Non-Sealing High Flow Therapy Device with Integrated Airway Pressure Monitoring
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 sealing issues with the user's nares, limiting the efficacy and comfort of oxygen therapy and high flow respiratory support.
Innovation Solution
A high flow therapy system with a non-sealing respiratory interface that uses a microprocessor to control the flow rate of pressurized, heated, and humidified respiratory gas, incorporating sensors to monitor airway pressure and calculate respiratory parameters like respiration rate and tidal volume, and a blower to deliver gas without the need for a sealing interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a sealing nasal cannula is used to deliver respiratory gas, then the delivery of therapeutic gas is improved, but the ability to monitor airway pressure and detect carbon dioxide buildup is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The cannula is divided into separate functional components: a sealing portion for gas delivery and a non-sealing sensor portion for monitoring. The sensor assembly is separated from the main cannula body, allowing independent optimization of sealing and monitoring functions without compromising either.
Solution Approach 2:
A non-sealing sensor assembly acts as an intermediary between the sealed cannula and the patient's airway. This intermediary component provides access to airway pressure and CO2 measurements without disrupting the seal formed by the main cannula, enabling monitoring while maintaining therapeutic gas delivery.
2Productivity
If the flow rate is increased to deliver higher FiO2 concentrations, then the oxygen therapy effectiveness is improved, but the patient comfort and tolerance deteriorate due to nasal irritation and bronchospasm
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the physical parameters of the respiratory gas by heating and humidifying it before delivery. The gas is heated to physiological temperature and saturated with moisture, transforming it from cold, dry oxygen that causes irritation to warm, humidified gas that is comfortable for the patient even at high flow rates.
Solution Approach 2:
The respiratory gas is pre-heated and pre-humidified in chambers before being delivered to the patient. This preliminary conditioning of the gas eliminates the harmful effects of cold, dry oxygen on the nasal passages and airways, allowing high flow rates to be tolerated comfortably.
3Ease of operation
If a non-sealing respiratory interface is used to avoid nasal sealing issues, then patient comfort is improved, but the control and monitoring of treatment parameters becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
A non-sealing sensor assembly serves as an intermediary that enables monitoring without requiring a seal. The sensor assembly includes pressure sensors and flow sensors that measure airway parameters while allowing free exchange of gas between the patient's airway and the external environment, maintaining comfort while enabling detection.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor assembly performs multiple monitoring functions simultaneously - measuring airway pressure, detecting flow rate, and potentially monitoring CO2 levels - all through a single non-sealing interface. This multi-functionality compensates for the lack of sealing by integrating comprehensive monitoring capabilities into the non-sealing design.
4Productivity
If high flow rates are delivered through a nasal cannula, then the FiO2 concentration is improved, but the system complexity increases due to the need for heating, humidifying, and pressure monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The heating element, humidification chamber, pressure sensors, and flow sensors are merged into an integrated assembly that attaches to the cannula. This consolidation of multiple functions into a single modular unit reduces overall system complexity while enabling high FiO2 delivery with proper gas conditioning and comprehensive monitoring.
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor and gas conditioning assembly acts as an intermediary between the oxygen source and the patient, consolidating multiple complex functions (heating, humidifying, monitoring) into a single interface unit. This intermediary approach manages system complexity by localizing sophisticated functions to one modular component rather than distributing them throughout the entire system.
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
This system provides effective and comfortable delivery of respiratory therapy by monitoring and controlling airway pressures and flow rates, minimizing nasal sealing and enhancing treatment efficacy for conditions like sleep apnea and respiratory support.
Implementation Method 1
a heating element disposed in electrical communication with the microprocessor and capable of heating a liquid to create a gas
Implementation Method 2
a blower disposed in mechanical cooperation with the non-sealing respiratory interface and capable of advancing the pressurized respiratory gas at least partially through the non-sealing respiratory interface
Implementation Method 3
a sensor disposed in communication with the pressure pathway and configured to measure pressure in the patient's airway
Implementation Method 4
the flow rate of the pressurized respiratory gas is controlled by the microprocessor
Data Source
AI summary
A high flow therapy system for delivering pressurized, heated and humidified respiratory gas to an airway of a patient includes a respiratory gas flow pathway for delivering the pressurized respiratory gas to the airway of the patient by way of a non-sealing respiratory interface; wherein flow rate of the pressurized respiratory gas is controlled by a microprocessor, a mixing area for mixing oxygen and air in the respiratory gas flow pathway, a humidification area for humidifying respiratory gas in the respiratory gas flow pathway, a heated delivery conduit for minimizing condensation of humidified respiratory gas, a pressure pathway for monitoring pressure of the airway of the patient and communicating the monitored pressure to the microprocessor and a sensor disposed in communication with the pressure pathway, the sensor further disposed in communication with the microprocessor and configured to measure pressure in the airway of the patient.