OPEN-CIRCUIT LIQUID VENTILATOR

• US 20100012122A1
• Filed: 01/25/2008
• Published: 01/21/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Temple University of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Original Assignee: Temple University of The Commonwealth System of Higher Education
• Inventors: Wolfson, Marla R., Shaffer, Thomas H.
• Granted Patent: US 8,408,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.180
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0054 Liquid ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0033 electrical
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/583 by visual feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)

Abstract

An open-circuit liquid ventilation system includes a reservoir containing a breathable liquid, a patient interface receiving breathable liquid from the reservoir, a pump directing breathable liquid from the reservoir to the patient, a controller for the pump, and a tank for storing used breathable liquid. The system may be passive regarding expired liquid. Alternatively, the system may be active and include a bypass line connected to the pump such that used breathable liquid is drawn from the patient. The patient interface may be adapted to interface a gas ventilation system to facilitate a rapid conversion from gas to liquid ventilation. The system may include sensors monitoring pressure and volume parameters and may include an output displaying information including schematics and real time tracings regarding a ventilation procedure.

Claims

1. An open-circuit liquid ventilation system for delivering a breathable liquid to the pulmonary system of a patient comprising:

a reservoir containing a supply of a breathable liquid sufficient to provide for liquid ventilation of the patient in an open-circuit manner for a predetermined period of time without reconditioning of the breathable liquid;

a patient interface adapted to receive the breathable liquid from the reservoir for delivery of the breathable liquid to the pulmonary system of the patient and to receive used breathable liquid returned to the liquid ventilation system from the pulmonary system of the patient;

an expired-liquid tank for storing the used breathable liquid received by the patient interface from the pulmonary system of the patient;

a pump coupled between the reservoir and the patient interface for directing the breathable liquid from the reservoir to the patient interface; and

a controller for controlling the operation of the pump.

2. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the reservoir includes a container and wherein the breathable liquid is preconditioned and sealed within an interior of the container.

3. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the breathable liquid is a perfluorochemical liquid.

4. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising an active expiration system including a bypass line connected to the pump and adapted to receive used breathable liquid from the pulmonary system of the patient such that the pump draws the used breathable liquid from the patient.

5. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the patient interface is adapted to provide an interface between the pulmonary system of the patient and a gas ventilation system to facilitate rapid conversion between gas ventilation of the patient and liquid ventilation of the patient.

6. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a central processing unit providing microprocessor control over the operation of the liquid ventilation system.

7. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising electronic sensors adapted for monitoring pressure and volume parameters associated with a liquid ventilation procedure.

8. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 1 further comprising an output display for displaying information regarding a liquid ventilation procedure.

9. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 8, wherein the output display includes a schematic representation of the liquid ventilation system.

10. The open-circuit liquid ventilation system of claim 8, wherein the output display includes at least one tracing representing real-time value of a pressure or volume parameter associated with the liquid ventilation procedure.

11. A method for rapidly recruiting and conditioning the pulmonary system of a patient with a breathable liquid, the method comprising the steps of:

determining a volume of the breathable liquid necessary to provide for liquid ventilation of the patient for a predetermined period of time in an open-circuit manner without reconditioning of the breathable liquid;

providing a reservoir containing a supply of the breathable liquid having a volume substantially equal to the necessary breathable liquid volume for the patient;

providing a patient interface adapted to receive the breathable liquid from the reservoir for delivery of the breathable liquid into the pulmonary system of the patient;

providing a pump coupled between the reservoir and the patient interface; and

controlling the pump such that the breathable liquid supply of the reservoir is directed from the reservoir into the pulmonary system of the patient to ventilate the patient with the breathable liquid in an open-circuit manner for a time period substantially equal to the predetermined period of time.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing an expired-liquid tank adapted for receiving used breathable liquid returned from the pulmonary system of the patient; and

directing the used breathable liquid returned from the pulmonary system of the patient into the expired-liquid tank.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing a bypass line connected to the pump and adapted to receive used breathable liquid from the patient such that the pump draws the used breathable liquid from the patient; and

controlling the pump such that the pump draws used breathable liquid from the patient.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the patient interface is adapted to provide an interface between the pulmonary system of the patient and a gas ventilation system, the method further comprising the step of converting between gas ventilation of the patient and liquid ventilation of the patient.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing electronic sensors adapted to monitor pressure and volume parameters associated with a liquid ventilation procedure; and

monitoring the pressure and volume parameters during a liquid ventilation procedure.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

providing an output display adapted to display information regarding a liquid ventilation procedure; and

displaying information on the output display during a liquid ventilation procedure.