Low-Profile Nasal Interface for Ambulatory Ventilation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nasal interfaces for respiratory assistance are bulky and cumbersome, restricting patient mobility and causing discomfort due to dead space and exhalation resistance, and existing systems do not effectively provide ambulatory mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy simultaneously.
Innovation Solution
A low-profile, lightweight nasal interface system that uses the Venturi principle to entrain ambient air, reducing the need for large compressed gas reserves and providing enhanced ventilatory support through a portable oxygen concentrator, allowing for simultaneous ambulatory oxygen and mechanical ventilation therapy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a closed gas circuit system is used to deliver mechanical ventilation, then ventilatory support is provided, but the system becomes bulky and cumbersome, restricting patient mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the harmful dead space and bulky components from the closed circuit system. The open circuit design removes the need for large reservoirs and complex sealing mechanisms, keeping only the essential gas delivery components while eliminating the bulk that restricts mobility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments the gas delivery function from the bulk storage function. Compressed gas is delivered on-demand through small-bore tubing rather than being stored in large reservoirs, allowing the system to be divided into compact, mobile components.
2Reliability
If a closed gas circuit system is used, then mechanical ventilation is delivered, but dead space accumulates CO2 and creates exhalation resistance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of trapping exhaled gas in a closed circuit and flushing it with additional gas flow, the system inverts the approach by allowing exhaled gas to be freely expelled to the environment. The open circuit design eliminates dead space accumulation by design, not by active flushing.
Solution Approach 2:
The system converts the potential harm of open circuit ventilation (gas loss) into a benefit by eliminating dead space and exhalation resistance. The free exchange with ambient air ensures no CO2 accumulation while the small-bore tubing minimizes resistance to exhalation.
3Quantity of substance
If large compressed gas reserves are maintained to provide ventilatory support, then adequate oxygen delivery is ensured, but the system weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
Gas is compressed and stored in advance in compact high-pressure cylinders, converting the bulk of gas storage into a concentrated energy state. This preliminary compression allows adequate oxygen delivery without the weight and bulk of large-volume storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses high-pressure gas storage and regulated flow delivery through small-bore tubing. The pneumatic principles of compression and pressure regulation allow compact storage of adequate gas supplies while maintaining delivery capacity.
4Reliability
If constant low flow is maintained to flush CO2 from dead space, then CO2 accumulation is prevented, but positive pressure creates exhalation resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the CO2 flushing function entirely by eliminating dead space through open circuit design. No active flushing flow is needed because the design prevents CO2 accumulation by allowing free exchange with ambient air during each breath cycle.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system significantly reduces the bulk and weight of nasal interfaces, minimizes exhalation resistance, and enables efficient ambulatory mechanical ventilation and oxygen therapy, improving patient mobility and comfort while conserving respiratory gas.
Implementation Method 1
The nasal interface device operates under the Venturi principle by utilizing the energy of the delivered respiratory gas to entrain ambient air and increase airway pressure thereby increasing the net volume delivered to the patient.
Implementation Method 2
The nasal interface device operates under the Venturi principle by utilizing the energy of the delivered respiratory gas to entrain ambient air
Data Source
AI summary
An ambulatory assist ventilation (AAV) apparatus and system are disclosed for the delivery of a respiratory gas to assist the spontaneous breathing effort of a patient with a breathing disorder. The AAV system includes a compressed respiratory gas source, a respiratory assist device for controlling respiratory gas flow to the patient, a patient circuit tubing and a low profile nasal interface device, which does not have a dead space or hollow area where C02 can collect, for delivering the respiratory gas to the patient, wherein the nasal interface device is fluidly connected to the respiratory assist device via tubing for receiving the respiratory gas therefrom. In some cases, the nasal interface device may be used in combination with other gas sources, such as oxygen concentrators, to provide dual therapy capability suitable for some applications.