Humidification system
AssigneeCareFusion 2200, Inc.
InventorsNeil Alex Korneff, Paul David Dixon, Christopher M. Varga
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a method for reducing condensed humidifying agent in a humidification system by pulsing a delivery of humidifying agent into a respiratory circuit. During a non-pulsed interval, gas flowing through the respiratory circuit will evaporate the condensed humidifying agent present in the respiratory circuit. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for delivering humidified gas to a patient, wherein the delivery avoids the problems associated with a stationary water humidifier. In the method, the delivery of humidifying agent is precisely controlled to deliver a flow of humidifying agent to a volume of gas.
Claims16
A method of reducing condensed humidifying agent in a humidification system, the method comprising:
- providing a humidification system comprising a respiratory circuit for delivering a volume of gas to a patient and a humidifier portion for delivering a humidifying agent to the volume of gas;
- pulsing a delivery of humidifying agent to the volume of gas at a pulsed interval via the humidifier portion, the pulsing interval commencing immediately after patient exhalation or during patient inhalation;
- heating the volume of gas upstream of a discharge line of the respiratory circuit;
- and
- vaporizing, during a non-pulsed interval, condensed humidifying agent present in the discharge line to reduce the condensed humidifying agent present in the humidification system, the non-pulsed interval commencing immediately after patient inhalation or during patient exhalation,
- wherein the vaporizing step includes passing the heated volume of gas through the discharge line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.