High frequency chest wall oscillation system

• US 8,460,223 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2007
• Issued: 06/11/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Pte Ltd. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hill-Rom Services Pte Ltd. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Huster, Keith A., Branson, Gregory W., O'Neal, Todd P., Yermaneni, Mayur, Chase, Daniel G., Gove, Karen M., Ikeler, Timothy J., Schulte, Stephen R., Hopkins King, Rachel, Mirabella, Teresa Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Louis, LaToya M
• Application Number:
  US11/685,285
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000477A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,282 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.24, 128/202.19, 128/202.16, 601/41, 601/43, 601/48, 601/11, 601/14, 601/44, 601/46, 601/78, 601/79, 601/81, 601/84, 601/107, 601/108, 601/148, 601/149, 601/150, 601/151, 601/152
• US Class Current: 601/44
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/25 User interfaces for surgical systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/01 Measuring temperature of body parts ; Diagnostic temperature sensing, e.g. for malignant or inflamed tissue clinical contact thermometers G01K13/20
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02055 Simultaneously evaluating both cardiovascular condition and temperature
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/087 Measuring breath flow
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/091 Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1455 using optical sensors, e.g. spectral photometrical oximeters
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14551 for measuring blood gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/04 Electric stethoscopes microphones, acoustic transducers therefor H04R
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1697 Breathability of the material
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/08 Trunk
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/00 Percussion or vibration massage, e.g. using supersonic vibration; Suction-vibration massage; Massage with moving diaphragms apparatus for passive exercising A61H1/00; generating or transmitting mechanical vibrations in general B06B
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 31/02 "Iron-lungs" , i.e. involving chest expansion by applying underpressure thereon, whether or not combined with gas breathing means
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/005 Pneumatic massage
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 9/0078 with intermittent or alternately inflated bladders or cuffs mattresses for preventing bed-sores with alternated pressurized chambers A61G7/05776
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 11/06 of the injector type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0006 with means for creating vibrations in patients' airways
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0063 Compressors
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/024 including calculation means, e.g. using a processor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 : pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3553 : remote, e.g. between patient's home and doctor's office
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3561 : local, e.g. within room or hospital
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3584 : using modem, internet or bluetooth
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3592 : using telemetric means, e.g. radio or optical transmission
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/505 : Touch-screens; Virtual keyboard or keypads; Virtual buttons; Soft keys; Mouse touches
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/52 : with memories providing a history of measured variating parameters of apparatus or patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/084 : Supporting bases, stands for equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/04 : Heartbeat characteristics, e.g. ECG, blood pressure modulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/205 : partial oxygen pressure (P-O2)
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/42 : Rate
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/50 : Temperature

Abstract

An therapy system is operable to deliver a plurality of respiratory therapies to the patient and has an assessment system operable to assess the efficacy of at least one of the respiratory therapies. The therapy system may be operable to deliver any one or more of the following therapies: a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) therapy, a nebulizer therapy, an intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) therapy, a cough assist therapy, a suction therapy, a bronchial dilator therapy, and the like. The assessment system may comprise any one or more of the following devices: a flow meter, a spirometer, an electronic stethoscope, a tympanic thermometer, a pulse oximeter, a respiration rate monitor, and the like.

Claims

1. An apparatus for use with a patient, the apparatus comprising:

a housing,

a therapy system carried by the housing and operable to deliver a plurality of respiratory therapies to the patient, a first therapy of the plurality of respiratory therapies being a high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) therapy having a steady state pressure component and an oscillating pressure component, a second therapy of the plurality of respiratory therapies being a therapy other than HFCWO therapy,

an assessment system carried by the housing and operable to assess the efficacy of at least one of the respiratory therapies based on a measured breath volume, an electronic display on which is shown information regarding the first respiratory therapy, the second respiratory therapy, and the assessment system, the housing being vertically elongated such that its height is greater than both its width and its depth, the therapy system having pneumatic components including at least one of a compressor and a blower carried in a lower portion of the housing and the electronic display being coupled to an upper portion of the housing, and

a set of wheels coupled to the lower portion of the housing to allow the housing to be transported along a floor, the upper portion of the housing having at least one port through which the HFCWO therapy is delivered to the patient, the at least one port being situated below the display, the pneumatic components being located in a lower part of the lower portion and below the port providing a low center of gravity for the apparatus.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second therapy comprises any two or more of the following therapies:

a positive expiratory pressure (PEP) therapy, a nebulizer therapy, an intermittent positive pressure breathing (IPPB) therapy, a cough assist therapy, a suction therapy, or a bronchial dilator therapy.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the assessment system comprises any one or more of the following devices:

a spirometer, an electronic stethoscope, a tympanic thermometer, a pulse oximeter, or a respiration rate monitor.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic display carried by the housing is operable to show numerical data relating to the therapy system.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electronic display is further operable to show graphical data relating to the assessment system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller carried by the housing and operable to provide control signals to operate at least two of the respiratory therapies.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller carried by the housing and operable to provide control signals to operate the assessment system and at least one of the respiratory therapies.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data from the assessment system is used to adjust at least one of the respiratory therapies.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein data from the assessment system is used to adjust the HFCWO therapy.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein data from the assessment system is used to adjust the frequency and intensity of the HFCWO therapy.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the electronic display comprises a touch screen display and the electronic display is operable to display buttons that are touched to control operation of the first therapy.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a controller carried by the housing and operable to control an amplitude of the steady state pressure component, a frequency of the oscillating pressure component and a duration of the HFCWO therapy.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the electronic display carried by the housing is operable to show operating parameter data relating to the HFCWO therapy.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the assessment system comprises a spirometer, and the controller is configured to analyze data from the spirometer and show the data on the electronic display.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein data from the spirometer is used to adjust the amplitude of the steady state pressure component and the frequency of the oscillating pressure component.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising a nebulizer coupled to a pressurized air source carried by the housing.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the therapy system includes a blower separate from the pressurized air source coupled to the nebulizer.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the pressurized air source is a compressor.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the therapy system is configured to be coupled to a vest positioned on the patient.

20. An apparatus comprising:

a housing, an air pulse generator including at least one of a compressor and a blower operable to deliver a high frequency chest wall oscillation (HFCWO) therapy to a patient, the air pulse generator including a first pressure source carried by the housing,

an assessment system carried by the housing and operable to assess the efficacy of the HFCWO therapy based on a measured breath volume,

a second pressure source carried by the housing and configured to be coupled to a nebulizer, and

an electronic display on which is shown information regarding the HFCWO therapy, the nebulizer, and the assessment system, the housing being vertically elongated such that its height is greater than both its width and its depth, the air pulse generator being carried in a lower portion of the housing and the electronic display being coupled to an upper portion of the housing, and

a set of wheels coupled to the lower portion of the housing to allow the housing to be transported along a floor, the upper portion of the housing having at least one port through which the HFCWO therapy is delivered to the patient, the at least one port being situated below the display, the air pulse generator being located in a lower part of the lower portion and below the port providing a low center of gravity for the apparatus.