Non-Sealing High Flow Therapy Device with Microprocessor Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current nasal cannula designs for respiratory therapy lack effective monitoring and control of treatment parameters such as airway pressure, flow rate, and carbon dioxide levels, and may cause detrimental health effects due to undesirable sealing with the nares, limiting the administration of higher FiO2 concentrations and varying airway pressures in high flow therapy.
Innovation Solution
A high flow therapy system with a non-sealing respiratory interface that uses a microprocessor to control gas flow rates, incorporates sensors to measure airway pressure and respiratory phases, and includes a heating and humidification system to deliver heated and humidified gases, minimizing condensation and ensuring proper gas delivery without sealing the nares.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sealing nasal cannulas are used to treat sleep apnea, then airway pressure can be maintained, but information on treatment parameters (pressure, flow rate, CO2 buildup) is not available for monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates sensors that detect airway pressure, flow rate, and carbon dioxide levels, feeding this information back to a control system. This enables real-time monitoring of treatment parameters while maintaining the sealed interface necessary for effective sleep apnea treatment, resolving the contradiction between pressure maintenance and information availability.
2Ease of operation
If non-sealing nasal cannulas are used for oxygen therapy, then patient comfort is improved, but airway pressure cannot be controlled or monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses pressure sensors and flow sensors to continuously monitor airway parameters even with a non-sealing interface. The microprocessor analyzes this feedback data to calculate respiratory parameters and provide indirect pressure control, maintaining patient comfort while enabling pressure monitoring and control capabilities.
3Quantity of substance
If higher flow rates are used to increase FiO2 concentration, then oxygen delivery is improved, but nasal passage irritation and bronchospasm occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a heating element to warm the respiratory gas and a humidification chamber to add moisture before delivery. By changing the temperature and humidity parameters of the delivered gas, the system enables higher oxygen concentrations to be delivered without causing nasal passage irritation or bronchospasm, thus resolving the contradiction between oxygen delivery and patient comfort.
4Quantity of substance
If sealed masks are used for high FiO2 therapy, then oxygen delivery is effective, but patient tolerance is poor for extended therapy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the sealing function from the traditional mask design, using a non-sealing nasal cannula interface instead. Combined with heated and humidified gas delivery, this extraction of the sealing requirement allows for effective high FiO2 therapy to be delivered through a more comfortable, non-invasive interface suitable for extended use.
5Ease of operation
If high flow therapy is administered through non-sealing cannula, then patient comfort is improved, but airway pressures are variable and unmonitored
Solution Approach 1:
The system incorporates pressure sensors and flow sensors that continuously monitor airway parameters during high flow therapy. The microprocessor processes this feedback data to calculate respiratory parameters including airway pressure, providing real-time information while maintaining the patient comfort benefits of a non-sealing interface.
Data Source
AI summary
A high flow therapy system for delivering heated and humidified respiratory gas to an airway of a patient includes a respiratory gas flow pathway for delivering the respiratory gas to the airway of the patient by way of a non-sealing respiratory interface; wherein flow rate of the respiratory gas is controlled by a microprocessor, a mixing area for mixing a first gas and a second gas in the respiratory gas flow pathway, a humidification area downstream of the mixing area and configured for humidifying respiratory gas in the respiratory gas flow pathway, and a heated delivery conduit for minimizing condensation of humidified respiratory gas.