ANESTHESIA SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20120060835A1
• Filed: 09/13/2010
• Published: 03/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Mashak, James Nyal
• Application Number:
  US12/880,297
• Publication Number:
  US 20120060835A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/203.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/01 specially adapted for anaesthetising A61M16/104, A61M16/18 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0891 Closed circuit, e.g. for anaesthesia
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/18 Vaporising devices for anaesthetic preparations
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0036 in the breathing tube and used in both inspiratory and expiratory phase
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/15 Detection of leaks

Abstract

An anesthesia system is disclosed herein, The anesthesia system may include a pneumatic circuit comprising an inspiratory limb, an expiratory limb, and an endotracheal tube. The endotracheal tube may be configured to form a pneumatic coupling between a patient, the inspiratory limb and the expiratory limb. The anesthesia system may also include an anesthesia machine connected to the pneumatic circuit. The anesthesia machine may include a controller configured to identify the presence of a leak in the pneumatic coupling.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a pneumatic circuit comprising;

an inspiratory limb;

an expiratory limb; and

an endotracheal tube configured to form a pneumatic coupling between a patient, the inspiratory limb and the expiratory limb; and

a controller connected to the pneumatic circuit, said controller configured to identify the presence of a leak in the pneumatic coupling.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising an anesthesia machine comprising the controller connected to the pneumatic circuit.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the pneumatic circuit further comprises a first sensor in pneumatic communication with the inspiratory limb, and a second sensor in pneumatic communication with the expiratory limb.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to identify the presence of a leak in the pneumatic coupling based on feedback from the first sensor and the second sensor.

5. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to transfer a gas into the pneumatic circuit, implement the first sensor to measure the inspiratory flow rate of the gas through the inspiratory limb, and implement the second sensor to measure the expiratory flow rate of the gas through the expiratory limb.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to identify the presence of a leak in the pneumatic coupling by comparing the inspiratory flow rate with the expiratory flow rate.

7. The system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to convey feedback pertaining to the leak in the pneumatic coupling.

8. An anesthesia system comprising:

a pneumatic circuit comprising;

an inspiratory limb adapted to deliver an inspiratory gas to a patient;

an expiratory limb adapted to deliver an expiratory gas from the patient;

an endotracheal tube configured to form a pneumatic coupling between the patient, the inspiratory limb and the expiratory limb;

a first sensor in pneumatic communication with the inspiratory limb; and

a second sensor in pneumatic communication with the expiratory limb; and

an anesthesia machine connected to the pneumatic circuit, said anesthesia machine comprising a controller connected to the first and second sensors, said controller configured to;

transfer a gas into the inspiratory limb of the pneumatic circuit; and

identify the presence of a leak in the pneumatic coupling attributable to an improperly placed endotracheal tube based on feedback from the first and second sensors.

9. The anesthesia system of claim 8, wherein the first sensor is a flow sensor adapted to measure an inspiratory flow through the inspiratory limb, and the second sensor is a flow sensor adapted to measure an expiratory flow through the expiratory limb.

10. The anesthesia system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to compare the inspiratory flow with the expiratory flow to identify the presence of the leak in the pneumatic coupling.

11. The anesthesia system of claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to convey feedback pertaining to the leak in the pneumatic coupling.

12. A method comprising:

transferring a gas into a pneumatic circuit;

measuring an inspiratory flow rate of the gas through an inspiratory limb of the pneumatic circuit;

measuring an expiratory flow rate of the gas through an expiratory limb of the pneumatic circuit; and

implementing a controller to automatically identify the presence of a pneumatic leak attributable to an improperly placed endotracheal tube based on the inspiratory flow rate and the expiratory flow rate.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising conveying visual and/or audible feedback pertaining to the pneumatic leak.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising implementing the visual and/or audible feedback pertaining to the pneumatic leak to more precisely position the endotracheal tube.