BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to ventilators used to assist human patients with breathing.

Description of the Related Art

Respiration may be characterized as including both an inspiratory phase and an exhalation phase. During the inspiratory phase, inspiratory gases are drawn into the lungs, and during the exhalation phase, exhalation gases are expelled from the lungs.

Mechanical ventilators are used to assist with breathing. Conventional ventilators typically push inspiratory gases including oxygen into the patient's lungs. Many patients who use a ventilator also need other types of assistance related to treating and maintaining their airways and lungs. For example, some patients may use a nebulizer to deliver drugs to their lungs and/or airways. Further, some patients may need help clearing secretions from their lungs and/or airways. Such assistance is typically provided by a conventional suction device. Thus, in additional to a ventilator, many patients require multiple devices and traveling with such equipment can be particularly problematic.

Thus, a need exists for ventilators configured to be portable and/or provide additional functionality beyond delivering inspiratory gases into the patient's lungs. The present application provides these and other advantages as will be apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying figures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment includes a method of providing a breath to a human patient. The patient has a patient connection connected by a patient circuit to a ventilator having a first ventilator connection and a different second ventilator connection. Each of the first and second ventilator connections is in fluid communication with the patient circuit. The method includes identifying, with the ventilator, initiation of an inspiratory phase of the breath, delivering a bolus of oxygen to the first ventilator connection before or during the inspiratory phase, and delivering breathing gases including air to the second ventilator connection during the inspiratory phase. The ventilator isolates the bolus of oxygen delivered to the first ventilator connection from the breathing gases delivered to the second ventilator connection. Optionally, the ventilator may deliver the bolus of oxygen at the initiation of the inspiratory phase of the breath. Optionally, the ventilator may determine a volume of the bolus of oxygen delivered for the breath.

The method may further include identifying, with the ventilator, an end of the inspiratory phase of the breath, and terminating the delivery of the bolus of oxygen before the end of the inspiratory phase. The breathing gases may be delivered after the delivery of the bolus of oxygen has been terminated.

The method may be used with a user specified total tidal volume. In such embodiments, the breathing gases delivered for the breath have a first volume, the bolus of oxygen delivered for the breath has a second volume, and combined the first and second volumes are substantially equal to the user specified total tidal volume.

The method may be used with a user specified peak inspiratory pressure value. In such embodiments, a combined pressure of the breathing gases and the bolus of oxygen delivered for the breath does not exceed the user specified peak inspiratory pressure value.

An embodiment includes a ventilator device for use with a human patient having a patient connection couplable to a patient circuit. The ventilator device includes a ventilator connection couplable to the patient circuit, one or more first flow conduits in fluid communication with the ventilator connection, and a compressor configured to deliver breathing gases to the one or more first flow conduits. The one or more first flow conduits deliver the breathing gases to the ventilator connection. The ventilator device also includes a patient oxygen outlet couplable to the patient circuit, one or more second flow conduits in fluid communication with the patient oxygen outlet, and an oxygen source configured to deliver oxygen to the one or more second flow conduits. The one or more second flow conduits deliver the oxygen to the patient oxygen outlet. The patient oxygen outlet and the one or more second flow conduits isolate the oxygen from the breathing gases delivered to the one or more first flow conduits and the ventilator connection.

Optionally, the one or more second flow conduits include a first conduit and a second conduit, and the ventilator device further includes a valve. The first conduit is in fluid communication with the valve to deliver oxygen from the oxygen source to the valve. The second conduit is in fluid communication with the valve to deliver oxygen from the valve to the patient oxygen outlet. Opening the valve allows the oxygen to flow from the oxygen source to the patient oxygen outlet through the first and second conduits. On the other hand, closing the valve prevents the oxygen from flowing from the oxygen source to the patient oxygen outlet through the first and second conduits. Optionally, the ventilator device includes a control system configured to: (a) open the valve at or before a beginning of an inspiratory phase of a breath to thereby allow the oxygen to flow from the oxygen source to the patient oxygen outlet; (b) close the valve before an end of the inspiratory phase of the breath to thereby prevent the oxygen from flowing from the oxygen source to the patient oxygen outlet; and (c) instruct the compressor to deliver the breathing gases before the end of the inspiratory phase of the breath. Optionally, the control system may be configured to instruct the compressor to deliver the breathing gases after the valve has been closed.

Optionally, the ventilator device includes an input configured to receive a user specified total tidal volume. In such embodiments, the breathing gases delivered for the breath have a first volume, the oxygen allowed to flow for the breath has a second volume, and combined the first and second volumes are substantially equal to the user specified total tidal volume.

Optionally, the ventilator device includes an input configured to receive a user specified peak inspiratory pressure value. In such embodiments, a combined pressure of the breathing gases delivered and the oxygen allowed to flow for the breath does not exceed the user specified peak inspiratory pressure value.

Optionally, the ventilator device includes a user input configured to receive a user selected parameter value. In such embodiments, the control system is configured to leave the valve open until a volume of oxygen determined based at least in part on the user selected parameter value has flowed through the valve.

The oxygen source may be configured to store oxygen. In such embodiments, the ventilator device may optionally include an oxygen generator in fluid communication with the oxygen source, and a sensor configured to provide a signal to the control system. The signal encodes at least one of a concentration of oxygen stored by the oxygen source and a pressure of the oxygen stored by the oxygen source. In such embodiments, the control system is configured to use the signal to determine whether an amount of oxygen stored by the oxygen source is less than a threshold value, and to operate the oxygen generator to deliver oxygen to the oxygen source when the control system determines the amount of oxygen stored by the oxygen source is less than the threshold value.

The patient circuit may have a sensor configured to detect a flow rate within the patient circuit and send a signal encoding the flow rate. In such embodiments, the control system may be configured to receive the signal from the sensor and use the signal to detect when the patient has initiated the beginning of the inspiratory phase.

Optionally, the ventilator device includes a sensor configured to detect a flow rate within one of the one or more first flow conduits and send a signal to the control system encoding the flow rate. In such embodiments, the control system is configured to use the signal to detect when the patient has initiated the beginning of the inspiratory phase.

Optionally, the ventilator device includes an accumulator configured to deliver at least a portion of the breathing gases to the compressor via at least one of the one or more first flow conduits, and a sensor configured to (a) detect a flow rate inside the at least one of the one or more first flow conduits and (b) send a signal to the control system encoding the flow rate. In such embodiments, the control system is configured to use the signal to detect when the patient has initiated the beginning of the inspiratory phase.

