Medicinal aerosol delivery system and method of use

In an apparatus for delivering medicinal aerosol to a patient, said apparatus including a respiratory device having an inhalation tube, an exhalation tube, and an endotracheal tube, said inhalation tube and said exhalation tube coupled to a patient wye, said patient wye including an endotracheal port for connection to said endotracheal tube, said apparatus including an aerosol generating device for generating medicinal aerosol for delivery to said patient through said endotracheal tube, the improvement comprising:

• a charging vessel means for receiving medicinal aerosol from an aerosol generating device during exhalation of a patient, for receiving exhalation gases from said patient, for using said received medicinal aerosol to flush said exhalation gasses from said charging vessel means, for storing said received medicinal aerosol, and for delivering said stored medicinal aerosol to said patient during inhalation, said charging vessel means disposed between said endotracheal port and said endotracheal tube, said charging vessel means including an aerosol inlet port for connection to said aerosol generating device.

An apparatus for storing medicinal aerosol during the exhalation stage of a respiratory therapy cycle and delivering said medicinal aerosol to a patient during the inhalation stage of said respiratory therapy cycle, comprising:

• a generally tubular charging vessel means for receiving medicinal aerosol from an aerosol generating device during exhalation of said patient, for receiving exhalation gases from said patient, for using said received medicinal aerosol to flush said exhalation gasses from said charging vessel means, for storing said received medicinal aerosol, and for delivering said medicinal aerosol to said patient during inhalation, said charging vessel means including a first gas port, said first gas port including means for coupling to a respiratory device, said charging vessel means including a second gas port, said second gas port including means for coupling to an endotracheal tube, said charging vessel means including an aerosol intake port, said aerosol intake port including means for coupling to an aerosol generating device, said aerosol intake port disposed between said first gas port and said second gas port proximal to said second gas port.