Surgery – Instruments – Internal pressure applicator
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-27
2003-12-30
Dawson, Glenn K. (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Instruments
Internal pressure applicator
C128SDIG008, C128S207180, C128S200240, C606S204450
Reexamination Certificate
active
06669712
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to nasal oxygen cannula technology. More specifically, the present invention pertains to devices and methods especially configured and adapted to stabilize and increase the retention of nasal oxygen cannulas while increasing the comfort of wearing same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Nasal oxygen cannulas are utilized to deliver oxygen directly to nasal airways in order to infuse oxygen into the inspirational air flow of patients in need of such therapy. Typically, these systems utilize a relatively large bore plastic supply tube as a conduit for providing gas flow from a pressurized oxygen source to proximal ends of a pair of plastic oxygen delivery tubes—having relatively smaller bores—. The pair of oxygen delivery tubes are ordinarily equal in length. The distal portions of the delivery tubes, conventionally, enter into opposite ends of a short, expanded piece of plastic tubing, referred to as an oxygen delivery barrel. Thus the oxygen delivery barrel acts to join and form a loop between the two oxygen supply tubes thereby providing a junction. The barrel is typically cylindrical in shape, formed of a short length of enlarged plastic tubing provided with small diameter, stub like extensions known as oxygen delivery stubs. The stubs are open at their distal ends and are positioned in circumferential alignment upon the barrel and at right angles,—or transverse—to the longitudinal axis of the barrel. The oxygen delivery stubs are positioned so that the distance there between approximates an average distance between the nostrils in which they will be positioned.
The bores of the oxygen supply tube, oxygen delivery tubes, oxygen supply barrel and delivery stubs are in fluid communication. Therefore, oxygen flowing from a pressurized oxygen source to the proximal end of the supply tube will flow through the supply tube and then on to the delivery tubes which will conduct the oxygen to the delivery barrel. As pressurized oxygen fills the barrel, oxygen will flow out from the stubs and into the nostrils of an individual in which the stubs are positioned. Thereafter, the patients own inspirational air flow will assist entry of the oxygen supplied by the catheter/cannula through the respiratory tract and into the lungs.
In order to properly provide oxygen delivery to a patient, oxygen catheter/cannulas must be maintained in a position wherein the delivery stubs are aligned with and retained within each of a patients nostrils. Conventional catheter/cannulas have largely depended upon the use of the pair of oxygen delivery tubes, connected to each end of the barrel, to stabilize the barrels position under the nose and thereby assist in maintaining the position of the oxygen delivery stubs within the patient's nostrils. By looping each of two delivery tubes over the top of each ear, a portion of the tube becomes trapped in the skin folds between the ear and the skin of the head medial thereto. The tension provided by trapping the tubes under the ear, prevents free movement of the delivery tubes and thus provides stabilization of the oxygen delivery barrel under and delivery stubs under a user's nose and within a user's nostrils.
Proximal to the ear folds—relative to the oxygen supply—the pair of delivery tubes junction with the larger diameter supply tube under the patients head. Alternatively, the delivery tubes may pass behind the ears, around the neck and under the patients chin where the tubes junction with the single supply tube.
The above-described method and apparatus does provide, in some circumstances, for limited oxygen cannula stabilization. In fact, utilizing the above-described conventional oxygen cannula without an ear loop will ordinarily result in rapid displacement of the delivery stubs upon movement of the patient's head. However, there are also many disadvantages and limitations related to utilizing this conventional apparatus and method. For example, patients do tend to move their heads during sleep. Therefore, there is an associated movement of the pair of oxygen delivery tubes looped behind the ears. Movement of these tubes often causes irritation, abrasion and pain arising from friction at the skin folds between the ear and head. As a result of such pain, patients often “shake off” the catheter/cannula in during the restless and interrupted sleep caused thereby. The frequent loss of the oxygen delivery stubs from the patients nostrils caused by shake off and displacement deprives the patient of required consistent oxygen therapy. In light of the current nursing shortage, the constant checking and supervision required by such an unreliable and high maintenance stabilization means is highly undesirable and, more importantly, ineffective. In addition, the afore-mentioned abrasion and irritation tend to interfere with patient rest as well as increasing the possibility that the catheter/cannula will be removed before adequate oxygen therapy is provided. The terms “nasal catheter/cannula”, “nasal cannula”, “nasal oxygen catheter/cannula” and “nasal oxygen cannula” as utilized throughout this specification and within the claims are interchangeable and refer, collectively and individually to a device comprised of an oxygen supply delivery, oxygen delivery tube, an oxygen supply barrel and nasal stubs utilized to provide oxygen delivery and/or enrichment therapy to a user by delivering oxygen directly to a user's external nasal airways.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,169 (the “169 patent”) addresses, to some extent, the above-described catheter/cannula positioning/retention problems. In order to improve retention of the nasal oxygen delivery stubs within the nostrils, the '169 patent discloses the use of a detachable retainer which is positioned along the ridge pole of the nose. The ridge pole retainer, defining what may be described as an “L” shaped strut, has a long “leg” and a short “leg”. The long leg of the strut is configured and adapted to generally conform to and lie upon the ridge pole of the nose from the root of the nose to an area proximate to the tip of the nose. The strut is comprised of a flexible material such as a plastic or fabric covered/padded metal framework. They may be secured to the ridge pole of the nose with a suitable adhesive means such as, for example, external tape or a self-adhesive backing. The short leg of the strut lies in an angular relationship with the long strut so that it may be positioned under the nose, generally in line with the nasal septum. In certain embodiments, a cup-shaped portion of the retainer, extending lateral to a junction of the long and short leg of the strut, is especially configured and adapted to capture the tip of the nose.
The short leg also includes, in certain preferred embodiments, a curved portion that is especially adapted and configured to pass around and securely hold an oxygen delivery barrel. The barrel is thus held and secured in a position and orientation that assures that delivery stubs arising therefrom remain well within a patients nostrils.
As described above, the device disclosed by the '169 patent is advantageously comprised of a springy plastic or springy metal backbone demonstrating high elastic memory within operational limits. The backbone is advantageously covered with a soft fabric padding. The elastic memory of the device, in combination with the contour and elastic nature thereof, provides a traction force to the nose when the device is secured along the ridge pole of a patient's nose. The device may be so secured by any suitable means including, for example, elastic strips or a self-adhesive backing. The traction force of the device, so applied and secured, tends to pull the tip of the wearer's nose both upward and inward. More specifically, as the long arm of the retainer, contoured to approximate to the ridge pole is urged upward towards the root of the nose (due to its shape, spring tension and the effect of the adhesive strips and/or backing), the cup-shaped portion pulls the tip of the nose upward and inwa
Dawson Glenn K.
Rogers Towers, P.A.
Vermut Richard S.
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