Apparatus for delivering drugs to the lungs

Apparatus for delivering drugs to the lungs of a patient comprising

• a ventilator having a gas delivery outlet and a gas return inlet, a series conduit leading from the ventilator outlet to the gas return inlet, a return gas outlet valve at the gas return inlet, and a pressure transducer in the ventilator that is adapted to operate the ventilator outlet valve in response to a pressure;
• an ultrasonic nebulizer having means including a vibrating crystal for forming an aerosol from a solution of a drug in a liquid and a cap defining a chamber for the aerosol and having an inlet and an outlet;
• a first conduit having an inlet end connected to the series conduit;
• a one-way valve in the first conduit permitting gas to flow only from the series conduit;
• a second conduit having an outlet end connected to the series conduit at a location downstream, with respect to the direction of gas flow through the series conduit from the ventilator delivery outlet, from the connection between the first conduit and the series conduit;
• a one-way valve in the second conduit permitting gas to flow only to the series conduit;
• a pressure sensor conduit connected between the second conduit at a location upstream from the one-way valve in the second conduit, with respect of the direction of gas flow to the series conduit, and the pressure sensor and communicating the pressure at said location to the pressure transducer;
• an endotracheal tube connected to the cap outlet and communicating with the second conduit upstream from the one-way valve in the second conduit, with respect of the direction of gas flow to the series conduit;
• and flow regulator means having an inlet connected to the first conduit to receive gas from the ventilator, a first outlet connected to a third conduit, and a second outlet connected to a fourth conduit, one of the third and forth conduits being connected to the cap inlet and the other of the third and fourth conduits being connected to the endotracheal tube, and valve means for conducting gas from the inlet to the first outlet for an initial portion of each inspiration of the patient and for conducting gas to the second outlet during a final portion of each inspiration of the patient.

Apparatus for delivering drugs to the lungs of a patient comprising

• a ventilator having a gas delivery outlet and a gas return inlet, a series conduit leading from the ventilator outlet to the gas return inlet, a return gas outlet valve at the gas return inlet, and a pressure transducer in the ventilator that is adapted to operate the ventilator return gas outlet valve in response to a pressure;
• an ultrasonic nebulizer having means including a vibrating crystal for forming an aerosol from a solution of a drug in a liquid and a cap defining a chamber for the aerosol and having an inlet and an outlet;
• an endotracheal tube connected to the cap outlet and adapted to be inserted into the trachea of a patient;
• a bypass conduit connected to the endotracheal tube downstream from the cap outlet;
• and
• flow regulating means for regulating gas flows to and from the endotracheal tube including means for establishing a first flow path for a first predetermined time period for conducting a gas from the ventilator outlet through the nebulizer cap to the endotracheal tube, means for establishing a second flow path for a second predetermined time period for conducting a gas from the ventilator outlet through the bypass conduit to the endotracheal tube, and means for establishing a third flow path for a third predetermined time period for conducting a gas from the endotracheal tube to the ventilator gas return inlet.