Asthma resuscitation system and method

• US 9,132,253 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2002
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lawrence A. Lynn
• Original Assignee: Lawrence A. Lynn
• Inventors: Lynn, Lawrence A., Dzwonczyk, Roger, Woda, Russell P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yu, Justine
• Assistant Examiner(s): Reilly, Kathrynn
• Application Number:
  US10/080,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20020117173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,950 Days
• Field of Search: 128/202.28, 128/202.29, 128/203.11, 128/202.22, 128/204.23, 128/205.23, 128/205.13, 128/205.17, 128/203.12, 128/205.14, 128/205.15, 128/203.28, 128/205.16, 128/205.11, 128/204.21, 73/233, 434/262, 434/265, 434/272, 434/275, 600/484, 600/513, 600/523, 600/529
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0078 Breathing bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0084 self-reinflatable by elasticity, e.g. resuscitation squeeze bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0858 Pressure sampling ports
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/105 Filters A61M16/047, A61M16/22 take precedence; water traps A61M16/08
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1055 bacterial
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/1065 in the expiratory path
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/12 by mixing different gases
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/125 Diluting primary gas with ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor

Abstract

A resuscitation system for the administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation of asthma patients, and for teaching the cardiopulmonary resuscitation of asthma patients. The invention includes a deflatable bag and a gas flow channel connected with said bag, for connection with an indwelling endotracheal tube so that gas can flow from the bag into the patient and from said patient through said flow channel, an exhalation port in flow connection with said flow channel and an indicator mounted adjacent said system for detecting expiration flow and/or pressure within at least one of said flow channel and exhalation port to detect inadequacy in the expiratory component of ventilation during CPR and to train healthcare workers in the emergency ventilation of severe asthmatic patients in the field and emergency room.

Claims

1. A method of administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a patient, using a system including a disposable stand-alone manual resuscitation bag, and an endotracheal tube adapted to be mounted in the airway, said system further having a flow channel connected with said bag, for connection with said endotracheal tube, said flow channel providing for the flow of air from the bag to said endotracheal tube, into said airway and lung of said patient and, thereafter, from said lung through said airway, tube, and flow channel, said flow channel having an exhalation port in flow communication with said flow channel, the method comprising:

operatively coupling to said bag, a flow passage comprising an inlet and an outlet, the flow passage including a visual indicator of persistent flow of air exhaled through at least one of said flow channel or said exhalation port, the indicator comprising a readily disposable mechanical flow indicator having a carbon dioxide detector disposed adjacent or within the flow indicator so that air moving within the flow passage is simultaneously passing adjacent the flow indicator and the carbon-dioxide detector, so that both the persistent exhaled flow of air and the absence of exhaled flow of air, wherein the persistent flow of exhaled air has spontaneously ceased in response to a spontaneous end of passive exhalation of air from the patient, are visually detected and are each individually simultaneously viewable with the presence or absence of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air;

deflating said bag by applying compressive force to said bag to induce flow through said flow channel to inflate said lung,

releasing said compressive force, said lung passively exhausting said air through said airway, tube and flow channel and out said exhalation port, and

monitoring said flow using said indicator and adjusting time allowed for exhalation based on said monitoring.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicator of persistent flow is an indicator capable of detecting at least the flow of substantially all air exhaled, the method further comprising monitoring the persistent flow of at least substantially all exhaled air using said indicator and adjusting time allowed for exhalation based on said monitoring.

3. A method of administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a patient, using a system including a disposable manual resuscitation bag, the patient having at least one airway and lung, and an endotracheal tube mounted in the airway, said system further having a flow channel connected with said bag, for connection with said endotracheal tube, said flow channel providing for the flow of air from the bag to said endotracheal tube, into said airway and lung of said patient and, thereafter, from said lung through said airway, tube, and flow channel, said flow channel having an exhalation port in flow communication with said flow channel, the method comprising steps of:

operatively coupling to said bag, a visual flow indicator individually detecting both a persistent flow of exhaled air and absence of flow of exhaled air wherein the persistent flow of exhaled air has spontaneously ceased in response to a spontaneous end of passive exhalation of air, through at least one of said flow channel and said exhalation port,

deflating said bag by applying compressive force to said bag to induce flow through said flow channel to inflate said lung,

releasing said compressive force, said lung passively exhausting said air through said airway, tube and flow channel and out said exhalation port,

monitoring said persistent flow and using said visual flow indicator and adjusting time allowed for exhalation based on said monitoring;

wherein a flow passage is provided which includes the visual flow indicator, the visual flow indicator comprising mechanical flow sensor, which moves in response to persistent flow, the flow passage having at least one transparent portion and a carbon dioxide detector mounted within said transparent portion, so that exhaled air passes over the carbon dioxide detector at the same time the exhaled air moves the mechanical flow sensor, the carbon dioxide detector being viewable through said transparent portion so that the mechanical flow sensor and carbon dioxide detector are simultaneously viewable by the operator of the bag, the method further comprising;

disposing said mechanical flow sensor in connection with the bag such that the flow sensor is connected with the bag, and

using said mechanical flow sensor, monitoring the persistent flow of air exhaled, and adjusting time allowed for exhalation based on said monitoring.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein said flow channel is disposable and is carried by the bag, the method further comprising the step of;

integrating the mechanical flow sensor into the flow channel.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein mechanical flow sensor comprises a rotating wheel, the method further comprising the step of using said rotating wheel, monitoring the persistent flow of air exhaled, and adjusting time allowed for exhalation based on said monitoring.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of:

integrating the mechanical flow sensor into the exhalation port.

