Components for medical circuits
AssigneeFisher & Paykel Healthcare Limited
InventorsLaith Adeeb Hermez, Kieran Michael Orchard, Timothy Dee Gierke
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Breathable medical circuit components and materials and methods for forming these components incorporate breathable foamed materials that are permeable to water vapor and substantially impermeable to liquid water and the bulk flow of gases. The materials and methods can be incorporated into a variety of components, including tubes, Y-connectors, catheter mounts, and patient interfaces and are suitable for use in a variety of medical circuits, including insufflation, anesthesia, and breathing circuits.
Claims20
1-30. (canceled)
A method of manufacturing a medical circuit component for use with humidified gas, the method comprising:
- mixing a foaming agent into a polymeric base material thereby forming a mixture;
- allowing the foaming agent to release gas bubbles into the polymeric base material of the mixture;
- processing the mixture to form at least a part of a wall of the medical circuit component, the at least a part of the wall being permeable to water-vapor and substantially impermeable to liquid water and bulk flow of gas;
- and
- arresting the release of gas bubbles to form a foamed material,
- wherein the foaming agent and polymeric base material are selected and the mixture is processed to form the at least a part of the wall of the medical circuit component comprising a solid polymer and voids distributed throughout the solid polymer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.