A method and a system to monitor the progression of a pulmonary ailment in patients who are mechanically ventilated or spontaneously breathing. By delivering specific gases to the patient and monitoring the release of those gases over various timescales, the system monitors the progression of pulmonary shunt. No invasive procedures are required, and the system is able to operate through the sole delivery and monitoring of respiratory gases.
A spring plate flow restrictor for installation in a pipe to enable the measurement of fluid flow, including bidirectional fluid flow, through the pipe. The restrictor generally comprises a spring plate that extends when pressure is applied thereto. In some embodiments, the restrictor further comprises one or more orifices. In combination, the plate and spring elements of the restrictor enable a variable flow resistance depending on the magnitude of flow through the pipe. The differential pressure measured across the flow restriction correlates to the magnitude of flow. This correlation is dependent on the geometries of the plate, spring and optional orifice elements of the restrictor, and may be tuned to suit a given application.
A sensor apparatus, system and method for the determination of water vapour content in a stream of air is described, which may more generally also be used to determine the concentration of one fluid in a second fluid. The method comprises: (1) applying a known quantity of heat to a stream of combined fluids within a chamber; (2) measuring the timing of the resultant temperature rise of the combined fluid stream at successive points within the chamber to determine the time-of-flight of the combined fluid stream through the chamber, and thereby infer the volume of the combined fluids subjected to heating; and (3) measuring the amount of the resultant temperature rise of the combined fluid stream to determine the heat capacity of the combined fluid stream, and thereby infer the composition of the combined fluid stream by calculation based upon the different known heat capacities of each of the first and second fluids. The sensor comprises: (1) a sealable housing defining an inner chamber in fluid communication with the fluid stream; (2) an electrical heater situated within the chamber of the sealable housing; and (3) a plurality of temperature sensors or thermocouples situated within the chamber of the sealable housing downstream of the electrical heater.
G01N 25/20 - Investigating or analysing materials by the use of thermal means by investigating the development of heat, i.e. calorimetry, e.g. by measuring specific heat, by measuring thermal conductivity
4.
METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING THE EFFICIENCY OF THE LUNGS OF A PATIENT
The present disclosure relates to methods and systems for estimating an efficiency of lungs of a patient receiving respiratory care. A blender has a primary input port for receiving a first gas to be delivered to the patient and one or more secondary input ports for receiving a second gas to be delivered to the patient from one or more gas sources. A patient-side port of the blender delivers the first and second gases to the patient. A gas composition sensor measures a fraction of the first gas and a gas flow sensor measures a flow of the first gas. A controller causes a sequential delivery of the first and second gases to the patient and estimates a functional residual capacity of the patient based on measurements from the gas composition sensor and from the gas flow sensor. The controller may also estimate a cardiac output of the patient.
medical apparatus, namely, apparatus to monitor and assess the conditions of heart and lung interface and to provide clinicians with accurate data and reports for clinical intervention
Molded plastic tube with a pneumatic membrane that has three ports for measuring the pressure on either side of the membrane and to drain accumulated fluids, used to measure the pressure differential across the membrane for the purpose of calculating flow rates and volumes of patient breathing gases
Molded plastic part for insertion into a patient's breathing apparatus which senses the temperature and relative humidity of the breathing gases entering and exiting a patient connected to a mechanical ventilation unit for recordal and storage
A compound membrane breathing tube for use in spirometric applications is provided. The compound membrane comprises a first sheet and a second sheet of flexible sheeting connected together along the periphery thereof, and each of the sheets has an opening cut therethrough to create a flap. The flap of the first sheet overlaps the flap of the second sheet so as to present a higher relative resistance to airflow through the breathing tube at lower airflows.
A61B 5/091 - Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity
A61B 5/093 - Measuring volume of inspired or expired gases, e.g. to determine lung capacity the gases being exhaled into, or inhaled from, an expansible chamber, e.g. bellows or expansible bag
Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes and teeth; orthopedic articles; suture materials; medical devices; medical devices, namely spirometers and component parts thereof.
Surgical, medical, dental and veterinary apparatus and instruments, artificial limbs, eyes and teeth; orthopedic articles; suture materials; medical devices; medical apparatus and instruments for measuring and monitoring cardiopulmonary coupling, and component parts thereof.
12.
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MONITORING THE DEGREE OF INTEGRATION BETWEEN THE FUNCTIONS OF THE HEART AND THE LUNGS, AND THE THERAPEUTIC SUCCESS OF RESUSCITATIVE INTERVENTIONS
A method, system and apparatus for assessing the coupling between lung perfusion and ventilation in a patient who is mechanically ventilated or who is breathing spontaneously through a conventional artificial airway is provided. Embodiments of the apparatus comprise an adaptor configured to fit between the artificial airway and mechanical ventilator (or to attach to the free end of the artificial airway in cases where the patient is breathing spontaneously), a measuring chamber in constant fluid communication with the adaptor via one or more measuring chamber sampling ports, and a monitoring unit where data obtained from temperature and relative humidity sensors located in the measuring is calibrated, sampled, logged and analyzed together with anthropometric patient data provided by the operator in order to calculate and/or derive a novel cardio-pulmonary coupling index termed "Qi" as described, and to enable ongoing diagnostic cardio-pulmonary monitoring of a patient by comparing changes in the patient's Qi index during a monitoring interval. The Qi index is expressed in non-dimensional units, and is displayed relative to a range of "normal" values defined with reference to values that are commonly observed at rest in persons in good general health and who generally match a given patient in gender, age and body size, and/or as a specific patient's baseline values at rest or under stress at the outset of a monitoring interval.
