Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Respiratory gas supply means enters mouth or tracheotomy...
Patent
1994-04-28
1996-01-30
Lewis, Aaron J.
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Respiratory gas supply means enters mouth or tracheotomy...
12820716, A61M 1600
Patent
active
054873827
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a tracheotomy filter for tracheotomy patients having a surgically formed opening linking the trachea to the skin comprising an apertured casing fastened to the periphery of the surgical opening by an annular flange adhering to the skin, a hydrophilic filter mass forming an exchanger for alternate exchange of heat and moisture between exhaled air and inhaled air and a grill between the filter mass and the surgical opening.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In tracheotomy patients, because inhaled air enters the trachea directly it is very important for health reasons and for the patient to be able to breath comfortably that the inhaled air is at substantially the same temperature and contains the same quantities of moisture and dust as if it had reached the trachea after passing through the upper airway (nostrils, nose, pharynx and larynx), meaning a temperature approaching 32.degree. C. with a moisture content approaching saturation at the temperature of this air and substantially free of dust.
The arrangements stated hereinabove enable this result to be achieved to some degree; the filter mass blocks a major part of the dust in suspension in the air, of course; the water vapor contained in the exhaled air, which is saturated at the temperature of the organism, condenses on the filter mass which is therefore heated substantially to the body temperature; inhaled air, arriving at the temperature of the ambient air, is warmed and takes up moisture in contact with the filter mass which is at a higher temperature and contains the condensed water.
However, these known arrangements do not provide sufficient protection against clogging of the pores of the filter mass by mucus expelled from the trachea. A defense measure of the organism against foreign bodies such as dust, microorganisms and dead cells, mucus must be blocked by the grill disposed between the surgical opening and the filter mass; however the current of exhaled air tends to entrain the mucus from the posterior side of the grill on which it is deposited towards the anterior side and from there to spread it over the surface of the filter mass in contact with the anterior side of the grill. Subsequent drying of the mucus forms a hardened crust which clogs the filter mass. The tracheotomy filter must then be replaced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An essential objective of the invention is to provide an improved tracheotomy filter whereby clogging of the filter mass is strongly retarded or even prevented.
To this end, the invention proposes a tracheotomy filter for a tracheotomy patient having a surgical opening joining the trachea to the skin comprising in an apertured casing attached to the periphery of the surgical opening by an annular flange adhering to the skin a hydrophilic filter mass forming an exchanger for alternate exchange of heat and moisture between exhaled air and inhaled air and a grill between the filter mass and the surgical opening, characterized in that, the grill being disposed in the casing with spaced apart anterior and posterior components respectively facing the filter mass and the surgical opening, the posterior component has calibrated openings and is spaced from the anterior component by a distance such that, in conjunction with the size of the passages, mucus expelled from the trachea can for the most part not reach the filter mass.
The applicant has found that the rheological properties (viscosity and surface tension) of mucus are such that, after adhering to a grill of appropriate mesh size to block it, it is likely to be drawn out in the direction of the exhaled air current without being detached or breaking and over a significant length dependent on the mesh size of the grill; consequently, by using a grill comprising two components an anterior component in contact with the filter mass and a posterior component exposed to the impact of mucus expelled from the trachea and by separating these grills by a distance greater than the maximum length to which the mucus can be drawn out t
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patent: 4759356 (1988-07-01), Muir
patent: 4809693 (1989-03-01), Rangoni et al.
patent: 4994117 (1991-02-01), Fehder
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