Nasal ventilation as a treatment for stroke

• US 6,776,155 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2001
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Resmed Limited (ResMed Incorporated)
• Inventors: Pace, Gary William, Farrell, Peter Craig
• Primary Examiner(s): WEISS JR, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US09/996,769
• Publication Number:
  US 20020033178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 128/204.25, 128/204.26
• US Class Current: 128/200.24
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0066 Blowers or centrifugal pumps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose

Abstract

A new treatment and apparatus for acute and chronic treatment is described here which incorporates nasal ventilation, with or without concomitant drug therapy, using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bi-level pressure treatment or variants thereof, including devices which automatically set their pressures based on physiologic data inputs.

Claims

1. A method for the treatment of a patient who is suffering from an incident of stroke comprising the steps of:

providing a device for the delivery of positive pressure airway treatment at a pressure which exceeds atmospheric pressure, the device comprising (a) an airflow generator;

(b) an interface adapted to fit a patient; and

(c) a conduit for the flow of air from said generator to said interface; and

delivering treatment with said device to said patient during an acute phase of an incident of stroke in said patient to improve the patient'"'"'s blood oxygen level, the acute phase being defined as the first three hours from onset of the incident of stroke.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the airflow generator is configured and arranged to deliver a bi-level positive pressure airway treatment.