Breathing-Gas Delivery And Sharing System And Method

• US 20140090647A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 04/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Research Foundation for The State University of New York (State University of New York)
• Original Assignee: Research Foundation For The State University O
• Inventors: Dowhy, Mark S., Fuhrman, Bradley P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,112,023 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/204.21
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/00 Devices for influencing the respiratory system of patients by gas treatment, e.g. mouth-to-mouth respiration; Tracheal tubes stimulating the respiratory movement by mechanical, pneumatic or electrical means, iron lungs combined with gas breathing means A61H31/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0045 Means for re-breathing exhaled gases, e.g. for hyperventilation treatment
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0051 with alarm devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0075 Bellows-type
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0081 Bag or bellow in a bottle
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0084 self-reinflatable by elasticity, e.g. resuscitation squeeze bags
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/101 using an oxygen concentrator
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/125 Diluting primary gas with ambient air
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/20 Valves specially adapted to medical respiratory devices
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/201 Controlled valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/208 Non-controlled one-way valves, e.g. exhalation, check, pop-off non-rebreathing valves
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/22 Carbon dioxide-absorbing devices ; Other means for removing carbon dioxidecartridges with absorbing substances for respiratory apparatus A62B19/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0021 with a proportional output signal, e.g. from a thermistor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0027 pressure meter
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2016/0042 in the expiratory circuit
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0007 introduced into the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/0208 Oxygen
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2202/03 Gases in liquid phase, e.g. cryogenic liquids
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/11 with means for preventing cross-contamination when used for multiple patients
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/332 Force measuring means
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3389 : Continuous level detection A61M2205/3393 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/84 : for treating several patients simultaneously

Abstract

A device, system, and method for isolating a ventilator from one or more patients in which the delivery conditions of gas delivered to an isolation device from a ventilator may drive the delivery of breathing-gas delivered to one or more patients, the breathing-gas having the same or different delivery conditions. In one embodiment, an isolation device may have a housing and a movable partition. The movable partition may be joined to the housing, The movable partition may have a patient side on a first side of the partition and an actuating side on a second side of the partition. The isolation device may include an inlet pressure regulator on the actuating side and/or an exhaust pressure regulator on the patient side. These regulators may alter the delivery conditions (including, but not limited to, pressure and volume) of breathing-gas delivered to a patient.

Claims

1. A patient respiration isolation device, comprising:

a movable partition having an actuating side on a first side of the movable partition, and a patient side on a second side of the movable partition;

a housing disposed about the movable partition, the housing having an ventilator orifice adaptable to be in pneumatic communication with a ventilator;

an inlet pressure regulator in fluid communication with the actuating side of the movable partition; and

an exhaust pressure regulator capable of controlling a positive-end-of-expiration pressure (“

PEEP”

) in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

2. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising a CO₂ scrubber in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

3. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the movable partition is a flexible bag.

4. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the movable partition is comprised of an elastic material.

5. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the movable partition comprises a bellows and a diaphragm.

6. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising a position sensor capable of detecting a position of the movable partition.

7. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a fresh gas orifice for providing fresh gas from a fresh gas source, and wherein the fresh gas orifice is in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

8. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust line extending from the housing, wherein the exhaust line is in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

9. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the inlet pressure regulator comprises a flexible tube and a caliper.

10. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the exhaust pressure regulator comprises a flexible tube and a caliper.

11. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the exhaust pressure regulator comprises a Starling resistor.

12. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising a tether having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the movable partition and the second end is connected to the housing.

13. The isolation device of claim 1, further comprising a pneumotachometer connected to the ventilator orifice and capable of measuring a gas volume of gas flowing into and/or out of the housing.

14. The isolation device of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a patient orifice in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition and the patient orifice is adaptable to be in fluid communication with a patient.

15. The isolation device of claim 14, further comprising a pneumotachometer connected to the patient orifice and capable of measuring a gas volume of gas flowing into and/or out of the housing.

16. A ventilator sharing system, comprising:

a ventilator;

at least two isolation devices for delivering gas to at least two patients and preventing gas from the patients from reaching the ventilator, wherein each isolation devices is in pneumatic communication with the ventilator.

