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Breathing gas delivery method and apparatus

  • US 5,433,193 A
  • Filed: 09/18/1992
  • Issued: 07/18/1995
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/22/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of providing a flow of gas within a predetermined flow path which includes a patient'"'"'s respiratory system for breathing by such a patient in repeated breathing cycles each including an inspiratory phase during which said flow of gas includes gas flowing to such a patient'"'"'s lungs and an expiratory phase during which said flow of gas includes gas flowing from such a patient'"'"'s lungs, said method comprising the steps of:

  • providing said flow of gas at a positive pressure at least equal to ambient atmospheric pressure to maintain the patient'"'"'s airway at such a positive pressure during said repeated breathing cycles;

    monitoring said flow of gas;

    from said monitoring, determining at least one of an instantaneous flow rate and an average flow rate of such gas;

    utilizing said at least one of said instantaneous flow rate and said average flow rate to identify the occurrence of said inspiratory and expiratory phases; and

    coordinating the patient'"'"'s airway pressure with said occurrence of each said inspiratory and expiratory phases in a manner that said positive pressure is maintained in the patient'"'"'s airway during a sequence of said inspiratory and expiratory phases with the magnitude of said positive pressure during selected ones of said expiratory phases in said sequence being less than the magnitude of said positive pressure during the respective immediately preceding inspiratory phases.

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