Sidestream Gas Sampling System with Detachable Sample Cell

• US 20080200825A1
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Published: 08/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips RS North America LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: RIC INVESTMENTS LLC (Respironics Incorporated)
• Inventors: Rich, David R., Sandor, John L., Pierry, Anthony T., Fudge, Brian M., Triunfo, John A.
• Granted Patent: US 8,282,570 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/532
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0833 Measuring rate of oxygen consumption
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/097 Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices

Abstract

A sidestream sampling system includes a sidestream gas measurement assembly and a sample cell configured to be assembled therewith. The sidestream gas measurement assembly includes a receptacle for removably receiving at least a portion of the sample cell. The sample cell is coupled to a sampling tube that is configured to communicate with an airway of an individual. When the sample cell is assembled with the sidestream gas measurement assembly, a window of the sample cell is oriented toward a corresponding source and/or detector of the sidestream gas measurement assembly to facilitate monitoring of an amount of at least one gas or vaporized material in an individual'"'"'s respiration.

Claims

1. A sidestream gas sampling system, comprising:

(1) a sidestream gas measurement assembly, comprising,

(a) a housing,

(b) a radiation source disposed in the housing,

(c) a radiation detector disposed in the housing,

(d) a receptacle defined in the housing, and

(e) a first alignment mechanism associated with the receptacle; and

(2) a sample cell assembly adapted to be coupled to the sidestream gas measurement assembly, the sample cell assembly comprising;

(a) a sampling tube have a first end portion adapted to be disposed in fluid communication with an airway of a patient and a second end portion, wherein the sampling tube carries a gas sample from the first end portion to the second end portion, and wherein the gas sample is a fraction of a total gas flow to or from such a patient,

(b) a sample cell having a first end portion coupled to the second end portion of the sampling tube,

(c) a sample chamber defined in the sample cell for receiving a respiratory sample from such a patient via the sampling tubing,

(d) a first window defined in the sample cell, and

(e) a second alignment mechanism associated with the sample cell,

wherein the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism cooperation to enable the sample cell to be inserted into the receptacle in a proper orientation.

2. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the radiation source comprises a source of at least one wavelength of infrared radiation, and wherein the radiation detector is configured to detect at least one wavelength of infrared radiation.

3. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, further comprising a second window disposed in the sample cell such that the first window and the second window are on opposite sides of the sample cell.

4. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the sidestream gas measurement assembly further includes a processor operatively coupled to the radiation source, the radiation detector, or both.

5. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the sidestream gas measurement assembly further comprises at least one communication link for establishing communication with a component external to the sidestream gas measurement assembly.

6. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the sample cell assembly further comprises a filter positioned along the sampling tube.

7. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the first alignment mechanism is a slot defined in a wall of the receptacle and the second alignment mechanism is a protrusion extending from the sample cell.

8. The sidestream sampling system of claim 7, wherein the sample cell assembly further comprises a first locking member associated with the slot and a second locking member associated with the protrusion.

9. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the sample cell assembly further comprises a first locking member associated with the receptacle and a second locking member associated with the second sample cell.

10. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the receptacle has a generally rectanugular shaped opening into which the sample inserts.

11. The sidestream sampling system of claim 10, wherein the opening is defined in a surface of the housing and is generally flush with the surface.

12. The sidestream sampling system of claim 1, wherein the sample cell further comprises a second end portion on a side of the same cell generally opposite the first end portion, and further comprising an outlet port disposed on the second end portion of the sample cell.

13. A method of sidestream respiratory analysis, comprising:

providing a sample cell assembly comprising (a) a sampling tube have a first end portion and a second end portion, and (b) a sample cell coupled to the second end portion of the sampling tube;

placing a first end portion of the sampling tube in fluid communication with an airway of a patient;

carrying a gas sample from the first end portion to the second end portion, wherein the gas sample is a fraction of a total gas flow to or from such a patient;

orienting the sample cell such that a first alignment mechanism associated with the receptacle is aligned with a second alignment mechanism associated with a receptacle defined in a housing of a sidestream gas measurement assembly;

inserting the sample cell into the receptacle responsive to the first alignment mechanism and the second alignment mechanism being properly oriented relative to one another;

analyzing a parameter of the gas sample using the sidestream gas measurement assembly.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising removing the sample cell from the receptacle assembly after completing the analyzing step.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein placing the first end portion of the sampling tube in fluid communication with an airway of a patient comprises at least one of:

placing a nasal cannula on such a patient in fluid communication with an airway of such a patient, wherein the nasal cannula communicates with the sampling tube; and

positioning an airway adapter along a breathing circuit operatively coupled to an airway of such a patient and connecting the first end portion of the sampling tube to a port disposed on the airway adapter.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein analyzing the parameter comprises analyzing at least one gas or vaporized material present in a gas in a respiration of such a patient.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein analyzing the parameter comprises analyzing an amount of carbon dioxide, oxygen, or both present in the respiration of such a patient.

18. The method of claim 13, further comprising reading identifying information from the sample cell responsive to the sample cell being assembled with the sidestream gas measurement assembly.