Controllable partial rebreathing anesthesia circuit and respiratory assist device

• US 4,320,754 A
• Filed: 12/21/1979
• Issued: 03/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert L. Rayburn, Robert L. Watson
• Original Assignee: Robert L. Rayburn, Robert L. Watson
• Inventors: Watson, Robert L., Rayburn, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Recla, Henry J.
• Application Number:
  US06/106,286
• Time in Patent Office: 823 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/204.25, 128/205.12, 128/205.13, 128/205.17, 128/205.19, 128/205.24, 128/205.25, 128/207.14, 128/207.15 , 128/207.16, 128/910, 128/911, 128/912, 128/205.29, 128/203.12, 128/203.14, 128/203.25, 128/203.28, 128/203.29, 128/206.21, 128/206.28 , 128/207.11, 128/207.12, 128/221, 128/275.1, 128/276
• US Class Current: 128/204.25
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0075 Bellows-type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0078 Breathing bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0081 Bag or bellow in a bottle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0084 self-reinflatable by elasticity, e.g. resuscitation squeeze bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/009 Removing used or expired gases or anaesthetic vapours filtering, sterilising or disinfecting the exhaust air in drainage systems A61M1/784; bacterial filters in the expiratory path A61M16/1065
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0816 Joints or connectors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1045 Devices for humidifying or heating the inspired gas by using recovered moisture or heat from the expired gas
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/435 partial O2 pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/91 Anesthesia gas scavenging system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/911 Unilimb inhalation-exhalation breathing tubes

Abstract

An apparatus for resuscitating, administering anesthesia to, or administering respiratory care to a patient is shown which allows greater rebreathing of mixed expired gases thus improving humidification and heat retention in the inspired gases. The inhalation breathing circuit may include two concentric, non-kinking, corrugated tubes, one visually apparent within the other, for handling both fresh gases and mixed expired gases of the patient or the inhalation breathing circuit may consist of a spiralled inflow tube contained within the wall of the larger exhalation corregated tube. An adjustable exhaust pressure valve maintains a predetermined pressure range for the gas being delivered to-and-fro between a breathing bag and the patient. Expired gases vent through an anesthesia bacterial filter or may be scavenged to prevent environmental pollution. Suctioning of the patient may be performed without interrupting the fresh gas flow or ventilation to the patient.

Claims

1. An inhalation breathing circuit for supplying fresh gases to a patient from source of fresh gases comprising:

a fresh gas tube having a fresh gas passage therethrough, said fresh gas tube having a first end including means adapted to be connected to a source of fresh gases and an opposite second end;

an exhalation tube having an exhalation passage therethrough, said exhalation tube having a first end and an opposite second end, said fresh gas tube extended through said exhalation passage with both said second end of said exhalation tube and said second end of said fresh gas tube terminating immediately adjacent said patient;

a short mixing connector for connecting said second end of said exhalation tube to said patient;

tip means connecting to said second end of said fresh gas tube adjacent said patient, said tip means being located inside said short mixing connector, said tip means having radial passages for discharging said fresh gases radially inside said short mixing connector;

circuit connector means with a main exhaust passage therethrough having a first end connected to said first end of said exhalation tube and an opposite second end, a fresh gas tube opening in said circuit connector means for receiving said fresh gas tube therethrough and into said main exhaust passage; and

exhaust control means having a cylindrical body with a longitudinal passage therethrough having one end connected to the second end of said main exhaust passage of said circuit connector means and an opposite second end, said opposite second end of said cylindrical body having means adapted to be connected to a reservoir bag, said cylindrical body having a discharge opening through a side of said cylindrical body extending laterally to said longitudinal passage, a sleeve with a lateral opening being rotatably mounted on said cylindrical body, said lateral opening being rotatably alignable with said discharge opening and being adapted for connection to an anesthetic scavenging system;

said sleeve being rotatable on said cylindrical body to vary amount of overlap between said discharge opening of said cylindrical body and the lateral opening of said sleeve which controls amount of gases discharged during use.

2. The inhalation breathing circuit of claim 1 comprising bacterial filter means inside a filter housing connected to said lateral opening of said sleeve, said gases discharged flowing through said bacterial filter means.

3. The inhalation breathing circuit of claim 2 comprising a reservoir bag connected to the opposite second end of said longitudinal passage of said cylindrical body of said exhaust control means.

4. The inhalation breathing circuit of claim 3 comprising elbow adapter means with an elbow passage therethrough, said elbow adapter means having one end connected to said short mixing connector and an opposite end adapted to be connected to said patient, an opening in said elbow adapter means in alignment with said opposite end, removable plug means in said opening to allow direct access to said patient for suctioning.

5. The inhalation breathing circuit of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein said fresh gas tube and said exhalation tube are corrugated tubes, said means adapted to connect said fresh gas tube to a source of fresh gases being clearly visible.

6. An inhalation partial rebreathing circuit for supplying fresh gases to a patient from a source of fresh gases comprising:

a corrugated fresh gas tube with a fresh gas passage therethrough said fresh gas tube having a first end including means adapted to be connected to a source of fresh gases and an opposite second end;

a corrugated exhalation tube with an exhalation passage therethrough, said exhalation tube having a first end and an opposite second end, said corrugated fresh gas tube being concentric with said exhalation tube, said exhalation tube second end and said fresh gas tube second end both terminating at a point immediately adjacent said patient;

a mixing connector generally cylindrical in shape for a portion thereof with a mixing passage therethrough and having one end connected to said second end of said exhalation tube and an opposite end adapted to be connected to said patient;

tip means with a central passage therein connected to said second end of said fresh gas tube, said tip means extending into said mixing passage and having a radial means for positioning said tip means along a longitudinal axis of said mixing passage of said mixing connector, said tip means having a forward end with a reduced opening therein and radial passages connecting said tip means and said mixing connector for radial discharge of said fresh gases into said mixing passage to insure mixing of said fresh gases with expired gases from said patient immediately adjacent with patient; and

circuit connector with a main exhaust passage therethrough having one end connected to the first end of said exhalation tube and an opposite second end, a fresh gas opening extending laterally through said circuit connector and communicating with said fresh gas tube concentrically positioned with respect to said exhalation tube, wherein partially mixed expired gases are removed from said patient through said second end of said main exhaust passage and replaced by said fresh gases.

7. The inhalation partial rebreathing circuit as given in claim 6 wherein said fresh gas tube is located inside said exhalation tube, said tip means having a generally conical shaped forward end to reduce resistance to said expired gases of said patient, said reduced opening being at an apex of said concical shaped forward end also for discharging said fresh gases.

8. The inhalation partial rebreathing circuit as given in claim 6 wherein said radial means comprises radial fins which abut against an internal shoulder of said mixing connector, said mixing connector having an external shoulder receiving said exhalation tube thereover.

9. The inhalation partial rebreathing circuit as given in claim 6 wherein said inhalation tube is located inside said fresh gas tube, said mixing connector and said tip means forming an integral unit with said radial means being an inwardly directed flange for reducing diameter of said integral unit for connection to said exhalation tube.