Apparatus and method for determining and displaying functional residual capacity data and related parameters of ventilated patients
First Claim
1. A ventilator for ventilating a patient and for carrying out a determination of the functional residual capacity of the patient, said ventilator being couplable to a breathing circuit having a gas monitor and delivering/receiving breathing gases to/from the patient, said ventilator comprising:
- at least one gas flow control valve and controller for providing breathing gases containing oxygen and an inert gas to the breathing circuit for delivery to the patient; and
for causing the ventilator to alter the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases provided to the breathing circuit and patient;
a central processing unit incorporated in said ventilator for controlling said ventilator, said central processing unit employing the amount of inert gas expired by the patient obtained from measurements by the gas monitor following alteration of the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases to determine the functional residual capacity of the patient; and
a display coupled to said central processing unit for displaying information relating to the operation of the ventilator and the determined functional residual capacity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A ventilator for ventilating a patient has means integrated therewith for carrying out a determination of the functional residual capacity of the patient using an inert gas wash in/wash out technique. To this end, the ventilator operates to alter the inert gas content of breathing gases provided to the patient. The amount of inert gas expired by the patient is obtained and used to determine functional residual capacity on a breath-by-breath basis. A graph of the functional residual capacities for a given number of breaths is produced. Thereafter, the inert gas levels in the breathing gases are returned to the original levels and further functional residual capacity determinations and a graph of same provided. The functional residual capacity information may also be provided in tabular form. A log of functional residual capacity determinations and ventilator settings or patient treatments affecting same may also be provided.
91 Citations
53 Claims
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1. A ventilator for ventilating a patient and for carrying out a determination of the functional residual capacity of the patient, said ventilator being couplable to a breathing circuit having a gas monitor and delivering/receiving breathing gases to/from the patient, said ventilator comprising:
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at least one gas flow control valve and controller for providing breathing gases containing oxygen and an inert gas to the breathing circuit for delivery to the patient; and
for causing the ventilator to alter the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases provided to the breathing circuit and patient;a central processing unit incorporated in said ventilator for controlling said ventilator, said central processing unit employing the amount of inert gas expired by the patient obtained from measurements by the gas monitor following alteration of the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases to determine the functional residual capacity of the patient; and a display coupled to said central processing unit for displaying information relating to the operation of the ventilator and the determined functional residual capacity. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for ventilating a patient with a ventilator and for carrying out a determination of the functional residual capacity of the patient, the ventilator being couplable to a breathing circuit having a gas monitor and delivering/receiving breathing gases to/from the patient, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing breathing gases containing oxygen and an inert gas to the breathing circuit for delivery to the patient; (b) causing the ventilator to alter the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases provided to the breathing circuit and patient; (c) obtaining the amount of inert gas expired by the patient from measurements by the gas monitor following alteration of the amount of oxygen in the breathing gases; (d) determining the functional residual capacity of the patient based on the alteration in the amount of oxygen and the amount of expired inert gas using a central processing unit incorporated in the ventilator for controlling the ventilator; and (e) displaying the determined functional residual capacity and information relating to the operation of the ventilator. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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52. A method for producing a display of functional residual capacity determinations and events affecting the functional residual capacity of a patient receiving mechanical ventilation, said method comprising the steps of:
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determining the functional residual capacity of the patient at a sequence of points in time; identifying the occurrence of selected events affecting the functional residual capacity of the patient including their nature and time of occurrence; correlating the determinations of functional residual capacity and the event occurrences; storing the determinations of functional residual capacity and event occurrences; and displaying a chronological listing of functional residual capacity determinations and natures of functional residual capacity affecting events as a log. - View Dependent Claims (53)
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Specification