7. A portable, stand-alone manual bag system for ventilating a patient during cardiopulmonary resuscitation comprising:

a deflatable bag having a terminal for connection with a source of oxygen;

an air flow channel connected with said bag, for connection with an indwelling endotracheal tube, so that air can flow from the bag into the patient and from said patient through said flow channel;

an exhalation port in flow connection with said flow channel;

a flow passage including a transparent portion and a first visual indicator configured to be mounted adjacent said deflatable bag for receiving exhaled air and detecting both, individually the persistent flow of exhaled air and absence of flow of exhaled air wherein the persistent flow of exhaled air has spontaneously ceased in response to a spontaneous end of passive exhalation of air, into at least one of said flow channel and said exhalation port, the first visual indicator comprising a mechanical flow indicator; and

a second visual indicator comprising a carbon dioxide detector disposed adjacent or within the flow passage so that exhaled air passes adjacent the carbon dioxide detector at the same time the exhaled air passes adjacent said mechanical flow indicator, the carbon dioxide detector being viewable through said transparent portion so both the first visual indicator and the second visual indicator are simultaneously viewable by the operator of the bag so that the operator can readily assess that it is safe to deflate the deflatable bag to administer a breath.

8. The manual bag system of claim 7 wherein said first visual indicator is elastomeric.

9. The manual bag system of claim 7 wherein said second visual indicator is disposed within the flow indicator.

10. The manual bag system of claim 7 wherein said first visual indicator is a pressure indicator.

11. The manual bag system of claim 7 wherein said first visual indicator is mounted adjacent said exhalation port.

12. A device for providing information about a patient during cardiopulmonary resuscitation or transport of a patient by an operator, the device comprising:

an inexpensive and readily disposable flow passage that is configured to connect to a resuscitation bag and to receive exhaled air from a patient;

an inexpensive and readily disposable visual indicator of persistent flow of air disposed in the flow passage, configured to generate an indication of persistent flow and the absence of flow of the exhaled air from the patient, the flow passage having a transparent portion; and

readily disposable carbon dioxide indicator disposed in the flow passage so that exhaled air passes adjacent the carbon dioxide detector at the same time the exhaled air passes adjacent said flow indicator, the carbon dioxide detector being viewable through said transparent portion; and

wherein the visual indication of both the persistent flow of the exhaled air and the cessation of flow wherein the persistent flow of exhaled air has spontaneously ceased in response to a spontaneous end of passive exhalation of air, are visually detected and are each individually simultaneously viewable with the detection of carbon dioxide associated with the exhaled air by said operator so that they may be quickly used together to determine the presence of persistent-exhalation flow or the absence of exhalation flow from the patients lungs after inflation of the lungs by air from within the resuscitation bag during resuscitation or transport of the patient so that the operator can readily determine when it is safe to deflate the resuscitation bag to administer a breath.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the carbon dioxide indicator comprises a material that changes from a first color to a second color in response to detecting carbon dioxide.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the flow indicator and the carbon dioxide indicator are coupled to a resuscitation bag.

15. The device of claim 12, wherein the flow indicator is elastomeric.

16. The device of claim 12, wherein the carbon dioxide indicator is disposed within the flow indicator.

17. The device of claim 12, wherein the flow indicator is a pressure indicator.

18. The device of claim 12, wherein the flow indicator is mounted adjacent an exhalation port.

19. The device of claim 12, wherein the flow indicator comprises an object that rotates around a center point, wherein the rate of the rotation of the object indicates the rate of flow of the exhaled air.

20. A device for assisting in the administering of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the device comprising:

a flow passage to connect to a resuscitation bag, the flow passage to receive exhaled air from a patient;

a flow indicator disposed in the flow passage, the flow indicator to generate a flow output indicating both a first state wherein there is persistent flow of exhaled gas and a second state wherein the persistent flow of exhaled gas has spontaneously ceased in response to a spontaneous end of passive exhalation of air from the patient, the first state and the second state to be each, individually visually detectable; and

a carbon dioxide indicator disposed in the flow passage adjacent the flow indicator, the carbon dioxide indicator to generates an indication responsive to a carbon dioxide value corresponding to a partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the exhaled air from the patient,

wherein a simultaneously viewable combination of the second state and said indication responsive to the carbon dioxide value provides an indication that the patient has transitioned from the first state to the second state corresponding to the end of passive exhalation in which air is not trapped inside the patient'"'"'s lungs and it is safe to administer a next breath during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.