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US 9,956,132 B2Granted
Apparatus and methods for assisting breathing
AssigneeApellis Holdings, LLC
InventorsCedric Francois, Angus McLachlan
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides, among other things, apparatus and methods of use for treating a subject in need of assistance with breathing. In some embodiments the subject suffers from airflow obstruction. In some embodiments, the subject suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Claims37
A method of treating a subject comprising:
- (a) sensing an onset of the subject's expiratory phase of breathing;
- and (b) delivering a stimulus to the subject's thorax or abdomen during at least part of the expiratory phase of breathing in response to said sensing, said stimulus effective to cause a contraction in the subject's abdominal muscle so as to assist the subject with ventilation, with the proviso that a stimulus is not delivered while the subject is inhaling.
An apparatus comprising:
- (a) one or more sensors suitable for detecting when a subject is exhaling;
- and (b) a device adapted to deliver a stimulus to the subject's thorax or abdomen during at least part of an expiratory phase of the subject's breathing in response to a signal generated by said one or more sensors, said stimulus effective to cause a contraction in the subject's abdominal muscle, with the proviso that the apparatus does not include a device adapted to deliver a stimulus during inhalation.
A method of promoting increased abdominal muscle strength in a subject, the method comprising:
- (a) sensing when a subject is inhaling;
- and (b) stimulating contraction of at least one of the subject's expiratory muscles during at least part of the inhalatory phase of breathing in response to said sensing.
An apparatus comprising:
- a device connected with a ventilator, wherein the device is adapted to deliver a stimulus to a subject's thorax or abdomen during at least part of an expiratory phase of the subject's breathing in response to a signal received from the ventilator, wherein the device is adapted to deliver the stimulus for a stimulus duration after onset of exhalation.
A method of promoting increased abdominal muscle strength in a subject, the method comprising:
- (a) sensing when a subject is exhaling;
- and (b) stimulating contraction of at least one of the subject's expiratory muscles during at least part of the expiratory phase of breathing in response to said sensing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.