Ric Investments, Inc.

Respironics, Inc.

Koninklijke Philips Corporation N.v.

Other

The Penn State Research Foundation

Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.v.

Douglas M Mechlenburg

Mark C Estes

Stefanie Lattner

Michael Edward Colbaugh

John H Fiore

Erik Kurt Witt

William Edwin Clegg

Eugene Nelson Scarberry

Eric William Starr

Heather Dawn Ressler

Steven A Kimmel

Jeff Kepler

Winslow Kevin Duff

Gregory Yurko

Mark Dominic D'Angelo

J Raymond Pujol

William H Broadley

Kevin Michael Bowen

Daniel A Jonczak

Peter Chi Fai Ho

Peter Douglas Hill

Janice M Cattano

Stephen Dalton Pittman

Edmund Arnliot Shaw

Vijay Kumar Iyer

Roger Paul Gaumond

Richard J Coldren

Rodger P Gaumond

Ronald Dean Dean Fligge

Nathan Zimmerman

Eric Kurt Witt

A respiration appliance, system, and method for supporting the airway of a subject as the subject breaths. The flow of gas from the lungs of the subject during exhalation is leveraged to provide support to the airway. In particular, a body that encloses one or more external orifices of the subject provides a resistance differential between inhaled gas flows and exhaled gas flows that supports the subject's airway.

System and respiration appliance for supporting the airway of a subject

An apparatus for use in diagnosing the presence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a patient includes a sensing module structured to measure a parameter indicative of a tremor in the patient's neck, tongue and/or throat muscles while the patient is awake, the parameter not being airflow through the patient's airway. The sensing module generates one or more electrical signals based on the measured parameter. The apparatus also includes a processor operatively coupled to the sensing module, the processor being structured to receive the one or more electrical signals, perform an analysis of the one or more electrical signals, and based on the analysis determine whether the tremor has a frequency in at least one predetermined frequency range that is indicative of OSA.

Method and apparatus for diagnosing obstructive sleep apnea with an awake patient

A method of treating lung disease, such as asthma or COPD, is provided that includes determining a parameter indicative of a patient's pulmonary mechanics (such as, without limitation, airway resistance or lung compliance), and delivering positive pressure support to the airway of the patient, wherein the pressure level (which may be constant or variable) of the positive pressure support during at least a portion of the inspiratory phase of the patient is determined based on the determined parameter.

System and method for treating lung disease using positive pressure airway support

A respiration appliance (), system (), and method () for supporting the airway of a subject () as the subject () breaths. The flow of gas from the lungs of the subject () during exhalation is leveraged to provide support to the airway. In particular, a body () that encloses one or more external orifices of the subject () provides a resistance differential between inhaled gas flows and exhaled gas flows that supports the subject's airway.

A respiration appliance, system, and method for supporting the airway of a subject as the subject breathes. The flow of gas from the lungs of the subject during exhalation is leveraged to provide support to the airway. In particular, a body that encloses one or more external orifices of the subject provides a resistance differential between inhaled gas flows and exhaled gas flows that supports the subject's airway.

System, method and respiration appliance for supporting the airway of a subject

A method of treating lung disease, such as asthma or COPD, is provided that includes delivering positive pressure support to an airway of a patient during a plurality of respiratory cycles, and automatically varying a pressure level of the positive pressure support during at least a portion of the inspiratory phase of the patient in a number of the respiratory cycles.

A system/method for reducing or eliminating application of continuous, repeated, and/or excessive pressure at the contact footprints of a patient interface device and headgear assembly. For example, a patient interface with a plurality of cushions, each producing a different contact footprint when worn by the patient is employed. As another example, a plurality of patient interface devices, each having a cushion that produces a different contact footprint when worn by the patient, are employed. As another example, a patient interface device having a cushion, the configuration/shape of which can be altered such that the contact footprint which it produces is also changed, is employed. The contact footprint to which the patient is exposed is altered after a predetermined time period.

Patient interface with variable footprint

A medical device, such as pressure support system, and a method of communicating with such a device using an information storage device. The information storage device, in one embodiment, is adapted to be provided in a slot in the medical device so that information for controlling the operating of the pressure support device can be read from the information storage device, information regarding the usage and/or operation of the pressure support device can be written to the information storage device, or both operations can be performed.

Method and apparatus for monitoring and controlling a medical device

An apparatus and method in which the portions of the labyrinth associated with the labyrinthine sense and/or the nerves associated therewith are stimulated to perform at least one of the following functions: augment or control a patient's respiratory function, open the patient's airway, induce sleep, and/or counteract vertigo. In one embodiment, the vestibular stimulating system of the present invention includes 1) a stimulation element that performs the actual stimulation of the tissue, 2) a sensor to detect a physiological condition of the patient, and 3) a power/control unit that receives the signals provided by the sensor and causes stimulation energy to be provided to the stimulation element at an appropriate timing, level, pattern, and/or frequency to achieve the desired function. However, the present invention also contemplates eliminating the sensor in favor of applying a predetermined pattern of stimulation to the patient.

Vestibular stimulation system and method

A method of employing a pressure generating system that provides a pressure therapy to the pulmonary system of a patient and to enable the patient to interact with the pressure support system, for example, to monitor the effectiveness of the treatment provided by the pressure support system. The interactive system includes an output device that provides first information to the patient, an input device that allows the patient to provide second information that is based on the first information and a control unit that controls the operation of the output device to present the first information and collection of the second information via the input device. In a further embodiment, the operation of the pressure generating system is controlled based on the second information provided by the patient.

Method of providing interactive pressure support

A system including methods and apparatus for treatment of a medical disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea or congestive heart failure. The system involves applying a gain to flow rate of pressurized gas delivered to a patient during inspiratory and/or expiratory phases of a respiratory cycle to deliver the pressurized gas in proportion to the respective gains during inspiration and/or expiration. A base pressure may be applied in addition to the gain-modified pressures and an elevated pressure profile may be employed to assist or control inspiration. The system may be fully automated responsive to feedback provided by a flow sensor that determines the estimated patient flow rate. A leak computer can be included to instantaneously calculate gas leakage from the system. The system may be utilized in connection with conventional continuous positive airway pressure treatments, such as CPAP or bi-level positive airway pressure equipment to effect various beneficial treatment applications.

Method and apparatus for providing positive airway pressure to a patient

Growing community of inventors

Pittsburgh, PA, United States of America

Douglas M Mechlenburg