Detecting ventilator system anomalies while in a speaking mode
First Claim
1. A method of operating a ventilator assembly having inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another, a controller, inhalation and exhalation monitors, and a respiration assembly including inhalation and exhalation valves respectively communicating with the inhalation and exhalation passages, the respiration assembly performing repetitive respiratory cycles, each cycle including inhalation and exhalation phases, the method comprising acts of:
- the controller repetitively operating the respiration assembly through the respiratory cycles by controlling the inhalation and exhalation valves so thatduring the inhalation phase the inhalation valve is relatively open for the passage of gas therethrough into the inhalation passage to a patient and the exhalation valve is relatively closed, thus the gas in the inhalation passage flows through an endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs below the patient'"'"'s vocal cords, andduring the exhalation phase the controller providing talking and non-talking modes, in the talking mode the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed to enable the patient to exhale the gases in the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs past the patient'"'"'s vocal cords and out of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thereby facilitating the patient'"'"'s ability to speak, and in the non-talking mode the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed restricting inhalation gas from the patient and the atmosphere and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively open;
one or more of the inhalation and exhalation monitors monitoring a pressure within at least one of the inhalation and exhalation passages during the exhalation phase; and
the controller determining whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the pressure monitoring, wherein the endotracheal tube has a check valve so that the gas exhaled by the patient during each exhalation phase is prevented from communicating with the passages.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of operating a ventilator assembly having inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another, and a respiration assembly that can perform repetitive respiratory cycles. The method includes (a) repetitively cycling the respiration assembly so that during the inhalation phase, gas in the inhalation passage flows to the patient, and during the exhalation phase, an exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhaled gases flow pass the vocal cords and out of the mouth thereby facilitating the patient'"'"'s ability to speak, (c) monitoring the pressure within at least one of the passages during the exhalation phase, and (d) determining whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the pressure monitoring.
27 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A method of operating a ventilator assembly having inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another, a controller, inhalation and exhalation monitors, and a respiration assembly including inhalation and exhalation valves respectively communicating with the inhalation and exhalation passages, the respiration assembly performing repetitive respiratory cycles, each cycle including inhalation and exhalation phases, the method comprising acts of:
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the controller repetitively operating the respiration assembly through the respiratory cycles by controlling the inhalation and exhalation valves so that during the inhalation phase the inhalation valve is relatively open for the passage of gas therethrough into the inhalation passage to a patient and the exhalation valve is relatively closed, thus the gas in the inhalation passage flows through an endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs below the patient'"'"'s vocal cords, and during the exhalation phase the controller providing talking and non-talking modes, in the talking mode the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed to enable the patient to exhale the gases in the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs past the patient'"'"'s vocal cords and out of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thereby facilitating the patient'"'"'s ability to speak, and in the non-talking mode the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed restricting inhalation gas from the patient and the atmosphere and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively open; one or more of the inhalation and exhalation monitors monitoring a pressure within at least one of the inhalation and exhalation passages during the exhalation phase; and the controller determining whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the pressure monitoring, wherein the endotracheal tube has a check valve so that the gas exhaled by the patient during each exhalation phase is prevented from communicating with the passages. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A patient ventilator assembly comprising:
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an endotracheal tube having an exterior open end; a conduit connected to the exterior open end of the endotracheal tube, the conduit includes inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another; a respiration assembly including inhalation and exhalation valves respectively communicating with the inhalation and exhalation passages; a pressure sensor adapted to monitor a pressure within at least one of the passages during the exhalation phase; and a controller for repetitively controlling the inhalation valve and the exhalation valve to provide respiratory cycles, each respiratory cycle including an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase, during the inhalation phase the inhalation valve is relatively open for the passage of gas therethrough into an inhalation passage to a patient and the exhalation valve is relatively closed, thus a flow of gas is allowed to pass through the inhalation passage and the endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs below the patient'"'"'s vocal cords, during the exhalation phase the controller providing two modes, in a first mode the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed restricting inhalation gas from the patient and the atmosphere, and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively open allowing the gas in the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs after the preceding inhalation phase to pass through the relatively open exhalation valve and through an outlet of the ventilator assembly, and a second mode wherein the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed so that the patient causes the gas in the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs after the preceding inhalation phase to flow past the patient'"'"'s vocal cords and out of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thus facilitating the patient'"'"'s ability to talk, and wherein the controller is adapted to determine whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the monitored pressure and wherein the endotracheal tube has a check valve so that the gas exhaled by the patient during each exhalation phase is prevented from communicating with the passages. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A patient ventilating apparatus comprising:
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an endotracheal tube constructed and arranged to be installed into a patient'"'"'s trachea below the patient'"'"'s vocal cords so that an exterior open end thereof is exterior of the patient and an interior open end thereof communicates with the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs; a conduit connected with the exterior open end of the endotracheal tube and providing inhalation and exhalation passages communicating with one another; a respiration assembly constructed and arranged to provide repetitive respiratory cycles, each cycle including an inhalation phase during which an inhalation valve in the inhalation passage is maintained relatively open and an exhalation valve in the exhalation passage is maintained relatively closed, enabling a flow of gas to pass through the inhalation passage and the endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs, and an exhalation phase during which the inhalation valve is maintained relatively closed and the exhalation valve is maintained relatively closed, the exhalation phase having talking and non-talking modes; a check valve operatively coupled to the endotracheal tube, in the talking mode the check valve maintains the exhalation valve relatively closed for enabling the patient to cause the gas in the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs to pass through the patient'"'"'s vocal cords and out of the patient'"'"'s mouth, thus facilitating the patient'"'"'s ability to speak, the check valve being operable to trap pressure within the patient'"'"'s lungs at the end of the inhalation phase when both the inhalation and exhalation valves are relatively closed so as to allow pressure in the passages at the end of each inhalation phase to substantially equalize with the pressure within the patient'"'"'s airway and lungs during the talking mode of the exhalation phase; and a pressure monitor adapted to monitor a pressure in at least one of the inhalation and exhalation passages during the exhalation phase; and a controller that controls operation of the inhalation valve and the exhalation valve, and determines whether a circuit disconnect or an occlusion exists based on the monitored pressure. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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Specification