Device and process for controlling a respirator

Details Device and process for controlling a respirator Device and process for controlling a respirator

1999-09-20

2001-07-17

Lewis, Aaron J. (Department: 3761)

Surgery

Respiratory method or device

Means for supplying respiratory gas under positive pressure

C128S203250

Reexamination Certificate

active

06260550

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to a respirator device with an inhalation line connected to a gas supply device and with an exhalation line connected to an exhalation device, with a Y piece connecting the inhalation line to the exhalation line and with a patient connection going out from the Y piece. The present invention also pertains to a process for controlling a respirator, which has a switchover device between a gas supply device and an inhalation line as well as an exhalation line and an exhalation device.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A respirator of this type has become known from DE 195 16 536 A1. The prior-art respirator is used for pressure- and volume-controlled forms of respiration, the breathing strokes being triggered either by a timing control or by the patient's spontaneous breathing activity. It is often necessary in respiration therapy and respiration diagnostics to raise the CO
2
level in the blood in order to thereby stimulate the breathing. The enrichment of the CO
2
may be achieved, e.g., by the partial rebreathing of the previously exhaled gas. The pulmonary blood flow can be determined in a noninvasive manner by specific CO
2
rebreathing.
The CO
2
content in the inhaled air can be influenced by an additional volume connected into the breathing gas line in the vicinity of the patient, by which the dead space in the breathing gas line is increased. Such a device for increasing the dead space has been known from DE 25 07 981. The drawback of the prior-art dead space increase is that it must be arranged in the vicinity of the patient connection and cannot be used for routine applications because of its relatively large volume. Since the respiration is usually performed with breathing gas enriched with water vapor up to the saturation, a large amount of condensate is produced in the dead space volume, and this condensate must be disposed of continuously.
In the device known from WO 98/12963, the line section between the Y piece and the patient connection is split into two lines, between which switchover is possible by means of a 3/2-way valve, one of the lines having a larger dead space for rebreathing than the other line. This device also has the drawback that the additional dead space volume is located in the vicinity of the patient connection with the handling and condensation problems associated therewith.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The basic object of the present invention is to improve a respirator of the type such that a partial rebreathing of CO
2
-containing exhaled air is made possible in a simple manner and to provide a process for controlling the respirator.
According to the invention, a respirator is provided with an inhalation line connected to a gas supply device and with an exhalation line connected to an exhalation device. A Y piece connects the inhalation line to the exhalation line. A patient connection goes out from the Y piece. A switchover device is provided such that the flow connection between the inhalation line and the gas supply device as well as the exhalation line and the exhalation device is established in a first switching position and that there is at least a flow connection between the gas supply and the exhalation line in a second switching position. The switchover device is provided between the inhalation line and the gas supply device as well as between the exhalation line and the exhalation device, wherein the gas flow through the inhalation line is interrupted in the second switching position.
The process according to the present invention for controlling the respirator includes providing a switchover device between a gas supply device and an inhalation line as well as an exhalation line and a exhalation device. The switchover device is operated in a first mode of operation such that there is a flow connection between the inhalation line and the gas supply as well as the exhalation line and the exhalation device. The switchover device is operated in a second mode of operation such that the exhalation line is connected to the gas supply device, while the gas flow in the inhalation line is interrupted in the second mode of operation.
The advantage of the present invention is essentially that a switchover device, by which the breathing gas flow can be deflected during the breathing-in period into the exhalation line, is provided between the inhalation line, the exhalation line and the respirator, so that the patient will also breathe in part of the CO
2
-containing breathing gas previously exhaled, besides fresh breathing gas. The extent of the enrichment with CO
2
is obtained from the volume enclosed by the exhalation line. This volume may be changed by selecting certain tube lengths and tube diameters as well as by an additional volume.
The switchover device may be arranged as a separate component between the respirator and the breathing lines. However, it is particularly advantageous for the switchover device to be directly integrated in the respirator. Thus, no change recognizable for the user from the outside is made on the connections of the device for the exhalation line and the inhalation line. By deflecting the inhalation gas into the exhalation line and utilizing the gas volume present in the exhalation line at the same time for the next inhalation stroke, no additional components are needed for increasing the dead space in the vicinity of the patient.
It is especially advantageous to operate the switchover device such that the second switching position, in which the gas supply device is connected to the exhalation line, is switched on during a certain time interval of the inhalation period only. The volume of the rebreathed gas and consequently the inhaled CO
2
concentration can thus be varied. For the rest of the inhalation phase, the switchover device is in the first switching position, in which the gas supply device is connected to the inhalation line.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.


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patent: 6106480 (2000-08-01), Gama De Abreu et al.
patent: 25 07 981 B2 (1977-03-01), None
patent: 195 16 536 A1 (1996-11-01), None
patent: WO 98/12963 (1998-04-01), None

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