Positive pressure systems and methods for increasing blood pressure and circulation

• US 8,408,204 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 04/02/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Zoll Medical Corporation (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Advanced Circulatory Systems, Inc. (Asahi Kasei Corporation)
• Inventors: Lurie, Keith G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bianco, Patricia
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIHIR B
• Application Number:
  US12/843,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20110098612A1
• Time in Patent Office: 981 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/204.18, 128/204.21, 128/204.22, 128/204.23, 128/204.26, 128/204.28, 128/205.25, 128/205.26, 128/203.11, 128/202.28, 128/202.29, 128/205.13, 128/205.14, 128/205.15, 128/205.16, 128/205.17, 128/205.19, 128/205.24, 601 41- 44
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/06 Respiratory or anaesthetic masks
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/107 in the inspiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/06 Heartbeat rate only
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/432 partial CO2 pressure (P-CO2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/908 Patient protection from electric shock

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention provides a medical method for treating a person and comprises repeatedly compressing the person'"'"'s chest. While repeatedly compressing the person'"'"'s chest, the method further includes repeatedly delivering a positive pressure breath to the person and extracting respiratory gases from the person'"'"'s airway using a vacuum following the positive pressure breath to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax and to enhance blood flow back to the heart.

Claims

1. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:

interfacing a threshold valve with the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to open when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure acting upon the threshold valve reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;

repetitively compressing the person'"'"'s chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;

while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person'"'"'s airway when a vacuum is generated by actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person'"'"'s airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;

wherein the level of the negative intrathoracic pressure is repetitively lowered over at least two successive chest decompressions, and wherein use of the active chest compression/decompression device and the threshold valve generates an intrathoracic pressure that rapidly decreases as the person'"'"'s chest is actively lifted; and

while compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.

3. A method as in claim 1, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.

4. A method as in claim 1, further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.

6. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:

interfacing a threshold valve with the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to automatically open when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;

repetitively compressing the person'"'"'s chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;

while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person'"'"'s airway when a vacuum is generated when actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person'"'"'s airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;

wherein the level of the negative intrathoracic pressure is repetitively lowered over at least two successive chest decompressions; and

while compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.

7. A method as in claim 6, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.

8. A method as in claim 6, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.

9. A method as in claim 6, further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.

10. A method as in claim 6, wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.

11. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:

interfacing a threshold valve with the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to automatically open when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person'"'"'s airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;

repetitively compressing the person'"'"'s chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;

while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person'"'"'s airway when a vacuum is generated by actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person'"'"'s airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;

wherein use of the active chest compression/decompression device and the threshold valve generates an intrathoracic pressure that rapidly decreases as the person'"'"'s chest is actively lifted; and

while compressing and lifting the person'"'"'s chest, when the person'"'"'s negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −

3 cm H2O to about −

20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.

14. A method as in claim 11, further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.

15. A method as in claim 11, wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.