Other

Biochem International Inc.

Treymed, Inc.

Cardiopulmonary Technologies, Inc.

Criticare Systems, Inc.

Pryon Incorporated

Robert H Ricciardelli

Michael J Marking

John E Shulze

Mark S Storsved

Bruce S Biendarra

Robert M Sommer

Roger W Blazel

A side-stream respiration monitoring system that is configured to generate an alignment57, 59 signal and assess information that is derived in part from the alignment signal to align in a time domain the respiration flow and composition information. The system includes an analyzer that is fluidly connected to a flow sensor that is disposed in a respiration flow path. The system includes a controller that is configured to initiate delivery of the alignment signal to the flow sensor during a portion of at least one breath cycle. The controller is configured to determine a flow rate of respiration flow and at least a portion of a composition of the respiration flow on a breath-by-breath basis and temporally associate the respiration flow value and the determined portion(s) of the composition of the respiration flow as a function of information associated with the alignment signal generated by the analyzer.

Side-stream respiratory gas monitoring system

A gas flow diverter for increasing the turbulence of an incoming respiratory gas flow through a respiratory gas sensor is provided. The diverter is positioned at a patient or inlet end of a tube section of the sensor in order to divert the respiratory gas flow from the patient generally equally across the cross-sectional area of the tube section. The diverter can be formed integrally as a part of the sensor, or can be releasably attached to the sensor or to an adapter that is releasably connected to the inlet end of the sensor for use in situations in which the volume of the incoming respiratory gas flow from the patient is greatly reduced due to the size of the patient, i.e., when the patient is an infant.

Gas flow diverter for respiratory monitoring device

A side-stream respiration monitoring system includes a sensor, a monitor, and a display. The sensor is constructed to engage respiration flows having a variable flow amounts and acquire a respiration sample from the flow. The monitor is connected to the sensor and configured to determine the amount of respiration flow as well as the amount of several constituents of the respiration flow such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, water, and nitrous oxide. The monitor is also configured to adjust the determined values for ambient environment variations and is self-calibrating with respect to the ambient conditions. The monitor temporally aligns the acquired data to account for dead-space respiration events and physiological respiration modifications such as cardiac events. Information generated by the monitor is communicated to an operator via a display configured to display the real-time respiration performance.

Side-stream respiratory gas monitoring system and method

In a respiratory air flow measuring monitor, a subassembly for analyzing certain respiratory gases through infrared spectroscopy includes an infrared emitter and an infrared detector, the amount of energy detected by the detector corresponding to the concentration of the gas selected for analysis. The subassembly includes a gas sample chamber that utilizes an elliptical reflecting surface for the infrared light source. The light source and detector are both oriented longitudinally along the axis of the ellipse and the light source and detector are each located at the two focal points of the ellipse in order to optimize the light absorption reading. The gas content analyzer subassembly additionally incorporates various compensatory features, allowing for automatic temperature and pressure compensation. Specifically, the analyzer includes a continuous air puree feature that inhibits moisture from collecting within the lumen tubes of the analyzer and interfering with the operation of the analyzer.

Respiratory measurement system with continuous air purge

In a respiratory air flow measuring monitor, a subassembly for analyzing certain respiratory gases through infrared spectroscopy includes an infrared emitter and an infrared detector, the amount of energy detected by the detector corresponding to the concentration of the gas selected for analysis. The subassembly includes a gas sample chamber that utilizes an elliptical reflecting surface for the infrared light source. The light source and detector are both oriented longitudinally along the axis of the ellipse and the light source and detector are each located at the two focal points of the ellipse in order to optimize the light absorption reading. The gas content analyzer subassembly additionally incorporates various compensatory features, allowing for automatic temperature and pressure compensation. For ease of use and serviceability, the components of the subassembly are contained within a field replaceable housing that includes electronic memory chips for calibrating temperature and pressure constants used in respiratory measurements.

Infrared gas content analyzing apparatus

In a respiratory air flow measuring monitor, a tubing connector for connecting lumen tubing to the analyzer module includes a connector housing for attaching the tubing connector to the analyzer module, and a female socket in the connector housing for receiving the lumen tubing therein. A light-emitting diode and corresponding light detector detects the presence of the lumen tubing within the female socket. A second pair of light emitters and diodes discriminates different types of respiratory air flow sensors attached to the analyzer module. The female socket is configured to receive multiple lumen tubes, and to maintain polarity by discriminating different diameters of the lumen tubes.

