Patient Interface Mouth Closure Structure for Nasal Seal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional respiratory therapy masks are often uncomfortable, poorly fitting, and difficult to use, leading to reduced patient compliance due to issues with seal formation, skin irritation, and oxygen leakage, especially during sleep.
Innovation Solution
A patient interface with a seal-forming structure that uses an adhesive surface to form a seal with the patient's face, maintaining therapeutic pressure and incorporating a mouth closure structure to promote mouth closure, thereby enhancing comfort and reducing leakage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional respiratory therapy masks are used, then respiratory therapy can be provided, but patient compliance is reduced due to discomfort and poor fit
Solution Approach 1:
The patient interface is divided into separate functional components: a seal-forming structure for creating the seal, a mouth closure structure for promoting mouth closure, and a headgear system for positioning. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, improving overall comfort and compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal-forming structure acts as an intermediary between the patient interface and the patient's face, using adhesive surfaces to create a secure seal without requiring tight mechanical constraints. This intermediary approach distributes pressure more evenly and reduces discomfort.
2Reliability
If conventional masks are used, then therapy delivery is possible, but seal formation is problematic leading to oxygen leakage
Solution Approach 1:
The seal-forming structure with adhesive surfaces serves as an intermediary that creates a reliable seal between the patient interface and the patient's face. This adhesive intermediary distributes sealing forces evenly and prevents oxygen leakage without requiring excessive tightening.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal-forming structure incorporates adhesive surfaces at specific locations where sealing is most critical, providing localized enhanced sealing properties. This allows the mask to form effective seals at key interfaces while maintaining overall comfort.
3Reliability
If conventional masks are used, then respiratory support can be provided, but skin irritation occurs due to poor fit and excessive pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The seal-forming structure acts as a pressure-distributing intermediary between the rigid patient interface and the patient's soft tissue. The adhesive surfaces and flexible materials in this intermediary layer distribute pressure evenly, maintaining therapeutic pressure while preventing concentrated pressure points that cause skin irritation.
Solution Approach 2:
The seal-forming structure incorporates flexible materials and thin adhesive films that conform to the patient's facial contours. This flexibility allows the interface to adapt to individual anatomy, maintaining secure sealing and therapeutic pressure without creating rigid pressure points that irritate the skin.
4Reliability
If mouth breathing occurs during therapy, then breathing is possible, but therapy effectiveness is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The mouth closure structure extracts and addresses the specific issue of mouth breathing by providing a separate functional element dedicated to promoting mouth closure. This allows the nasal therapy to remain effective while giving the patient awareness and control over their breathing pattern.
Solution Approach 2:
The mouth closure structure is designed to work with the patient's natural breathing physiology, using gentle feedback and anatomical guidance to encourage nasal breathing without restricting the patient's ability to open their mouth if needed. The structure serves itself by leveraging natural breathing patterns to achieve therapy compliance.
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 solution improves patient compliance and reduces oxygen leakage, ensuring effective respiratory therapy by providing a comfortable and secure seal while promoting nasal breathing during sleep.
Implementation Method 1
The seal-forming structure may comprise at least one adhesive surface configured in use to adhere to a region of the patient's face to form the seal
Data Source
AI summary
Forms of the present technology relate to a patient interface for delivering breathable gas to a patient. The patient interface may comprise a pressurisable plenum chamber and a seal-forming structure configured to form a seal with a region of the patient's face surrounding an entrance to the patient's nares but not around the patient's mouth. The patient interface may further comprise a vent structure to allow a continuous flow of gases exhaled by the patient from an interior of the plenum chamber to ambient. The patient interface may further comprise a mouth closure structure configured to promote closure of the patient's mouth. In some forms, the seal-forming structure may comprise at least one adhesive surface configured in use to adhere to a region of the patient's face to form the seal. In some forms, the mouth closure structure may be integrally connected to the seal-forming structure and/or the plenum chamber.