GAS ANALYZING UNIT AND AIRWAY ADAPTER

• US 20100137732A1
• Filed: 10/22/2009
• Published: 06/03/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: GE Healthcare Finland OY (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Healthcare Finland OY (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Haveri, Heikki Antti Mikael
• Application Number:
  US12/604,079
• Publication Number:
  US 20100137732A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• 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 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/3504 for analysing gases, e.g. multi-gas analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/497 of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Abstract

An airway adapter. The airway adapter has a sampling chamber for allowing a respiratory gas flow. The airway adapter also has a sensor for acquiring a signal needed for a respiratory gas analysis. The sensor is integrated into the airway adapter and which sensor comprises an electrolyte being in contact with the respiratory gas flowing in the sampling chamber and which electrolyte contact with the respiratory gas is a basis for respiratory gas analysis.

Claims

1. An airway adapter, comprising:

a sampling chamber configured to allow a respiratory gas flow;

wherein a said airway adapter further comprises a sensor configured to acquire a signal needed for respiratory gas analysis,

wherein said sensor is integrated into said airway adapter and which sensor comprises an electrolyte in contact with said respiratory gas flowing in said sampling chamber and which electrolyte contact with said respiratory gas is a basis for respiratory gas analysis.

2. The airway adapter according to claim 1, wherein said electrolyte of said sensor has a surface whereupon predetermined gas molecules in the respiratory gas flow pass said surface being in contact with said electrolyte and generate an electrical signal having a magnitude proportional to a quantity of particular gas molecules in the respiratory gas flow.

3. The airway adapter according to claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprising an electrical connection being connectable through this electrical connection to a gas analyzer for making one of a qualitative or quantitative gas analysis of at least one of CO₂ and Oxygen.

4. The airway adapter according to claim 3, wherein said gas analyzer comprises at least one electrical connection and a coupling point a configured to allow said airway adapter to be detachably placed into said coupling point, whereupon said electrical connection of said gas analyzer is in contact with said electrical connection of said sensor.

5. The airway adapter according to claim 1, wherein said sensor further comprises a membrane between said electrolyte and said sampling chamber and configured to keep said electrolyte functioning.

6. The airway adapter according to claim 1, wherein said airway adapter further comprising of an optical window used while making an optical gas measurement of the respiratory gas flow.

7. The airway adapter according to claim 6, wherein said optical gas measurement is made by a gas analyzer connectable to said airway adapter,

wherein said gas analyzer comprises an infrared emitter and detector for said optical gas measurement, and

wherein said gas analyzer is connectable to a host device for further exploiting said analysis made by said gas analyzer.

8. The airway sensor according to claim 7, wherein said gas analyzer is making, based on said optical gas measurement, an analysis of at least one respiratory gas such as CO₂, N₂O or an anesthetic agent.

9. The airway adapter according to claim 1, further comprising a processor configured to analyze said signal received from said sensor and configured to be in contact with a host device that receives analyzing results.

10. A gas analysis unit for respiratory gas analysis, the gas analysis unit comprising:

an airway adapter having a sampling chamber configured to allow a respiratory gas flow;

a sensor configured to acquire a signal relative to the respiratory gas flowing through said sampling chamber of said airway adapter; and

a processor configured to analyze said signal received from said sensor,

wherein said sensor is integrated into said airway adapter and which sensor comprises an electrolyte in contact with said respiratory gas in said sampling chamber and which electrolyte contact with said respiratory gas is a basis for the respiratory gas analysis.

11. The gas analysis unit according to claim 10, wherein said processor is integrated with one of said airway adapter and said sensor.

12. The gas analysis unit according to claim 10, wherein said processor comprises at least one of an amplifier, a digital converter, a memory, a radio frequency transceiver and a battery.

13. The gas analysis unit according to claim 10, wherein said signal relative to the respiratory gas is indicative of a concentration of a gas component and/or is indicative of a gas component included in the respiratory gas.

14. A gas analysis unit for respiratory gas analysis, the gas analysis unit comprising:

an airway adapter having a sampling chamber for allowing a respiratory gas flow and at least one optical window for an optical measurement of the respiratory gas;

a sensor for acquiring a signal indicative of one of a concentration of a component and an identification of a component of the respiratory gas flowing through said sampling chamber of said airway adapter; and

a gas analyzer configured to receive said signal from said sensor, said gas analyzer comprising;

a coupling point for an airway adapter,

an infrared emitter configured to emit an infrared radiation through said sampling chamber,

a detector configured to receive the infrared radiation and create an infrared absorption signal, and

a processor configured to analyze said signal from said sensor and said infrared absorption signal from said detector,

wherein said sensor is integrated into said airway adapter and which sensor comprises an electrolyte in contact with said respiratory gas in said sampling chamber and which electrolyte contact with said respiratory gas is a basis for respiratory gas analysis.

15. The gas analysis unit according to claim 14, wherein said gas analyzer is detachable and said processor is configured to be in contact with a host device receiving analyzing results.