Pulmonary dosing system and method

A pulmonary dosing system for supplying to a patient capable of normal breathing without mechanical assistance a predetermined amount of respirable therapeutically active material, said system comprising a patient interface connected to a flexible inhalation tube and a flexible exhalation tube;

• a check valve provided in association with said exhalation tube to prevent inhalation therethrough;
• a first filter having an inlet and an outlet;
• said exhalation tube being connected to said inlet of said first filter;
• said outlet of said first filter being in fluid communication with the atmosphere;
• an apparatus for providing pulsed amounts of said therapeutically active material aerosolized in filtered atmospheric air;
• said inhalation tube being connected to said apparatus;
• and a control unit for pulsing air to entrain said therapeutically active material in a cycle which is triggered by and is synchronous with said patient's unassisted exhalations, for inhalation in conjunction with patient's natural breathing;
• said pulmonary dosing system designed solely for use independent of a respirator or ventilator.

A pulmonary dosing system for delivering a drug to the lungs of a patient wherein the patient is capable of breathing without mechanical assistance and has an established unassisted breathing cycle comprising an inhalation phase during which a normal inspired volume of gas is inhaled and an exhalation phase during which a normal volume of gas is exhaled, said system comprising a plenum for holding aerosolized drug for inhalation as the first part of the inspired volume of gas for the inhalation phase;

• an aerosol-producing device for delivering aerosolized drug to the plenum;
• a controller for signaling the aerosol-producing device to deliver a selected volume of drug aerosol to the plenum prior to the inhalation phase of the patient;
• a source of air for delivering a volume of air which makes up the latter part of the inspired volume of gas for the inhalation phase;
• and a patient interface for delivering the selected volume of drug aerosol from the plenum and the volume of air to the patient whereby the selected volume of drug aerosol makes up the first part of the inspired volume of gas and the volume of air makes up the latter part of the inspired volume of gas for unassisted inhalation by the patient into the lungs in conjunction with the patient's natural breathing;
• said pulmonary dosing system designed solely for use independent of a respirator or ventilator.