Automated ventilation, CPR, and circulatory assistance apparatus

An apparatus for assisting and reproducing the pulmonary and cardiac functions of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

• an airway apparatus constructed so as to be placed during use in proximity to the patient's airway to provide fluid communication with the patient's lungs;
• a vest constructed so as to be secured during use about the portion of the patient's body in the region of the thorax, said vest including an inflatable bladder that overlies the patient's chest;
• an abdominal restraint constructed so as to be secured during use about the portion of the patient's body immediately below the thorax, said abdominal restraint including an inflatable bladder that overlies the patient's abdomen;
• and,
• control means that is in fluid communication with said airway apparatus, said vest bladder, and said abdominal restraint bladder, and with a source of gas at a positive pressure above atmospheric pressure and a source of gas as substantially atmospheric pressure, said control means including:
• airway pneumatic control means in fluid communication with said airway apparatus and responsive to respective first and second states in an airway control signal to respectively inflate the patient's lungs by coupling gas obtained from said source of gas at a positive pressure to said airway apparatus and deflate the patient's lungs by coupling said airway apparatus to said source of gas at substantially atmospheric pressure;
• vest pneumatic control means in fluid communication with said vest bladder and responsive to respective first and second states in a vest control signal to respectively inflate said vest bladder by coupling gas obtained from said source of gas at a positive pressure to said vest bladder and deflate said vest bladder by coupling said vest bladder to said source of gas at substantially atmospheric pressure;
• abdominal restraint pneumatic control means in fluid communication with said abdominal restraint bladder and responsive to first and second states in an abdominal restraint control signal to respectively inflate said abdominal restraint bladder by coupling gas obtained from said source of gas at a positive pressure to said abdominal restraint bladder and deflate said abdominal restraint bladder by coupling said abdominal restraint bladder to said source of gas at substantially atmospheric pressure;
• and,
• electronic control means supplying said airway control signal, said vest control signal, and said abdominal restraint control signal to said airway pneumatic control means, said vest pneumatic control means, and said abdominal restraint pneumatic control means, respectively, said electronic control means including means for measuring the heart rate of the patient and being operative to alternate said first and second states in said airway control signal at a predetermined ventilation rate, whereby the patient's lungs are alternately inflated and deflated at said predetermined ventilation rate, and to alternate said first and second states in each of said vest and abdominal restraint control signals at a circulatory assistance rate related to the measured heart rate of the patient, whereby said vest bladder and said abdominal restraint bladder are each inflated and deflated at said circulatory assistance rate.