions, debris, or a combination thereof from the breathing tube.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein regulating the inspiratory flow, the expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, comprises varying the inspiratory flow, the expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, such that a peak expiratory flow is greater than a peak inspiratory flow to facilitate the automatic mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein varying the inspiratory flow, the expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, comprises lowering the inspiratory flow during an inspiratory phase of the patient to reduce mobilization of the occlusion into the patient.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein lowering the inspiratory flow comprises temporarily turning off airway resistance compensation during the inspiratory phase of the patient.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein lowering the inspiratory flow comprises increasing pressure rise time during the inspiratory phase of the patient.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein varying the inspiratory flow, the expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, comprises increasing the expiratory flow during an expiratory phase of the patient to mobilize the occlusion out of the breathing tube.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein increasing the expiratory flow comprises lowering airway pressure target to a value below a predetermined pressure value during the expiratory phase of the patient.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined pressure value comprises a positive end expiratory pressure value.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein increasing the expiratory flow comprises using high frequency oscillatory ventilation to increase the expiratory flow during the expiratory phase of the patient.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising monitoring lung pressure.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein monitoring lung pressure comprises monitoring breathing tube resistance, monitoring flow waveform patterns, monitoring pressure waveform patterns, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting presence of the occlusion in the breathing tube.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises detecting a mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises a manual mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube, an automatic mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the manual mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises manually initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube in response to a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal is generated in response to detection of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the automatic mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises continually mobilizing the occlusion from the breathing tube.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the automatic mode of initiating mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube comprises mobilizing the occlusion from the breathing tube at predetermined time intervals.

20. The method of claim 13, further comprising monitoring mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising returning the ventilation system to an original mode of operation on completion of mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

22. An integrated ventilation system, comprising:

a ventilation system configured to provide artificial respiration to a patient, wherein the ventilation system is operationally coupled to the patient via a breathing tube; and

an occlusion mobilizing module configured to automatically mobilize an occlusion from the breathing tube by regulating an inspiratory flow, an expiratory flow, or a combination thereof.

23. The integrated ventilation system of claim 22, wherein the occlusion mobilizing module is further configured to:

detect an occlusion in the breathing tube; and

generate a trigger signal, wherein the trigger signal is indicative of the detected occlusion.

24. The integrated ventilation system of claim 23, wherein the occlusion mobilizing module is further configured to:

initiate mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube; and

execute an occlusion mobilizing maneuver, wherein the occlusion mobilizing maneuver is configured to facilitate mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.

25. The integrated ventilation system of claim 24, wherein the occlusion mobilizing module is further configured to vary the inspiratory flow, the expiratory flow, or a combination thereof, such that a peak expiratory flow is greater than a peak inspiratory flow to facilitate the automatic mobilization of the occlusion from the breathing tube.