System and method for total liquid ventilation with very low priming volume
OwnerAllan L. Rozenberg, John K. Hoffmaninventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid ventilation apparatus and method for facilitating liquid breathing by a patient. The apparatus can include a pressurizable chamber adapted to contain a breathable liquid and a gas, such that pressurizing and depressurizing the chamber moves a breathable liquid into and out of the lungs of a patient.
Claims36
A liquid ventilation apparatus for facilitating liquid breathing by a patient, comprising:
- a chamber adapted to contain a breathable liquid and a gas;
- a gas supply system connected to the chamber and adapted to supply an oxygen-carrying breathing gas into the chamber under pressure, thereby pressurizing the breathable liquid;
- a gas removal system connected to the chamber and adapted to remove gas from the chamber;
- a gas flow control system controlling the gas supply system and the gas removal system to alternately pressurize and depressurize the chamber;
- a liquid supply line exiting the chamber and adapted to carry breathable liquid from the chamber to a patient when the chamber is pressurized;
- and
- a liquid return line communicating with the chamber and adapted to carry breathable liquid from a patient to the chamber when the chamber is depressurized.
A method for providing total liquid ventilation to a patient, comprising:
- providing a liquid ventilation apparatus having a chamber containing a volume of a breathable liquid;
- delivering the breathable liquid from the liquid ventilation apparatus to a patient by pressurizing the chamber;
- and then
- moving the breathable liquid from the patient to the liquid ventilation apparatus by depressurizing the chamber.
The method of 31, wherein the flow of the breathable liquid is selectively directed through the first or the second conduit by means of a valve.
A method for performing full tidal liquid ventilation on a patient without the use of liquid pumps, comprising:
- pressurizing a breathable liquid-containing chamber by introducing oxygen containing breathing gas thereinto, thereby to move the breathable liquid into a patient;
- and
- depressurizing the chamber by removing gas therefrom, thereby to move breathable liquid from the patient into the chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.