NEBULIZER MOUNTED ON INTERNAL CANNULA.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- MX · MX
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- VAPOTHERM INC
- Filing Date
- 2022-03-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-19
Smart Images
Figure MX433634B0
Abstract
Claims
1. A system for providing respiratory therapy to a patient comprising: a nasal cannula comprising a cannula body, first and second inlet tubes, and a nasal tip for supplying a flow of breathing gas to the patient, the breathing gas flow being supplied to the cannula body through the first and second inlet tubes, the nasal tip having a longitudinal axis, an inlet in fluid communication with the cannula body, and an outlet for insertion into the patient's nose; a nebulizer adapted to receive a liquid drug and having an aerosol generator positioned along and centered on the longitudinal axis, the aerosol generator operable to generate a flow of aerosolized drug from the liquid drug along the longitudinal axis;and a flow director having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being coupled to the cannula body and adapted to receive the breathing gas flow from the first and second inlet tubes and to direct the breathing gas flow towards the nasal tip so that the breathing gas flows along the longitudinal axis, and the second portion being attached to the nebulizer and configured so that the aerosolized drug flow is contained within the breathing gas flow as it moves along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip for delivery to the patient.
2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the breathing gas flows towards the nasal tip along a path having a breathing gas axis that is symmetrical along the longitudinal axis.
3. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow director forms an annular space between the nasal tip inlet and the nebulizer.
4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the flow director is configured such that the breathing gas flow has a pressure drop in the nasal cannula that is greater across the annular space.
5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the pressure drop in the breathing gas flow through the annular space is at least 30%.
6. The system according to claim 3, wherein the breathing gas flow passes through the annular space with a flow rate that is constant at any point along the annular space.
7. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol generator is placed along the longitudinal axis at a point where the breathing gas flow has a theoretical flow rate of zero.
8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the breathing gas flow is axisymmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip up to the point of theoretical zero flow, after which the flow is axially oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.
9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the breathing gas flow around the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip to the theoretical zero flow point is radial, substantially radial, or directed towards the longitudinal axis.
10. The system according to any of claims 8 to 9, wherein the breathing gas flow around the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip to the theoretical zero flow point has any conical, hyperbolic, parabolic, or circular shape.
11. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow director further comprises an anti-rotation element that prevents rotation of the breathing gas flow within the cannula body while being supplied to the cannula body through the first and second inlet tubes 12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a plurality of deflectors arranged symmetrically with respect to the flow director.
13. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second inlet tubes are arranged symmetrically with respect to the cannula body and directed towards the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.
14. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nasal tip has a hyperbolic or parabolic cross-section.
15. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the nebulizer is removably attached to the flow director.
16. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow director is coupled to the cannula body by means of an interference fit.
17. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow director is coupled to the inlet of the nasal tip.
18. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosol generator comprises a vibrating mesh.
19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the vibrating mesh is attached to a piezoelectric element.
20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the piezoelectric element is in electrical contact with a controller on a printed circuit board.
21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the piezoelectric element is in electrical contact with the printed circuit board through spring-loaded contact pins.
22. The system according to claim 21 further comprises cables that are in electrical contact with the printed circuit board to transmit electrical signals from a signal generator to the vibrating mesh.
23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the cables are wound through the first and / or second inlet tube of the nasal cannula.
24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising a housing that is attached to the cannula body.
25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the housing comprises injection-molded plastic.
26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the housing is attached to the cannula body by means of a snap-fit connection.
27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the housing contains a reservoir filled with liquid medicine, the reservoir being arranged such that the liquid medicine is in contact with an inner surface of the vibrating mesh.
28. The system according to claim 27, wherein the housing contains O-rings to achieve a liquid-tight seal between the vibrating mesh and the housing.
29. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the aerosolized drug flow is emitted from an external surface of the aerosol generator.
30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the tank is in fluid communication with a liquid supply line.
31. The system according to claim 30, wherein the liquid supply line is screwed through the first and / or second inlet tube of the nasal cannula.
32. The system according to claim 31, wherein the liquid supply line comprises a micro-perforated pipe.
33. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first and second inlet tubes are each coupled to a supply tube for fluid communication with a breathing gas source.
34. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the cannula comprises a soft rubber, a rubber-like material, molded silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or dip-molded polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
35. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the flow director comprises an injection-molded plastic.
36. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the drug comprises at least one of: bronchodilators, surfactants, and antibiotics.
37. The system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid medicament comprises at least one of the following: Albuterol (Ventolin), Salbutamol (Proventil), Levosalbutamol / Levalbuterol (Xopenex), Curosurf (Chiesi Pharmaceuticals), Alveofact (Boehringer Ingelheim), Survanta (Abbott Laboratories), Exosurf (Glaxo Wellcome), Surfaxin (Discovery Laboratories), macrolides, erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, glycopeptides, vancomycin, teicoplanin, oxazoldinone, quinupristin / dalfopristin, aminoglycosides, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, netilmicin, quinolones, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tetracyclines, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, cotrimoxazole, colistin, imepinim, meripenim pumactant, lucinactant, poractant alfa, beractant, calfactant, Beraksurf, Venticute and colfosceryl palmitate.
