EP0459647A2
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EP
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Apparatus and method for flow triggering of breath supported ventilation
Assignee: Puritan Bennett Corp
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Filing: 1991-05-10
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2011-05-10
Abstract
Abstract The system and method for flow triggering breath supported ventilation include a source (12, 14) of a predetermined, preinspiratory, constant flow of breathing gas to a patient, one or more flow sensors (16, 18, 32, 41, 42, 43) for measuring the rate of gas flow in a flow path communicating with the patient, means (46) for determining when inhalation from the flow path has occurred, and means (20, 22) for generating breath support in the delivered gas flow in response to inhala- tion by the patient, means (44) to terminate breath support when inspiratory phase concludes, and means (46) to re-establish the predetermined, preinspiratory, continuous flow of breathing prior to the patient's next inspiratory effort. A plurality of individual gas sources (12, 14) preferably provide a controlled mixture of breathing gas. In combination with breath support to the patient during the inspiration effort, the flow triggering strategy of the invention offers significant improvements in providing breath support to patients having weakened respiratory capabilities.
Inventors
- 👤 Gardner J. Kim
- 👤 Glen N. Gee
- 👤 Paul J. Fennema
- 👤 Warren G. Sanborn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 22:39
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M16/00; A61M16/10; A61M16/12; A61M16/021; A61M16/022; A61M16/024; A61M16/08; A61M16/0816; A61M16/0833; A61M16/105; A61M16/106; A61M16/1065; A61M16/20; A61M16/201; A61M16/202; A61M16/203; A61M16/204; A61M16/0841; A61M16/1075; A61M16/0003; A61M2016/0015; A61M2016/0018; A61M2016/0021; A61M2016/003; A61M2016/0033; A61M2016/0039; A61M2016/0042; A61M2205/00; A61M2205/15
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A method of flow triggering of breath support ventilation in a functionally open breathing-gas circuit, which method comprises delivering a predetermined rate of flow of breathing gas from a source (12, 14) to a patient and generating breath support in the determined flow of gas when the patient inhales; characterised in that inhalation is determined by measuring the change in the rate of gas flow in said ventilation flow path due to inhalation; breath support in said delivered flow of gas is provided when said change in the rate of gas flow due to inhalation exceeds a predetermined threshold value; and restoring the preinspiratory, continuous flow of breathing gas to a predetermined value before the patient's next inspiratory effort.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
74 words
The method of Claim 1, characterised in that said flow path includes an inhalation (26) and exhalation flow path (34) into and from said patient and said source of breathing gas and said flow path meets at a junction (27) communicating with the patient, and the step of deter- mining the rate of gas flow in said flow path comprises measuring gas flow at the portion of the junction (27) communicating with the patient.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of Claim 1, charactertised in that said flow path includes an exhalation flow path (34) from said patient and an inhalation flow path (26) to the patient and in that said step of determining the rate of gas flow into and from said patient comprises performing measure- ments at at least one portion in the inhalation flow and at at least one position in the exhalation flow.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of Claim 1, characterised in that said flow path includes an exhalation flow path (34) from said patient, and said measurement of said change in the rate of gas flow in said flow path is measured in at least one location in said exhalation flow path (34).
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of Claim 1, further including the step of discontinuing said breath support when the flow rate in said flow path drops below a predetermined value.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of Claim 1, further including the step of discontinuing said breath support when the pressure in said flow path rises above a threshold value.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
37 words
The method of any of Claims 1 to 6, further including the step of reducing the flow rate provided by the ventilator during the early stages of the patient's exhalation process for a predetermined period of time.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
39 words
The method of any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein said breath support comprises pressure support, pressure control ventilation and variants thereof, airway pressure release ventilation and variants thereof, proportional assist ventilation, or volume priority pressure support ventilation.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
134 words
A system of flow triggering breath support ventila- tion for use in a functionally open breathing-gas circuit having means to supply a predetermined, preinspiratory, continuous gas flow from a source of breathing gas (12, 14) to a patient via a flow path (17, 19, 26, 34) characterised by flow sensor means (16, 18, 32, 41, 42, 43) for measuring the rate of gas flow in said flow path due to inhalation; means (46) responsive to said flow sensor means (16, 18, 32, 41, 42, 43) for generating breath support in said delivered flow of gas when said change in the rate of gas flow due to inhalation exceeds a predetermined value; and means (46) for restoring the preinspiratory, continuous flow of a breathing gas to its predetermined value before the patient's next inspiratory effort.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
64 words
The system of Claim 9, characterised in that said flow path includes an inhalation (26) and exhalation (34) flow path into and from said patient, and said inhalation and exhalation flow paths form a junction (27) communicat- ing with the patient, and wherein said flow sensor means (32) for measuring the rate of gas flow into said patient is located at said junction (27).
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
The system of Claim 9, characterised in that said flow path includes an exhalation flow path (34) from said patient, an inhalation flow path (26) to said patient, and said flow sensor means for determining the change in the rate of gas flow into and from said patient comprises at least one flow sensor (42) located in at least one location in said exhalation flow path (34) and at least one other flow sensor (41) in at least one other location in said inhalation flow path (26).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
45 words
The system of Claim 9, further comprising a plurality of flow sensor means (16, 18, 32, 41, 42, 43) and a control means (46) for measuring the gas flow rate at at least one of the flow sensor means (16, 18, 32, 41, 42, 43).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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