Tubing connector

A moisture absorbing media filter includes a housing into which a moisture absorbing material is placed, an end cap fabricated from a clear plastic fits over the housing, exhalations pass through the end cap into an impermeable tube which terminates at substantially the middle of a bore contained in the moisture absorbing material. A tapered chamber follows the impermeable tube and terminates at the end of the moisture absorbing material, a reduced passage follows a pellet filter and leads to an outlet opening, a dyeing agent is deposited into the tapered chamber, a predetermined amount of low vapor pressure, water soluble liquid is also deposited into the tapered chamber. Exhalations enter the inlet opening and pass through the impermeable tube into the tapered chamber, low vapor pressure, water soluble liquid deposited in the tapered chamber allows moisture in the gas to be absorbed by the moisture absorbing material but not the gas itself. Moisture absorbed by the filter forces the dyeing agent outward to the cylindrical body of the housing and to the end cap thus indicating that the filter should be discarded. Gas passes through a pellet filter which will not allow the gas to pass if the pellet filter has become substantially saturated with moisture. The gas then passes into a moisture filter which contains a second pellet filter which operates as the first pellet filter and finally, the gas passes into a monitoring system.

Moisture absorbing media filter

A gas-liquid separator apparatus and device, particularly for use in connection with medical gas analyses, such as capnography, is provided. The separation chamber tapers in a direction from the blow down port to the dry gas outlet port providing increased surface area in the lower portion of the separation chamber for providing capillary volumes or regions. A solid body is disposed in the separation chamber to provide a surface of the capillary volumes and to decrease the effective volume of the separation chamber. The body can be used to occlude the dry gas outlet port upon tipping of the separation chamber at greater than a predetermined angle. A number of internal fins extend inwardly from the side wall and bottom surface into the separation chamber to form capillary volumes in cooperation with the side wall, bottom surface and/or solid body.

Gas-liquid microvolume separating apparatus and method

An adjustable fiber optic light mode mixer comprises a length of fiber optic material disposed in a generally circular spiral shape, the spiral having at least two coils, the coils being splayed as to be not co-planar. The fiber so disposed has a plurality of different radii, whereby modes of light transmitted by the fiber are well mixed. The mode mixer is readily adjusted by altering the shape or splaying of the coils. A method and apparatus are disclosed.

Fiber optic light mode mixer

A gas/liquid separator for a gas analyzer includes a separation chamber having a spherically domed upper wall and a pyramid-shaped lower wall. An incoming sample to be separated is introduced into the separation chamber at one corner of the pyramid via an inlet port, liquid is removed via a liquid outlet port at the apex of the pyramid, and gas is removed via a gas outlet port in the domed upper wall. The pyramid forms internal corners, some of which converge smoothly toward the liquid outlet port so as to channel liquid away from the gas outlet port. All internal corners are separated from the gas outlet port by more than 0.05 inches in order to reduce any tendency of liquid which was collected in the internal corners to bridge across to the gas outlet port.

Liquid separator for gas analyzer

A biological monitoring probe carrier incorporating a spiral retaining coil is easily put in place by a drive wrench passing through a guide channel with a longitudinal slot. Said channel holds the probe carrier near its distal end and holds a monitor cable alongside a shaft of the drive wrench which includes means for engaging the probe carrier to turn and advance it for the purpose of securing to tissue the retaining coil embedded in the distal end of the carrier. The proximal end of the wrench shaft includes a manipulating means for advancing the wrench a predetermined distance once the guide channel is placed against the tissue. The drive wrench is then withdrawn and the cable may then be released as the guide channel is withdrawn by allowing the cable to slip freely through the slot without need for disconnecting the monitor apparatus from the proximal end of the monitor cable.

Applicator structure for biological needle probes employing

A protection system for a gas analyzer is described which monitors gas pressure adjacent a sample cell included in the analyzer. The sample cell is connected via a gas/liquid separator to an input sample conduit. The measured pressure indicates when the separator is clogged with excessive liquid. A control circuit is provided which responds to selected pressure conditions by automatically controlling the valve to interrupt the flow of gas from the separator to the sample chamber. In this way, the sample chamber is protected against contamination by liquid. In the preferred embodiment, the sample chamber and the separator are automatically backflushed to remove any water contamination.

Gas analyzer protection system

A gas/liquid separator for a gas analyzer is described. The separator includes a separator chamber made up of two component chambers. The first of these component chambers is relatively shallow in depth and serves to connect an input port with a lower output port. The second of these two component chambers is less shallow in depth and serves to interconnect the lower output port with the upper output port. This second component chamber is bounded by two diverging surfaces which diverge in the direction of the upper output port. A barrier extends into the separator chamber to separate the input port from the upper output port and to prevent the flow of liquid directly from the input port to the output port.

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Waukesha, WI, United States of America

Robert H Ricciardelli