Method and device to prevent ventilator acquired pneumonia using nitric oxide
OwnerAlex Stenzler, Arthur Samuel Slutskyinventors
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Abstract
A respiratory assist device and method for the prevention of ventilator acquired pneumonia in a patient is described. The respiratory assist device administers nitric oxide to the oropharyngeal area in order to decontaminate or prevent the contamination of secretions that collect in the oropharyngeal area during intubation of the patient. The respiratory assist device and method may be adapted for use, for example, as an endotracheal tube or as a tracheotomy tube.
Claims23
A method of decontaminating secretions in an intubated mammal, comprising delivering a concentration of nitric oxide gas to the secretions in the intubated mammal sufficient to substantially decontaminate the secretions.
A method of decontaminating the oropharyngeal area in an intubated mammal, the method comprising the steps of:
- sealing an area of the oropharyngeal from the lungs;
- and
- delivering an effective concentration of nitric oxide gas to the sealed area of the oropharyngeal.
A method of preventing ventilator acquired pneumonia caused by secretions in an intubated mammal, comprising:
- sealing an area of the oropharyngeal from the lungs so that secretions collect in the sealed area;
- and
- delivering a concentration of nitric oxide gas to the sealed area sufficient to substantially decontaminate the secretions that collect in the sealed area.
A method of mechanically ventilating a mammal without causing ventilator acquired pneumonia, comprising:
- intubating the mammal's trachea;
- mechanically ventilating the mammal's lungs;
- sealing an area of the oropharyngeal from the lungs so that secretions collect in the sealed area;
- and
- delivering a concentration of nitric oxide gas to the sealed area sufficient to substantially decontaminate secretions that collect in the sealed area.
A method of mechanically ventilating a mammal without causing ventilator acquired pneumonia, comprising:
- intubating the mammal's trachea with a catheter having an inflatable balloon cuff positioned at about the distal end of the catheter;
- mechanically ventilating the mammal's lungs though the catheter;
- inflating the balloon cuff to seal an area of the oropharyngeal from the lungs so that secretions collect in the sealed area;
- and
- delivering a concentration of nitric oxide gas to the sealed area sufficient to substantially decontaminate secretions that collect in the sealed area.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.