38. A method for providing respiratory therapy to a patient comprising: providing a flow of breathing gas to a cannula having a cannula body, first and second inlet tubes, and a nasal tip; the breathing gas flow being supplied to the cannula body through the first and second inlet tubes; the nasal tip having a longitudinal axis, an inlet in fluid communication with the cannula body, and an outlet for insertion into the patient's nose; and directing the flow of breathing gas by means of a flow director contained in the cannula body, such that the breathing gas flows along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.to deliver a flow of aerosolized medication to the cannula from a nebulizer having an aerosol generator positioned along and centered on the longitudinal axis, the aerosol generator configured to generate the flow of aerosolized medication from a liquid medication; to deliver the breathing gas flow and the aerosolized medication flow to the patient's nose through the nasal tip, the aerosolized medication flow contained within the breathing gas flow as it moves along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip into the patient's nose.
39. The method according to claim 38, comprising: directing the breathing gas flow towards the nasal tip along a path having a breathing gas axis that is symmetrical along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.
40. The method according to any of claims 38 to 39, comprising: forming an annular space between a nasal tip inlet and the nebulizer.
41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the flow director is configured such that the breathing gas flow has a greater pressure drop in the nasal cannula through the annular space.
42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the pressure drop in the breathing gas flow through the annular space is at least 30%.
43. The method according to claim 40, wherein the breathing gas flow passes through the annular space at the same flow rate at any point along the annular space.
44. The method according to any of claims 38 to 43, comprising: positioning the aerosol generator along the longitudinal axis at a point where the breathing gas flow has a theoretical zero flow rate.
45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the breathing gas flow is axisymmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip up to the point of theoretical zero flow, after which the flow is axially oriented with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.
46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the breathing gas flow along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip to the theoretical zero flow point is radial, substantially radial, or directed towards the longitudinal axis.
47. The method according to any of claims 45 to 46, wherein the breathing gas flow along the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip to the theoretical zero flow point has any conical, hyperbolic, parabolic, or circular shape.
48. The method according to any of claims 38 to 46, comprising: preventing the rotation of the breathing gas flow from the first and second inlet tubes 32 by means of an anti-rotation element.
49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a plurality of deflectors arranged symmetrically with respect to the flow director.
50. The method according to any of claims 38 to 49, comprising: arranging the first and second inlet tubes symmetrically with respect to the cannula body; and directing the first and second inlet tubes towards the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip.
51. The method according to any of claims 38 to 50, comprising: providing an electrical signal to the aerosol generator of the nebulizer through a cable to enable aerosolization of the liquid drug.
52. The method according to any of claims 38 to 51, wherein the aerosol generator comprises a vibrating mesh.
53. The method according to any of claims 38 to 52, comprising: connecting the breathing gas source to the first and second inlet tubes of the nasal cannula via a supply tube.
54. The method according to any of claims 38 to 53, comprising: supplying the liquid drug to the nebulizer from a supply bag through a feed line comprising a microperforated tube.
55. The method according to any of claims 38 to 54, wherein the drug comprises at least one of the following: bronchodilators, surfactants, and antibiotics.
56. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 55, wherein the medicament comprises at least one of the following: Albuterol (Ventolin), Salbutamol (Proventil), Levosalbutamol / Levalbuterol (Xopenex), Curosurf (Chiesi Pharmaceuticals), Alveofact (Boehringer Ingelheim), Survanta (Abbott Laboratories), Exosurf (Glaxo Wellcome), Surfaxin (Discovery Laboratories), macrolides, erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, glycopeptides, vancomycin, teicoplanin, oxazoldinone, quinupristin / dalfopristin, aminoglycosides, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, netilmicin, quinolones, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tetracyclines, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, cotrimoxazole, colistin, imepinim, meripenim, pumactant, lucinactant, poractant alfa, beractant, calfactant, Beraksurf, Venticute and colfosceryl palmitate.
57. A system for delivering respiratory gas and aerosolized medication to a patient, the system comprising: a delivery tube configured to deliver a flow of respiratory gas; a nebulizer configured to deliver a flow of nebulized medication; and a nasal interface having a first inlet, a second inlet, a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the first inlet and the second inlet, and an outlet in fluid communication with the mixing chamber to deliver a mixed flow of respiratory gas and nebulized medication, wherein the first inlet is coupled to a distal end of the delivery tube to receive the flow of respiratory gas in the mixing chamber, and wherein the second inlet is coupled to an emitter of the nebulizer to receive the flow of nebulized medication directly in the mixing chamber;where the mixing chamber and the second inlet are aligned with a longitudinal axis of the outlet, so that the mixing of the breathing gas flow and the nebulized drug flow occurs directly behind the outlet and along a direction coaxial with the longitudinal axis.
58. The system according to claim 57, wherein the outlet is a nasal tip.
59. The system according to claim 58, wherein the nasal tip has a hyperbolic or parabolic cross-section.
60. The system according to any of claims 57 to 59, wherein the breathing gas flows to the outlet along a path having a breathing gas axis that is symmetrical about the longitudinal axis.
