Apparatus and method for mask free delivery of an inspired gas mixture and gas sampling

An apparatus that delivers inspired gas to a person and samples expired gases from the person, said apparatus comprising:

• an inspired gas delivery device, said gas delivery device comprising a mechanism for delivering a variable flow of supplied gas for inspiration by the person and a controller for managing said mechanism in response to a determined phase of the person's respiration cycle;
• a supply lumen for providing said supplied gas from said delivery device to the person;
• a maskless oronasal device in fluid communication with said supply lumen, said oronasal device having an elongated body adapted to be situated on the person in an area between a nose and a mouth of the person, said oronasal device having portions adapted to extend from said body, two of said portions being nostril portions extending such that each may be inserted into a different nostril of the nose and a third portion extending into a breath stream of the mouth, and said oronasal device comprising a plurality of fluid outlets adapted to direct flow of supplied gas from said supply lumen in a direction of each nostril and a direction of the mouth for inhalation, wherein said portions each have fluid inlets adapted to collect expired gases individually from streams of expired gas emanating from each said nostril and said mouth;
• a sensor in fluid communication with one or more of said two nostril fluid inlets of said oronasal device, said sensor generating signals to said controller indicating said determined breath phase of the person;
• an analyzer adapted to detect characteristics of said expired breath gas streams, said analyzer being in electronic communication with said sensor and in fluid communication with two or more of said fluid inlets via a plurality of lumens, said analyzer thereby being adapted to detect characteristics of expired gases collected by at least two of said fluid inlets independently via at least two corresponding ones of said lumens;
• and
• wherein said analyzer detects said characteristics in coordination with the determined phase of the person's respiration cycle, and wherein the inspired gas delivery device controller modulates delivery of inspired gas to said oronasal device in accordance with the determined phase of the person's respiration cycle so as to provide a higher flow of supplied gas to the person during an inhalation phase.

A method for delivering an inspired gas to a person and monitoring gases expired by the person, said method comprising:

• determining the breath phase of the person with a detector, said detector having fluid lumens interfacing with the person via fluid inlets inserted in paths of one or more expired breath gas streams of the person, said paths emanating from nostrils napes of a nose and from a mouth of the patient, said fluid inlets being formed within portions of an oronasal device, said oronasal device having a body and said portions being attached at respective bases to said body and extending from said body, said fluid inlets being in fluid communication with said detector lumens through said body, and said determined breath phase including an inhalation phase and an exhalation phase;
• delivering a relatively higher flow of an inspired gas to the person during the inhalation phase, said inspired gas being introduced proximate to the nose of the person via a plurality of fluid outlet holes in said device body, said holes being located immediately about the base of each said portion that extends toward said nostrils so as to partially surround each said portion that extend towards said nostrils;
• and
• monitoring gases in the one or more expired breath gas streams with an analyzer to assess the health of the person, said analyzer being in communication with one or more of said fluid inlets, and said analyzer thereby interfacing with the person via said one or more paths;
• wherein said monitoring provides feedback for controlling flow of said inspired gas.

An apparatus that delivers inspired gas to a person and samples expired gases from the person, said apparatus comprising:

• an inspired gas delivery device, said gas delivery device comprising a mechanism for delivering a variable flow of supplied gas for inspiration by the person and a controller for managing said mechanism in response to a determined phase of the person's respiration cycle;
• a supply lumen for providing said supplied gas from said delivery device to the person;
• a maskless oronasal device in fluid communication with said supply lumen, said oronasal device having an elongated body adapted to be situated on the person in an area between a nose and a mouth of the person, said oronasal device having portions adapted to extend from said body, two of said portions being nostril portions extending such that each may be inserted into a different nostril of the nose and a third portion extending into a breath stream of the mouth, and said oronasal device comprising a plurality of fluid outlets adapted to direct flow of supplied gas from said supply lumen in a direction of each nostril and a direction of the mouth for inhalation, wherein said portions each have fluid inlets adapted to collect expired gases individually from streams of expired gas emanating from each said nostril and said mouth;
• a sensor in fluid communication with said two nostril fluid inlets of said oronasal device, said sensor generating signals to said controller indicating said determined breath phase of the person;
• an analyzer system in fluid communication with said fluid inlets and adapted to detect characteristics of said expired breath gas streams, said analyzer system comprising one or more analyzer devices being in electronic communication with said sensor;
• and said fluid communication of said analyzer system with said fluid inlets comprising multiple lumens that allow fluid communication with said fluid inlet of said third portion to be independent of fluid communication of said analyzer system with at least one of said fluid inlets of said nostril portions;
• and
• wherein said analyzer system detects said characteristics in coordination with the determined phase of the person's respiration cycle, and wherein the inspired gas delivery device controller modulates delivery of inspired gas to said oronasal device in accordance with the determined phase of the person's respiration cycle so as to provide a higher flow of supplied gas to the person during an inhalation phase and a lower flow of supplied gas to the person during an exhalation phase.