Resmed Limited

Australian Centre for Advanced Medical Technology Ltd.

Sunshine Heart Company Pty Limited

Sonomedical Pty Ltd

The University of Sydney

The Institute of Respiratory Medicine Limited

Somed Pty. Ltd.

Australian Centre for Advanced Medical Technology Pty Ltd

Colin Edward Sullivan

Christopher Edward Lynch

Geoffrey Hamilton White

William Suttle Peters

Hans Hansforth Henrichsen

Frederick Paget Milsom

Paul Wilkie

Rolf Gunnar Unger

Peter Crispin Lawrence Marsh

Michael Berthon-Jones

Michel Calluaud

Philip Rodney Kwok

Kenneth Frederick Hely

Jakob Walter Bruderer

Peter Spencer

Mark Bradley Norman

Jakob W Bruderer

Peter Charles Spencer

Ricardo Bianchi

Frederick Paget Milson

A mask for supplying gas under pressure to an airway of a human including a flexible manifold shell, an air inlet connected to an air delivery pipe, and at least two side walls which are at least partially formed by portions of the manifold shell. A flexible face contacting element defines an orifice to accommodate the nose of the human. Straps connected to the mask allow forces exerted by the straps to deform the manifold shell at least along X and Y axes, creating a variety of different orifice shapes. The face contacting part includes a flexible membrane allowing X and Y axis movement of the mask and movement of the mask along a Z axis between the user's face and the manifold shell. The flexible membrane may deform while retaining a gas seal against the face of a wearer.

Respirator mask

A system and associated method is disclosed to monitor physiological activity of a subject. One or more sensors are positioned in or on a support, the support being adapted to receive the subject, at least a first one of the sensors being adapted to produce a first signal indicative of movement of the subject over time. Processing apparatus is adapted to identify first, second and third portions of the first signal. The first and third portions correspond to first and third time periods, respectively, during which the subject changes body position on the support. The second portion corresponds to a second time period, between the first and third time periods, during which substantially no change in body position of the subject on the support takes place.

System and method for monitoring physiological activity of a subject

A mask for supplying gas under pressure to the nasal airway of an infant human includes a manifold for supplying air to an aperture in the mask. A shaped membrane structure formed from a thin walled membrane defines an enclosure for receiving at least the nares of an infant human nose and a generally trapezoidal aperture adapted to fit around the nasal area of the infant human. Part of the membrane around the aperture is sufficiently flexible to mold to the shape of the infant human's nasal area or is contoured to generally match the contours around that nasal area while the membrane structure itself has sufficient rigidity to support the weight of the backing plate without collapsing. The provision of a generally trapezoidal rather than the generally triangular apertures for fitting around the nares provides a substantially improved fit when the mask is used with infants. The molding or contouring of the membrane structure around the aperture to match the shape of the infant's facial contours around the nasal area including the provision of a generally planar portion surrounding the aperture is also important in ensuring a comfortable fit and an effective seal. The mask is entirely formed from a flexible elastomeric material for reason of comfort and function.

Mask

A sensor system comprises a mat () for placement over a patient's mattress including a number of sensors () located in the mat. The sensors include a sensor housing (), a sound vibration sensing element in the form of a PVDF membrane (), and means for amplifying sensed sounds. The PVDF membrane is coated/covered with a typically latex, impedance matching layer (). The sensor automatically provides for auscultation, in which the patient's own weight, from the patient lying on the bed, compresses their thorax against the membrane, compressing also the patient's clothing, bed sheet and mattress cover material between the two. The recoil in the mattress opposes the body mass, thus compressing the membrane against the thorax. The impedance matching layer on top of the membrane transmits fine breath sounds through to the membrane as the latex does not weaken or attenuate the fine breath sounds but transmits them to the PVDF membrane. However being flexible, it is not uncomfortable to lie on.

Sensor system

An apparatus and method for use in assisting a human heart are disclosed. The apparatus comprises an aortic compression means which may be fully implanatable, a fluid reservoir and a pump means adapted to pump a fluid from the reservoir to the aortic compression means so as to actuate the aortic compression means at least partly in counterpulsation with the patient's heart. In addition, the device is adapted to be wholly positioned within the right chest cavity of the patient. The aortic compression means of the device may be curved along its length so as to substantially replicate the curve of the ascending aorta.

Heart assist devices, systems and methods

A patient interface assembly adapted to be connected to a gas supply pump to deliver pressurized breathable gas to the inlet of a patient's respiratory system includes a patient interface structured to provide a seal with the patient and at least one inlet tube provided to the patient interface. Each inlet tube includes a substantially flat lower side wall to face the patient and a substantially arcuate upper side wall.

Patient interface assembly for CPAP respiratory apparatus

An apparatus and a method for the treatment of an upper airway flow limitation, the apparatus including a means to detect an interruption in an upper airway inspiratory flow rate of the patient and further including a treatment means which treats the upper airway flow limitation on detection of the interruption cycle.

Apparatus and method for the treatment of an upper airway flow limitation

A patient interface assembly adapted to be connected to a gas supply pump to deliver breathable gas to the inlet of a patient's respiratory system comprises a supply conduit, a patient interface, a branch swivel connector including a Y-piece and an elbow that swivels relative to the Y-piece, the branch swivel connector being adapted to be located to the rear of a patient's head in use and being connected to the supply conduit. A pair of inlet tubes each have a first end positioned in use near a mouth of a patient and are connected to the nose mask, a middle portion arranged to pass across a cheek of a patient and an end portion being joined to the Y-piece of the branch connector. The inlet tubes have a flat configuration and are provided with a plurality of internal ribs which prevent the tubes being crushed. A strap is secured to the patient interface and adapted to pass around the sides and rear of the head to hold the patient interface in position on the head.

Patient interface for respiratory apparatus

A mask () for supplying gas under pressure to the nasal airway of a human includes a manifold () including means () for connection to a gas supply means, a gas supply element or elements () for providing said gas to the nasal airway without pressurising the exterior of the nose and a flexible strap () formed from an elastomeric material for securing the manifold () in position. The strap () extends either side of the manifold () and is shaped to generally conform with the shape of the upper lip and adjacent cheek area to act as a distributed anchor means for the mask ().

Patients may operate a CAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem can be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Method and apparatus useful in the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea of a patient

This invention concerns a method and system for automatically determining heart rate. The invention can be applied to determining the heart of any animal including humans. The method involves sensing body sounds and transducing them to electrical signals. Digitizing the electrical signals. Emphasizing the heart sound maxima (Sand Ssignals) relative to noise by filtering, decompression and squaring. Detecting local maxima in the signals as likely Ssignals and generating a threshold amplitude. Selecting maxima that exceed the threshold as surviving likely candidate Ssignals. Screening the surviving candidate Sagainst physiologically derived criteria. And, calculating the heart rate from the screened S.

Determining heart rate

Patients may operate a CPAP system to deliver appropriate airway pressure at their home. A patient's apnea problem ca be diagnosed at home without supervision with a CPAP device which delivers a continuously minimum appropriate pressure for substantially the entire period of therapy.

Growing community of inventors

Birchgrove, Australia

Colin Edward Sullivan