61. The system according to any of claims 57 to 60, wherein the nasal interface further comprises a flow director having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being coupled to the nasal interface and adapted to receive the breathing gas flow from the first inlet and direct the breathing gas flow to the mixing chamber so that the breathing gas flows along the longitudinal axis, and the second portion being attached to the nebulizer and configured so that the nebulized drug flow is contained within the breathing gas flow as it moves along the longitudinal axis of the outlet for delivery to the patient.
62. The system according to claim 61, wherein the flow director forms an annular space along a breathing gas flow path between the first inlet and the mixing chamber.
63. The system according to claim 62, wherein the flow director is configured such that the breathing gas flow has a pressure drop at the nasal interface that is greater across the annular space.
64. The system according to claim 63, wherein the pressure drop in the breathing gas flow through the annular space is at least 30%.
65. The system according to any of claims 62 to 64, wherein the breathing gas flow passes through the annular space with a flow velocity that is constant at any point along the annular space.
66. The system according to any of claims 61 to 65, wherein the second inlet is located along the longitudinal axis at a point where the breathing gas flow has a theoretical flow rate of zero.
67. The system according to claim 66, wherein the breathing gas flow is axisymmetric with respect to the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip up to the point of theoretical zero flow, after which the flow is oriented axially with respect to the longitudinal axis.
68. The system according to claim 67, wherein the breathing gas flow around the longitudinal axis to the theoretical zero flow point is radial, substantially radial, or directed towards the longitudinal axis.
69. The system according to any of claims 67 and 68, wherein the breathing gas flow around the longitudinal axis of the nasal tip to the theoretical zero flow point has any conical, hyperbolic, parabolic, or circular shape.
70. The system according to any of claims 61 to 69, wherein the flow director further comprises an anti-rotation element that prevents rotation of the breathing gas flow within the nasal interface when supplied through the first inlet.
71. The system according to claim 70, wherein the anti-rotation element comprises a plurality of deflectors arranged symmetrically with respect to the flow director.
72. The system according to any of claims 57 to 71, wherein the nebulizer is removably attached to the nasal interface.
73. The system according to any of claims 57 to 72, wherein the nebulizer emitter comprises a vibrating mesh.
74. The system according to claim 73, wherein the vibrating mesh is attached to a piezoelectric element.
75. The system according to claim 74, wherein the piezoelectric element is in electrical contact with a controller on a printed circuit board.
76. The system according to claim 75, wherein the piezoelectric element is in electrical contact with the printed circuit board via spring-loaded contact pins.
77. The system according to claim 76, further comprising cables that are in electrical contact with the printed circuit board for transmitting electrical signals from a signal generator to the vibrating mesh.
78. The system according to claim 77, wherein the cables are screwed through the supply tube.
79. The system according to claim 78, further comprising a housing that is attached to the nasal interface.
80. The system according to claim 79, wherein the housing comprises injection-molded plastic.
81. The system according to claim 79, wherein the housing is attached to the nasal interface by means of a snap-fit connection 82. The system according to any of claims 79 to 81, wherein the housing contains a reservoir filled with liquid medicine, the reservoir being arranged so that the liquid medicine is in contact with an inner surface of the vibrating mesh.
83. The system according to claim 82, wherein the housing contains O-rings to achieve a liquid-tight seal between the reservoir and the housing.
84. The system according to any of claims 82 and 83, wherein the aerosolized drug flow is emitted from an external surface of the emitter.
85. The system according to any of claims 82 to 84, wherein the tank is in fluid communication with a liquid supply line.
86. The system according to claim 85, wherein the liquid feed line is screwed through the supply tube.
87. The system according to claim 86, wherein the liquid supply line comprises a micro-perforated pipe.
88. The system according to any of claims 57 to 87, wherein the supply tube is in fluid communication with a breathing gas source.
89. The system according to any of claims 57 to 88, wherein the nasal interface comprises a soft rubber, a rubber-like material, molded silicone, a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) or dip-molded polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
90. The system according to any of claims 57 to 89, wherein the drug comprises at least one of: bronchodilators, surfactants, and antibiotics.
91. The system according to any one of claims 57 to 90, wherein the liquid medicament comprises at least one of the following: Albuterol (Ventolin), Salbutamol (Proventil), Levosalbutamol / Levalbuterol (Xopenex), Curosurf (Chiesi Pharmaceuticals), Alveofact (Boehringer Ingelheim), Survanta (Abbott Laboratories), Exosurf (Glaxo Wellcome), Surfaxin (Discovery Laboratories), macrolides, erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, glycopeptides, vancomycin, teicoplanin, oxazoldinone, quinupristin / dalfopristin, aminoglycosides, gentamicin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, netilmicin, quinolones, ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, levofloxacin, tetracyclines, oxytetracycline, doxycycline, minocycline, cotrimoxazole, colistin, imepinim, meripenim, pumactant, lucinactant, poractant alfa, beractant, calfactant, Beraksurf, Venticute and colfosceryl palmitate.