Nasal High-Flow Breathing Control for Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing high flow respiratory therapies fail to effectively stabilize carbon dioxide levels during Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR), leading to unstable breathing patterns due to excessive loop gains and time delays in the respiratory control system.

Innovation Solution

A high flow respiratory assistance system that adjusts the delivery of respiratory gases by varying flow rates, rebreathing CO2, and using a non-sealing interface to capture and flush expired CO2, targeting specific phases of the CSR cycle to stabilize CO2 levels and promote normal respiration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If high flow therapy is applied continuously to flush CO2 from the nasopharyngeal cavity, then CO2 levels are reduced, but breathing patterns become unstable due to excessive loop gains and time delays in CSR patients

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveCO2 levelsVSAvoidbreathing pattern stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies high flow therapy periodically rather than continuously, synchronizing therapy delivery with the CSR cycle phases. The controller detects CSR patterns and delivers high flow therapy during specific phases (waxing or waning) to stabilize breathing without causing excessive loop gain effects

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses sensors to detect breathing patterns and CSR cycles, then the controller adjusts high flow therapy delivery based on this feedback. This closed-loop control allows the system to respond to changing breathing conditions and maintain stability by adjusting therapy timing and intensity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Quantity of substance

If high flow therapy is increased to reduce ventilation overshoots, then CO2 control improves, but the complexity of controlling therapy timing and intensity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveCO2 controlVSAvoidtherapy control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically detects CSR cycles and determines optimal therapy timing based on detected breathing patterns. The controller self-adjusts therapy delivery without requiring manual intervention, reducing operational complexity while maintaining precise CO2 control

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces manual therapy adjustment with automated electronic control based on sensor detection. The controller uses algorithmic processing of breathing signals to determine therapy timing, substituting complex manual control decisions with automated computational logic

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4316556B1Breathing control using high flow respiration assistance
Publication Date: 2025.09.17 FISHER & PAYKEL HEALTHCARE LTD
  • EP4316556B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP4316556B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP4316556B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

A high flow respiratory assistance system comprising: a flow source configured to provide a high flow of respiratory gases for administering high flow therapy; a non-sealing interface,, the non-sealing interface in fluid communication with the flow source and configured to provide the high flow of respiratory gases to clear CO2 from an anatomical dead space of a patient; a sensor configured to sense a characteristic of a breathing pattern; and a controller, wherein the controller: receives the sensed characteristic of the breathing pattern, and controls the flow of gases by varying a target flow rate to deliver nasal high flow based on the characteristic of the breathing pattern, the control of the flow of gases to the target flow rate configured to aid stabilization of respiration by increasing or decreasing the flow rate to change the amount of CO2 cleared from the anatomical dead space.