Apparatus and method for mask free delivery of an inspired gas mixture and gas sampling

• US 7,997,271 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2006
• Issued: 08/16/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Scott Laboratories, Inc.
• Inventors: Lampotang, Samsun, Hickle, Randall S
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu; Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): DIXON, ANNETTE FREDRICKA
• Application Number:
  US11/640,930
• Publication Number:
  US 20070095347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,701 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/200.26, 128/203.22, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.23, 12820621-20714, 128/207.18, 600/529, 600/532
• US Class Current: 128/204.23
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0836 Measuring rate of CO2 production
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6819 Nose
• 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 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0666 Nasal cannulas or tubing devices for improving normal breathing through the nose A61F5/08; nose filters A62B23/06; outside holding devices A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0677 Gas-saving devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0683 Holding devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0808 Condensation traps
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0216 Materials providing elastic properties, e.g. for facilitating deformation and avoid breaking
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0618 Nose
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2210/0625 Mouth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/437 the anaesthetic agent concentration

Abstract

This disclosure is of a mask-free device for supplying sufficient gas to a medical patient and for more accurately sampling the exhalation gas of the patient. The device includes a flexible body having lumens adapted to extend into the nares of a patient and adjacent the patient'"'"'s mouth for collecting and transmitting a sampling of the patient'"'"'s end tidal exhalation to a gas analyzer to analyze one or more component gases in that exhalation. The disclosure also discloses the transmittal of pressure from the nares of the patient to a pressure transducer for determining the respiratory phase of the patient and for controlling the volume of oxygen delivered to the patient. The body of the mask-free unit further includes conduits for delivering oxygen through diffuser orifices to positions adjacent the patient'"'"'s nares and mouth. Finally, a controller is interconnected between the pressure transducer and the gas supply for increasing the delivery of gas during the inhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiration and for decreasing said delivery upon the exhalation phase for the purpose of avoiding dilution of the exhalation sample.

Claims

1. An improved mask-free delivery apparatus that delivers inspired gas to a patient and accurately samples expired gases from the patient, said apparatus comprising:

an inspired gas delivery device having a body comprising nasal lumens for extending into the patient'"'"'s nares, said nasal lumens receiving patient exhalations and delivering same to a pressure analyzer for determining the phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle and to a gas analyzer for analyzing the exhalation, and an oral lumen extending downward from the base for receiving patient exhalations for delivering same to a gas analyzer for analyzing the exhalation,

said inspired gas delivery device having diffuser outlets carried by said body and being connected to a controller that modulates the flow of inspired gas to the patient in accordance with the phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle, said outlets being spaced apart from the opening of said lumens to minimize dilution of said gas sample,

a pressure analyzer being connected to said nasal lumens for determining the phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle, and

at least one gas analyzer being connected to said nasal lumens and said oral lumens, the said at least one gas analyzer measuring the level of a gas or drug in the exhaled gas,

said pressure analyzer being connected to said controller for increasing the delivery of gas during the inhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle and for reducing the delivery of gas during the exhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least two of said nasal and oral lumens are connected to a pressure comparator to determines the patient'"'"'s primary respiratory site.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said device is provided with an audio stimulus to measure the patient'"'"'s consciousness.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said higher flow of supplied gas is delivered during a portion of the inhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle, and wherein said portion of the inhalation phase ends in advance of the exhalation phase.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 in which said diffuser outlets provides diffused oxygen into the immediate area of the patient'"'"'s nose and mouth.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said lumens and said inspired gas delivery device comprise a pneumatic harness, and wherein said lumens are prepackaged in one or more clusters, said clusters being manually separable from one another and attachable to said elongated body prior to positioning on the patient.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said pressure analyzer monitors changes in the sum of the pressures detected at both the nostrils.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 in which each of said nasal lumens are separated into a pressure lumens and a nasal lumens.

9. An improved mask-free device for delivering oxygen to a patient and for obtaining a more accurate sample of the patient'"'"'s expired gas, said apparatus comprising:

a) a housing comprising a mask-free delivery device for delivering oxygen from a supply source to said patient in the area of the patient'"'"'s mouth and nose, said oxygen being delivered through diffuser outlets carried by said housing;

b) pressure sampling and gas sampling lumens extending from said housing for receiving said patient'"'"'s respiratory exhalations and for transmitting same to a pressure transducer for monitoring the pressure at the patient'"'"'s nares and for transmitting same to a gas sampling analyzer for analyzing said exhalation;

d) a control processor interconnected to said pressure transducer and said oxygen supply source for ascertaining the pressure of said patient'"'"'s exhalations and for reducing the supply of oxygen delivered to said patient during the patient'"'"'s exhalation to avoid dilution of said exhalation and to obtain a more accurate analysis of said patient'"'"'s exhalation.

10. A device as recited in claim 9 in which said control processor also increases the flow of oxygen during the patient'"'"'s exhalation.

11. A device as recited in claim 9 in which said gas analyzer is a capnograph for determining the patient'"'"'s carbon dioxide level.

12. A device as recited in claim 9 in which said gas analyzer is a capnograph for determining the level of the patient'"'"'s carbon dioxide exhalation.

13. A device as recited in claim 9, wherein said higher flow of supplied gas is delivered during a portion of the inhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle, and wherein said portion of the inhalation phase ends in advance of the exhalation phase.

14. A device as recited in claim 9 in which said device is provided with an audio stimulus to measure the patient'"'"'s consciousness.

15. A device as recited in claim 9 in which said pressure sampling and said gas sampling lumens extended into each comprise a single tubular element.

16. A mask-free oronasal device for supplying oxygen to a patient and for obtaining pressure and gas sampling from said patient, said device comprising:

a generally flexible housing adapted to fit flat upon the upper lip of said patient;

said housing having lumens extending upward into said patient'"'"'s nares for collecting exhalations for transmittal to pressure transducers and to a gas analyzer for monitoring the pressure generated by said patient during his inhalation and exhalations and for capturing the patient'"'"'s exhalations for analysis by said analyzer;

said housing having a lumen extending downward for collecting exhalations from the patient'"'"'s mouth for transmittal to a gas analyzer for monitoring a gas generated by said patient during said exhalation; and

conduits formed in said housing for delivering oxygen from a supply to diffuser openings in said housing adjacent said lumens from a supply source to said patient;

a control processor interconnected to said pressure transducer and said oxygen supply source for controlling the flow of oxygen to said patient so as to increase said oxygen flow during the patient'"'"'s inhalation and to decrease said flow during the patient'"'"'s exhalations and to minimize dilution of the collected exhalation to be transmitted to said analyzer.

17. A device as recited in claim 16 in which said gas analyzer is a capnograph for determining the level of carbon dioxide exhaled by the patient.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said higher flow of supplied gas is delivered during a portion of the inhalation phase of the patient'"'"'s respiratory cycle, and wherein said portion of the inhalation phase ends in advance of the exhalation phase.

19. The device of claim 16 in which said pressure sampling and said gas sampling lumens extended into each nare comprise a single tubular element.