Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Respiratory gas supply means enters nasal passage
Patent
1996-06-18
1998-04-21
Millin, Vincent
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Respiratory gas supply means enters nasal passage
A61M 1508
Patent
active
057407991
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a device for the supply of oxygen and/or other gases to a patient and comprising a flow duct which is, at its one end, provided with means for coupling to a supply source for oxygen and/or other gases and, at its other end, closed, and having between its two ends a patient connecting member comprising an upstream and a downstream tubular member, each of which is designed for insertion into the nostrils of a patient.
As used herein, the upstream tubular member is the tubular member which is most proximate to the gas supply relative to the flow duct. It is also referred to as the supply side.
Such device may for instance be used for the supply of gas in the form of oxygen to a bedridden patient through his nostrils. However, the gas supplied may also be a mixture of oxygen and for instance atmospheric air. For the sake of simplicity, however, the device will be referred to in the following as an oxygen supply device.
In the known oxygen supply devices of the type described above, however, such oxygen supply is effected in an inconvenient manner, especially when high flow rates are involved. It has been found that when supplied through the oxygen supply device, the oxygen flow in an amount suitable for the patient exits primarily through the downstream tubular member which has been inserted into the patient's one nostril. In some instances, the gas flow in the flow duct may even draw air out of the patient through the upstream tubular member. Of course, this results in considerably increased flow rates in the downstream tubular member, and as the gas flows into the patient's nose the nasal tissue will be exposed to correspondingly increased pressures which causes the patient much discomfort and in case of longterm insertion of the oxygen supply device, it may even be painful. Moreover, the increased flow rates for the oxygen causes the nasal mucosa to dry out thereby causing an irritation condition which is also very uncomfortable to the patient.
Thus, it is the object of the present invention to provide an oxygen supply device of the above-mentioned type which eliminates or attenuates the above drawbacks.
This is obtained with an oxygen supply device of the kind described above which is characterized in that the connecting member is constructed with means to increase the flow resistance beyond the upstream one of the tubular members to be inserted into the patient's nostrils.
Such oxygen supply device provides substantially even flow rates through the respective tubular members which are inserted into the patient's nostrils thereby reducing the patient's discomforts.
According to a convenient embodiment of the invention the means for increasing the flow resistance causes the flow area to be reduced beyond the upstream tubular member.
This reduction of the flow area may e.g. be established by increasing the wall thickness inwards in the flow duct in a section between the two tubular members, or the downstream tubular member may alternatively be constructed with a smaller flow area compared to the upstream tubular member.
The patient connecting member of the oxygen supply device is conveniently constructed as a separate element wherein at least the one end of the connecting member may be fitted with a first tubular connecting member which constitutes the flow conduit between the gas supply and the patient connecting member. The patient connecting member may be closed immediately at the downstream end so as to form the other, closed end of the flow conduit.
However, a flexible extension member, e.g. in the form of a second tubular conduit closed at one end, may advantageously be mounted at the downstream end of the patient connecting member, which extension member may be connected to the first tubular conduit member by means of a coupling device and thus it can serve to secure the oxygen supply device behind the patient's head.
In the following the invention will be described in further detail with reference to the drawings, wherein
FIG. 1 is a patient's view of an embodiment of
REFERENCES:
patent: 3682171 (1972-08-01), Dali et al.
Maersk Medical A/S
Millin Vincent
Vigil Thomas R.
Wieland Robert N.
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