Nasal delivery system for inhaled nitric oxide
AssigneeThe General Hospital Corporation
InventorsC. Alvin Head, Dean R. Hess
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device for pulsed delivery of inhaled nitric oxide (NO) to a spontaneously breathing patient is disclosed. The device delivers NO, e.g., through a nasal cannula, only during the inspiratory phase of the breathing cycle. The device automatically executes a purge cycle when it is initially activated, and when the time between breath-triggered NO pulses reaches a predetermined time limit. The purge cycle protects the patient from exposure to NO.sub.2 that otherwise would accumulate in the fluid lines from the reaction of static NO with oxygen in the air.
Claims8
A nitric oxide pulse delivery device for delivering nitric oxide to a spontaneously breathing patient, comprising:
- a valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the first port being selectively communicable with the second port or the third port;
- a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the third port;
- a valve controller which is responsive to the pressure sensor, and which selectively connects the first port to the second port, said second port being connected to a source of nitric oxide gas, when a negative pressure event is sensed, maintains the connection for at least a portion of the negative pressure event duration, and reconnects the first port to the third port after a predetermined pulse time;
- and
- a monitor which is operably linked to the valve controller, and which measures the duration of connection between the first port and third port, and signals the valve controller to selectively connect the first port to the second port for a predetermined purge time when the duration of connection between the first port and third port exceeds a predetermined flow-off time, and then signals the valve controller to reconnect the first port to the third port.
A nitric oxide pulse delivery and oxygen pulse delivery device for separately and concurrently delivering nitric oxide and oxygen through a split nasal cannula to a spontaneously breathing patient, comprising:
- a pulsed nitric oxide delivery system comprising:
- a valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the first port being selectively communicable with the second port or the third port;
- pressure sensor in fluid communication with the third port;
- a valve controller which is responsive to the pressure sensor, and which selectively connects the first port to the second port, said second port being connected to a source of nitric oxide gas, when a negative pressure event is sensed, maintains the connection for at least a portion of the negative pressure event duration, and reconnects the first port to the third port after a predetermined nitric oxide pulse time;
- and
- a monitor which is operably linked to the valve controller, and which measures the duration of connection between the first port and third port, and signals the valve controller to selectively connect the first port to the second port for a predetermined purge time when the duration of connection between the first port and third port exceeds a predetermined flow-off time, and then signals the valve controller to reconnect the first port to the third port;
- and
- a pulsed oxygen delivery system comprising:
- a valve having a first, a second, and a third port, the first port being selectively communicable with the second port or the third port;
- a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the third port;
- and
- a valve controller which is responsive to the pressure sensor, and which selectively connects the first port to the to the second port when a negative pressure event is sense, maintains the connection for at least a portion of the negative pressure event duration, and reconnects the first port to the third port after a predetermined oxygen pulse time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.