Breathing Circuit With Rigid Elbow For Low Flow Oxygen Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a breathing circuit that can safely supply low pressure oxygen to patients at risk of hypoxia, particularly in situations where anesthesia machines are not available, and can maintain a secure airway with low flow resistance, reduce dead space, and be compatible with diagnostic machines.
Innovation Solution
An oxygen breathing circuit comprising a patent airway maintaining device, a fluid-tight first tube with a flexible tubular extension, an inflatable bag, and an external source of oxygen, which includes a distal elbow and proximal flexible tubular extension made of rigid medical-grade non-metallic materials, and a method for providing low pressure oxygen using this circuit to maintain airway patency and assist ventilation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If intravenous deep sedation is used without a patent airway device, then cost and time constraints are reduced, but the risk of hypoxia and breathing interruption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The breathing circuit is divided into separate functional components: a patent airway maintaining device (laryngeal mask or endotracheal tube) that can be quickly inserted, connected to a simple oxygen delivery system with reservoir bag and flow meter. This segmentation allows the airway protection function to be separated from complex anesthesia machine functions, enabling rapid deployment without full anesthesia equipment while maintaining safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The essential airway protection and oxygen delivery functions are extracted from the complex anesthesia machine system and implemented as a standalone breathing circuit. This extraction removes the dependency on expensive, time-consuming anesthesia machines while retaining the critical safety functions of airway patency maintenance and oxygen supply during deep sedation procedures.
2Reliability
If conventional breathing circuits are used with deep sedation, then airway can be secured, but the complexity of equipment and procedures increases
Solution Approach 1:
The breathing circuit extracts only the essential functions needed for airway security during deep sedation: patent airway maintaining device, oxygen reservoir bag, flow meter, and connecting tubing. By taking out only these critical components and eliminating unnecessary anesthesia machine functions, the system achieves airway security with minimal equipment complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The circuit applies local quality by providing oxygen delivery specifically where needed (through the patent airway device directly into the airway) rather than through a complex centralized anesthesia system. Each component is simplified to perform its specific function locally: the reservoir bag provides oxygen storage, the flow meter controls delivery rate, and the patent airway device maintains airway patency, collectively achieving airway security without overall system complexity.
3Reliability
If low pressure oxygen delivery is implemented, then patient comfort and safety improve, but the ability to provide high flow oxygen when needed is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The breathing circuit implements dynamic oxygen delivery through the reservoir bag system. During normal spontaneous breathing, the system delivers low pressure oxygen passively through the patient's own respiratory effort, ensuring patient comfort and safety. When patient breathing becomes compromised or high flow oxygen is needed, the reservoir bag can be manually compressed to deliver high volume oxygen bursts, providing dynamic adaptation to changing patient needs without requiring complex mechanical ventilation equipment.
Data Source
AI summary
A breathing circuit is described for the supplying of low pressure oxygen to a patient that is at risk of hypoxia. The breathing circuit includes a patent airway maintaining device, a first tube that includes a substantially rigid elbow and connectors and a flexible tubular extension. An inflatable bag is coupled to the first tube and has a pressure relief valve that exhausts into the atmosphere. A second tube has a first end that terminates in proximity to the patent airway maintaining device and a second opposed end that terminates external to the first tube. A third tube connects an external source of oxygen to the second tube. A method for an oxygen breathing circuit is also described that further includes the use of a carbon dioxide monitor and the inflatable bag for assisted breathing. The breathing circuit uses only non-metallic polymer or composite type materials.