Method of forming gas-enriched fluid
AssigneeTherOx, Inc.
InventorsStephen E. Myrick, Mark S. Buhr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for gas-supersaturating fluids, e.g., physiologic saline, includes providing a chamber having a first inlet to receive the fluid; a second inlet to receive a gas, e.g., oxygen, from a gas supply that maintains pressure within the chamber at a predetermined level, advantageously about 600 psi; and an outlet advantageously coupled to a capillary assembly. An atomizer nozzle coupled to the first inlet advantageously creates within the chamber fine droplets of fluid into which gas diffuses to create the gas-supersaturated fluid, which collects within the chamber below the atomizer nozzle for removal via the outlet.
Claims17
A method for gas-supersaturating fluid comprising the acts of:
- providing a fluid supply and a gas supply;
- providing a chamber having a first inlet, a second inlet, and an outlet;
- providing an atomizer nozzle coupled to the first inlet of the chamber;
- delivering gas from the gas supply to the second inlet of the chamber to maintain pressure within the chamber at a predetermined level above about 100 psi;
- delivering fluid from the fluid supply to the first inlet of the chamber;
- creating with the atomizer nozzle a droplet pattern of the fluid in the gas within the chamber to diffuse the gas into the fluid and form a gas-supersaturated fluid;
- and
- collecting the gas-supersaturated fluid within the chamber below the atomizer nozzle for removal from the chamber via the outlet.
A method for enriching a fluid with oxygen comprising the acts of:
- providing a disposable medical device including a chamber formed therein;
- using a gas including oxygen to maintain a pressure within the chamber of greater than about 500 p.s.i.;
- atomizing a solution isotonic to blood within the chamber to effect diffusion of oxygen into the solution to form an oxygen-supersaturated fluid.
A method for oxygen-supersaturating a solution istonic to blood comprising:
- atomizing the solution in an oxygen-rich environment at a pressure greater than 500 p.s.i. to effect sufficient diffusion of oxygen into the solution to form an oxygen-supersaturated solution.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.