Method for treating chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder

• US 6,568,387 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2001
• Issued: 05/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Florida Research Foundation, Incorporated (State University System of Florida)
• Original Assignee: University of Florida (State University System of Florida)
• Inventors: Martin, Anatole D., Davenport, Paul W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo, Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Weiss, Jr., Joseph F.
• Application Number:
  US09/908,329
• Publication Number:
  US 20020007831A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/204.18, 128/204.23, 128/205.24, 128/205.25, 128/203.11, 128/207.12, 128/207.16, 600/529, 600/533, 600/538, 482/13
• US Class Current: 128/200.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/209 Relief valves
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0085 using pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/18 for improving respiratory function

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to the field of breathing exercise devices and more particularly to expiratory breathing methods which promote proper resistance breathing by the user. More specifically, the present invention discloses a method which utilizes a pressure relief valve, preferably a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) valve, for providing positive expiratory pressure (PEP). The PEP is provided by obstructing the flow of gases exhaled by the patient through the PEEP valve, so that such gases must be exhaled against the PEEP valve'"'"'s pressure threshold.

Claims

1. A method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure (PEP) in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system using a pressure relief valve comprising:

a) selecting a pressure threshold of the pressure relief valve between about 1 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O such that the patient can overcome said pressure threshold upon forced exhalation through said pressure relief valve; and

b) positioning said pressure relief valve in the patient'"'"'s mouth during exhalation of at least one breathing cycle, such that said pressure threshold resists the patient'"'"'s exhalation until sufficient force is produced to overcome said pressure threshold.

2. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 1 cmH₂O and 40 cmH₂O.

3. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 1 cmH₂O and 30 cmH₂O.

4. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 1 cmH₂O and 20 cmH₂O.

5. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 1 cmH₂O and 10 cmH₂O.

6. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 10 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O.

7. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 20 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O.

8. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 30 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O.

9. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 40 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O.

10. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 5 cmH₂O and 15 cmH₂O.

11. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is between about 1 cmH₂O and 5 cmH₂O.

12. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure threshold is about 10 cmH₂O.

13. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1 wherein the pressure relief valve is positioned throughout a plurality of breathing cycles.

14. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 0.05 minutes to 30 minutes.

15. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 5 minutes to 30 minutes.

16. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 10 minutes to 30 minutes.

17. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 20 minutes to 30 minutes.

18. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 0.05 minutes to 20 minutes.

19. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 0.05 minutes to 10 minutes.

20. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about 0.05 minutes to 5 minutes.

21. The method for creating an airflow in dependent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the duration of the plurality of breathing cycles is about for about 0.05 minutes to 1.5 minutes.

22. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 2 to 30 exhalations.

23. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 10 to 20 exhalations.

24. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 2 to 20 exhalations.

25. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 2 to 10 exhalations.

26. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 10 to 30 exhalations.

27. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 13, wherein the breathing cycles comprises about 20 to 30 exhalations.

28. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein said pressure relief valve is a positive end-expiratory pressure valve.

29. The method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system according to claim 1, wherein the patient inhales through said pressure relief valve and exhales through said pressure relief valve.

30. A respiratory exercise method for creating an airflow independent positive expiratory pressure (PEP) in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system using a pressure relief valve comprising:

a) selecting a pressure threshold of the pressure relief valve between about 1 cmH₂O and 50 cmH₂O such that the patient can overcome said pressure threshold upon forced exhalation through said pressure relief valve; and

b) positioning said pressure relief valve in the patient'"'"'s mouth during exhalation while exercising for about 0.05 minutes to 30 minutes, such that said pressure threshold resists the patient'"'"'s exhalation until sufficient force is produced to overcome said pressure threshold.

31. A method for increasing the intra-airway pressure in a patient'"'"'s respiratory system comprising:

a) selecting a means for creating a positive expiratory pressure in the patient'"'"'s respiratory system; and

b) positioning said means for creating a positive expiratory pressure in the patient'"'"'s mouth during exhalation while exercising for about 0.05 minutes to 30 minutes, such that said pressure threshold resists the patient'"'"'s exhalation until sufficient force is produced to overcome said pressure threshold.