Dragerwerk Aktiengesellschaft

Michael Wendt

Erik Schwanbom

Lutz Freitag

Franz J Dankwart

A method of and apparatus for producing a controlled pressure level in a respirator for human patients which is equipped with a tracheal tube 3 connected to the respirator and connectable to the trachea, comprises producing an oscillatory gas stream by means of two opposite gas jets in an attachment tube 4 which has two end openings. By controlling the pressure and/or frequency of the gas jets, a varying pressure level propagating into the tracheal tube is modulated onto the gas stream. The respirator for carrying out the method comprises two gas jet pipes 20, 21 having nozzle tips 24, 25 of which one discharges or points within the attachment tube 4 substantially in the direction of the tracheal tube 3 and the other substantially in the opposite direction.

Method and apparatus for controlling a pressure level in a respirator

A suction adapter for connecting a suction cathetor to a tracheal tube which is also connected to a respirator comprises a hollow body which has a first opening with a tracheal tube receiver fitting, a second opening with a respirator line connector and a third opening for introducing a suction catheter which is advantageously aligned with the tracheal tube receiver fitting. The hollow body or connector includes a first valve which closes the outside of the third opening and it includes a valve member which may be stopped in a closed as well as in an opened position. The second valve member is located within the hollow body and is spaced from the outside or first valve member. A passage in the interior of the hollow body is defined between the two valve members and the second valve member includes a valve seat at the end of the passage and a valve member which is pivotally mounted in the body which is engageable on the valve seat to close the passage. This second valve member is urged by a spring into a closing position. In accordance with the method of the invention, when the suction catheter is to be introduced into the fitting, the catheter housed in a casing of plastic is connected to the fitting by the insertion of a stop sleeve member after the member has been freed from the plastic. A catheter tube enclosed in the plastic is inserted through the stop sleeve and into the fitting after the first valve member is in the opened position. The stop sleeve contacts the inner valve or second valve and the amount of the insertion of the stop sleeve is controlled by knurls formed on the outside of the stop sleeve. A catheter tube is pushed through its plastic coating and through the stop sleeve and it is connected at its opposite end to a source of suction after first removing a plastic covering from this end of the tube. After the drainage is effected the catheter tube is withdrawn into its enclosing plastic so that no contamination of the outside atmosphere is possible.

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Munster, Germany

Michael Wendt