Surgery – Truss – Pad
Patent
1994-03-25
1995-09-05
Cohen, Lee S.
Surgery
Truss
Pad
A61B 508
Patent
active
054471656
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TITLE OF THE INVENTION
A method for Ascertaining Prevailing Lung Condition and a Device Herefor
1. Technical Field
The present invention relates primarily to a method of ascertaining the current condition of a lung or lungs of a living subject chosen for the purpose of ascertaining the lung condition of said subject, by measuring the nitrogen monoxide content of the exhalation air.
The invention also relates to a device for indicating and/or recording whether or not the current condition of a lung or lungs of a living subject chosen for the purpose of evaluating a lung condition is fully satisfactory or maximal or deviates from a maximal value, by measuring the nitrogen monoxide content of the exhalation air.
2. Known Prior Art
Since the present invention is based on evaluating the amount of nitrogen monoxide (NO) that is produced in living subjects that have a respiratory cycle, it can be mentioned by way of introduction that it is known that endothelium cells on the inner surfaces of blood vessels produce nitrogen monoxide in the body.
The Applicant has established that alveolar cells, the epithelium of the respiratory tract or any other cell that is in contact with air-containing parts of the lung produces endogenous nitrogen monoxide and that this nitrogen monoxide is secreted into the exhalation air. The Applicant has based the invention on this discovery.
The invention is also based on the evaluation of this formation of endogenous nitrogen monoxide in the lungs as a means for assessing the condition of the lungs, and on the understanding that this nitrogen monoxide can scarcely originate from other organs of the body, because, in such case, nitrogen monoxide would immediately bind to blood hemoglobin with subsequent decomposition.
The invention is also based on the understanding that the nitrogen monoxide content of exhalation air is influenced by different factors, such as by toxic bacteria, oxygen content or carbon dioxide content of the inhalation or exhalation gas.
In support of this conclusion, it can be mentioned that tests carried out in practice have shown clearly that the exhalation air contains measurable concentrations of nitrogen monoxide when the air inhaled is pure, and that the measurable production of nitrogen monoxide in the lungs can be blocked by nitrogen monoxide synthesis inhibitors.
Furthermore, animal experiments have shown that when blood circulation is stopped and the lungs ventilated with the aid of a respirator, the exhalation air still contains a measurable quantity of nitrogen monoxide. This indicates that the alveolar cells, respiratory tract mucus membrane or other cells in direct or close connection with the air-containing parts of the lung play an active roll in the formation of nitrogen monoxide, and that this occurs independently of or in addition to the earlier known formation of nitrogen monoxides in the endothelium cells and which has been considered to be stimulated by the blood flow.
Since the present invention is based on the ability to measure or assay relatively small quantities of nitrogen monoxide, it can be mentioned that the possibility of evaluating the nitrogen monoxide content of a gas with the aid of chemiluminescence techniques is already known, e.g. with the aid of Monitor Labs, 8840, NO/NO.sub.2 analyzer, retailed by Hasselvik AB, Cathrineholms g.ang.rd, Katrineholm, Sweden.
Nitrogen monoxide (NO) can also be shown to exist in exhaled air by collecting the nitrogen monoxide in distilled water to which iron (II) sulphate is added, freeze-drying the water to dryness and thereafter showing the nitrogen monoxide in nitrite form, either by means of a diazo-reaction according to Martin, et al, or with the aid of a Niturtest.sup.R using a qualitative nitrite stick.
Earlier known measuring instruments operating with mass-spectrography can also be used for this purpose.
Since the present invention is concerned with assessing the current condition or function of a lung, it should be mentioned that it is previously known to be possible to ascertain the con
REFERENCES:
patent: 3799149 (1974-03-01), Rummel et al.
patent: 3951607 (1976-04-01), Fraser
patent: 4333476 (1982-06-01), Downing, Jr.
patent: 4796639 (1989-01-01), Snow et al.
Cohen Lee S.
Green Brian M.
LandOfFree
Method for ascertaining prevailing lung condition and a device does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method for ascertaining prevailing lung condition and a device, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method for ascertaining prevailing lung condition and a device will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-467190