Methods, systems and devices for non-invasive ventilation including a non-sealing ventilation interface with an entrainment port and/or pressure feature

A system for increasing airway pressure, the system comprising:

• a gas source;
• a gas delivery circuit;
• a nasal interface that allows the patient to breathe ambient air through the nasal interface;
• a gas flow path through the nasal interface, wherein the gas flow path comprises a distal end gas flow path opening;
• a nozzle associated with a proximal end of the nasal interface at a distance from the distal end gas flow path opening;
• and
• wherein the nozzle is in fluid communication with the gas delivery circuit and the gas source,
• wherein the nozzle delivers gas into the nasal interface to create a negative pressure area in the gas flow path near the proximal end of the nasal interface,
• wherein the nasal interface and the nozzle create a positive pressure area within the gas flow path distal to the negative pressure area, and
• wherein a combination of gas from the gas source and air entrained in the gas flow path increases airway pressure.

A method of increasing airway pressure, the method comprising:

• providing a nasal interface that allows the patient to breathe ambient air through the nasal interface, wherein the nasal interface comprises a gas flow path, wherein the gas flow path comprises a distal end gas flow path opening and a proximal end gas flow path opening;
• providing a nozzle associated with a proximal end of the nasal interface at a distance from a nose;
• providing an entrainment port associated with the nasal interface substantially between the nozzle and a distal end of the nasal interface, wherein at least a portion of the entrainment port is between the nozzle and the distal end gas flow opening;
• and
• adapting the nozzle to be in fluid communication with a gas delivery circuit and a gas source,
• wherein the nozzle is capable of delivering gas into the nasal interface to create a negative pressure area in the gas flow path at the entrainment port,
• wherein the nasal interface and the nozzle create a positive pressure area between the entrainment port and the distal end of the nasal interface, and
• wherein a combination of gas from the gas source and air entrained through the entrainment port increases airway pressure.

A method of delivering a therapeutic level of gas to a patient wherein the amount of gas increases the pressure in the oropharyngeal airway to a pressure level able to reduce obstructive sleep apnea airway obstructions, the method comprising:

• a. attaching a nasal interface to a patient wherein the interface does not impede the patient from breathing ambient air directly through the interface;
• b. placing a jet nozzle in the nasal interface at the proximal end of the interface lateral to the nose, and placing an entrainment port in the nasal interface between the jet nozzle and the distal end of the nasal interface;
• c. attaching a ventilator to a gas delivery circuit and the gas delivery circuit to the jet nozzle and delivering gas from the ventilator to the nasal interface;
• d. delivering the gas from the nozzle into the nasal interface with a velocity that creates a negative pressure inside the interface at the location of the aperture, at a distance from the interface distal end;
• and
• e. configuring the interface to create a positive pressure between the negative pressure area in the nasal interface and the interface distal end,
• wherein substantially all of the patient's exhaled gas flows through the ambient air entrainment aperture and virtually none flows through the gas delivery circuit, and
• wherein the therapeutic level of gas requires (a) gas from the ventilator and (b) ambient air entrained through the aperture by the velocity in the nasal interface created by the ventilation gas delivery.

A ventilator for treating sleep apnea, the ventilator comprising:

• a. a gas delivery output, when enabled to deliver the therapeutic level, comprises an output pressure of >15 psi, and output flow rate of <25 lpm;
• b. a gas delivery output port of less than 3 mm internal diameter that is connectable to a gas delivery circuit;
• (1)
• c. an input for an airway pressure sensing signal that is not in series with the ventilator gas flow line;
• d. a control system comprising:
• i. an input for the airway pressure sensing signal;
• ii. a speech filtering mode configured to prevent speech sounds from being classified as a breath;
• iii. an algorithm to deliver a required amount of flow to generate a desired amount of airway pressure proximal to the patient's airway based on the airway pressure sensing signal.

A nasal interface for treating sleep apnea comprising a tubular body with a distal end and proximal end and a gas flow path extending from the distal end to the proximal end, wherein the tubular body comprises:

• a. a distal end configured to impinge with the nostril airway;
• b. a tubular body configured to curve laterally from the nostril distal end to the proximal end;
• c. an ambient air entrainment aperture in the tubular body between the proximal end and the distal end adapted to permit spontaneous breathing of ambient air directly through the aperture without impeding the user's breathing;
• d. a jet nozzle port positioned proximal to the aperture at the proximal end of the tubular body, and adapted to direct gas into the gas flow path and entrain air in from the entrainment aperture;
• and
• e. a pressure sensing port,
• wherein gas is delivered to the patient airway from a combination of the nozzle and air entrained through the aperture, and wherein substantially all the gas exiting the patient exits out of the aperture.

A method of delivering a therapeutic level of gas to a patient wherein a delivered amount of gas increases pressure in an oropharyngeal airway to a pressure level able to reduce an obstructive sleep apnea airway obstruction, the method comprising:

• a. providing a nasal interface that does not impede the patient from breathing ambient air directly through the nasal interface, wherein the nasal interface comprises:
• i. a jet nozzle in the nasal interface at a proximal end of the nasal interface substantially lateral to a nose;
• and
• ii. an entrainment port in the nasal interface substantially between the jet nozzle and a distal end of the nasal interface;
• b. providing a ventilator and a gas delivery circuit, wherein the ventilator is in fluid communication with the jet nozzle via the gas delivery circuit;
• and
• c. delivering gas from the jet nozzle into the nasal interface with a velocity that creates a negative pressure area inside the nasal interface at the location of the entrainment port, at a distance from the distal end of the nasal interface,
• d. wherein the nasal interface is adapted to create a positive pressure area between the negative pressure area and the distal end of the nasal interface, and
• e. wherein substantially all exhaled gas flows through the entrainment port and virtually none of the exhaled gas flows through the gas delivery circuit.