Device for determining an opening pressure in the lungs
First Claim
1. A ventilator comprising:
- respiratory-assist means, connectable to a patient, for assisting respiration of said patient by supplying a regulated flow of air to the lungs of said patient, said regulated flow of air having a volume and producing air pressure in the lungs;
pressure gauge means for measuring said air pressure in the lungs;
volume-determining means for measuring the volume of air supplied to the lungs in said regulated flow of air;
registration means, connected to said pressure gauge means and to said volume-determining means, for registering said air pressure and said volume over a time period, said air pressure and said volume having a relationship in said time period;
calculator means, supplied from said registration means with said air pressure and said volume registered over said time period, for calculating from said relationship an opening pressure which will inflate at least some alveoli in the lungs; and
means for controlling said respiration-assist means to regulate said flow of air dependent on said opening pressure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Most alveoli could collapse in different illnesses and injuries to a lung. A relatively high positive pressure, which could in itself damage the lung or impede its healing, is required to open the alveoli. A positive pressure is often applied at the end of the expiratory phase in order to keep the alveoli open throughout entire respiratory cycles. A ventilator is disclosed wherein an opening pressure for the lung can be determined from measurement values for the pressure and the volume of air supplied to the lung. The ventilator registers the measurement values and determines the opening pressure from the relationship between measurement values for pressure and for volume. The determined opening pressure can then be used by a physician for setting an appropriate end expiratory pressure (PEEP) for the respiratory phase or be used by a control unit in the ventilator for automatic setting of an appropriate end expiratory pressure.
112 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A ventilator comprising:
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respiratory-assist means, connectable to a patient, for assisting respiration of said patient by supplying a regulated flow of air to the lungs of said patient, said regulated flow of air having a volume and producing air pressure in the lungs; pressure gauge means for measuring said air pressure in the lungs; volume-determining means for measuring the volume of air supplied to the lungs in said regulated flow of air; registration means, connected to said pressure gauge means and to said volume-determining means, for registering said air pressure and said volume over a time period, said air pressure and said volume having a relationship in said time period; calculator means, supplied from said registration means with said air pressure and said volume registered over said time period, for calculating from said relationship an opening pressure which will inflate at least some alveoli in the lungs; and means for controlling said respiration-assist means to regulate said flow of air dependent on said opening pressure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification