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US 6,330,883 B1Granted
Heat and moisture exchanger comprising hydrophilic nylon and methods of using same
AssigneeFiltrona Richmond, Inc.
InventorRichard M. Berger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeFiltrona Richmond, Inc.
InventorRichard M. Berger
Estimating the term…
A heat and moisture exchanger including a gas-permeable element, preferably a fibrous media, adapted to be warmed and to trap moisture from a patient's breath during exhalation and to be cooled and to release the trapped moisture for return to the patient during inspiration to effectively conserve the humidity and body heat of the patient's respiratory tract, wherein the media comprises a hydrophilic nylon polymer. The gas-permeable element can be formed entirely of monocomponent fibers of the hydrophilic nylon polymer or, preferably, fibers comprising at least a sheath of the hydrophilic nylon polymer can be bonded at their points of contact by a bonding agent, such as a polyester. Bicomponent fibers comprising a sheath of the hydrophilic nylon polymer can be bonded by other bicomponent fibers comprising a sheath of the bonding agent, with all of the bicomponent fibers comprising a core of a thermoplastic polymer, such as polypropylene, to minimize the cost and increase the strength of the heat and moisture exchanger element.
For use in an artificial airway of a breathing circuit, a heat and moisture exchanger including a gas-permeable element, the improvement which comprises said element being formed, at least in part, of a hydrophilic nylon polymer in sufficient quantity to be warmed and to trap moisture from a patient's breath during exhalation, and be cooled and release the trapped moisture for return to the patient during inspiration to thereby effectively conserve the humidity and body heat of the patient's respiratory tract, said element being constructed to create a pressure drop sufficiently low to minimize effort during normal breathing of the patient or mechanical ventilation.
In a method of conserving humidity and body heat of a patient's respiratory tract during treatment of the patient requiring connection of the patient to an extracorporeal source of gas through an airway, the improvement comprising interposing in the airway a heat and moisture exchanger including a gas-permeable element formed, at least in part, of a hydrophilic nylon polymer in sufficient quantity to be warmed and trap moisture from the patient's breath during exhalation, and to be cooled and release the trapped moisture for return to the patient during inspiration, said element creating a pressure drop sufficiently low to minimize effort during normal breathing of the patient or mechanical ventilation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.