17. The ventilator sharing system of claim 16, wherein each of the at least two isolation devices further comprise:

a movable partition having a patient side on a first side of the partition and an actuating side on a second side of the partition; and

a housing disposed about the movable partition, wherein the housing has an inlet connected to the ventilator, and wherein the inlet is in fluid communication with the actuating side of the movable partition.

18. The ventilator sharing system of claim 17, wherein each of the at least two isolation devices further comprise:

an inlet pressure regulator in fluid communication with the actuating side of the movable partition; and

an exhaust pressure regulator for controlling a positive-end-of-expiration pressure (“

PEEP”

) in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

19. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the isolation devices further comprises a CO₂ scrubber in fluid communication with the patients side of the movable partition.

20. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the movable partition is a flexible bag.

21. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the movable partition is comprised of an elastic material.

22. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the movable partition comprises a bellows and a diaphragm.

23. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the isolation devices further comprises a position sensor capable of detecting a position of the movable partition.

24. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, further comprising a pneumotachometer for measuring a gas volume of breathing-gas, the pneumotachometer being connected between the inlet and the ventilator.

25. The ventilator sharing system of claim 24, further comprising a controller circuit, wherein the controller circuit is in communication with the pneumotachometer, and the controller circuit is in communication with the inlet pressure regulator, and wherein the controller circuit is capable of using a gas volume measurement of the pneumotachometer to control a pressure limiting characteristic of the inlet pressure regulator.

26. The ventilator sharing system of claim 25, wherein the inlet pressure regulator comprises:

a flexible tube connected between the pneumotachometer and the inlet;

a caliper capable of variably occluding the flexible tube; and

wherein the controller circuit is capable of using a gas volume measurement of the pneumotachometer to control the extent of occlusion of the flexible tube by the caliper.

27. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the housing has an orifice for receiving fresh gas from a fresh gas source, and wherein the orifice is in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition.

28. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, further comprising an exhaust line extending from the patient side of the housing.

29. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the inlet pressure regulator comprises a flexible tube and a caliper.

30. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the exhaust pressure regulator comprises a flexible tube and a caliper.

31. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the exhaust pressure regulator comprises a Starling resistor.

32. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the isolation devices further comprises a tether having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the movable partition and the second end is connected to the housing.

33. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein at least one of the isolation devices further comprises an adjustable PEEP valve.

34. The ventilator sharing system of claim 18, wherein the housing of at least one of the isolation devices further comprises a patient orifice in fluid communication with the patient side of the movable partition and the patient orifice is adaptable to be in fluid communication with a patient.

35. The ventilator sharing system of claim 34, wherein at least one of the isolation devices further comprises a pneumotachometer connected to the patient orifice and capable of measuring a gas volume of gas flowing into and/or out of the housing.

36. A method for sharing a single ventilator between at least two patients comprising the steps of:

providing a ventilator;

providing a first isolation device having an inlet connected to the ventilator;

providing a second isolation device having an inlet connected to the ventilator;

utilizing the ventilator to drive a respiratory cycle in each of the first and second isolation devices; and

utilizing the first isolation device to provide mechanical ventilation of the lungs of a first patient and the second isolation device to provide mechanical ventilation of the lungs of a second patient.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein each of the first and second isolation devices further comprise:

a movable partition for separating gas in an actuating side of the isolation device, from gas in a patient side of the isolation device; and

wherein the inlet is on the actuating side of the isolation device.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein each of the first and second isolation devices further comprise an inlet pressure regulator on the actuating side of each device.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein each of the first and second isolation devices further comprise an exhaust pressure regulator on the patient side of each device.

40. A method for enhancing the performance of a ventilator comprising the steps of:

providing a ventilator;

providing an isolation device having a movable partition for separating gas in an actuating side of the isolation device, from gas in a patient side of the isolation device, wherein the isolation device has an inlet on the actuating side connected to the ventilator, wherein the isolation device has an inlet pressure regulator on the actuating side, and wherein the isolation device has an exhaust pressure regulator on the patient side;

utilizing the ventilator to drive a respiratory cycle in the isolation device; and

utilizing the isolation device to provide mechanical ventilation of the lungs of a patient.