Patent Application
20090283097
The present invention is related generally to medical technology, and more particularly to a medical cannula assembly for use with a patient.
Known medical systems having medical cannula assemblies for use with a patient include a cannula which partially covers the nose, the mouth, and both sides of the face of the patient. The cannula includes a cannula body having projecting ports partially covering the nose and mouth and having tubes extending from both sides of the cannula body partially covering both sides of the face. A left-side support wing extends from the left side of the cannula body, partially covers the left side of the face, and has a left wing tip portion with an adhesive pad which is removably attachable to the left side of the face. A right-side support wing extends from the right side of the cannula body, partially covers the right side of the face, and has a right wing tip portion with an adhesive pad which is removably attachable to the right side of the face.
Some of the tubes and the ports are configured to convey respiratory-gas from the nose to a cart-based unit of the cannula assembly. The cart-based unit has a capnometer including a suction pump, a CO2 sensor, a pressure sensor, and a microprocessor. The suction pump brings the nasal respiratory gas to the CO2 sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein an end-tidal carbon dioxide level is calculated by the microprocessor during patient exhalation. A parallel or serial arrangement is provided for respiratory-gas from the mouth. The cart-based unit is hooked up to a supply of oxygen-enriched air (sometimes just called “oxygen”), and some of the tubes and the ports are configured to convey the oxygen-enriched air to the nose and the mouth of the patient. The microprocessor also calculates a patient's respiration rate. The microprocessor is cabled to a monitor which displays the end-tidal carbon dioxide level and the patient's respiration rate. The microprocessor shuts off the flow of oxygen-enriched air during patient exhalation for improved accuracy in calculating the end-tidal carbon dioxide level.
Still, scientists and engineers continue to seek improved medical systems having a medical cannula assembly for use with a patient.
A first embodiment of the invention is for cannula assembly including a cannula which is attachable to a patient to extend along and at least partially cover one side of the face of the patient and leave completely exposed the other side of the face of the patient.
A second embodiment of the invention is for a cannula assembly including a reusable unit and a disposable and replaceable loop-shaped mouthpiece. The reusable unit contains a suction pump having a flow inlet and a flow outlet, a power source operatively connected to the suction pump, a carbon dioxide sensor is in fluid communication with the flow outlet, and a microprocessor adapted to use at least the carbon dioxide sensor to calculate a carbon dioxide level. The mouthpiece has first and second ends, wherein the first end is directly attached to the reusable unit and the second end is positionable in the mouth of a patient. The mouthpiece includes at least one respiratory-gas-sampling port in fluid communication with the flow inlet of the suction pump.
Several benefits and advantages are obtained from one or more of the embodiments of the invention. In one example, using a cannula assembly which leaves completely exposed one side of the patient's face allows a medical procedure to be performed on the other side of the patient's face while providing the patient with a cannula system. In the same example, the cannula system can be moved to the other side of the patient's face should the previously covered side of the patient's face also need medical attention. In one example of the second embodiment, having a cannula system with a reusable unit which calculates carbon dioxide level and which is directly connected to a mouthpiece positioned in the patients mouth shortens the respiratory-sampling gas pathway between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor resulting in a faster response time and a smaller pump size compared to the response times and pump sizes associated with using long prior-art connecting tubing between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor. In the same or a different example of the second embodiment, the shorter pathway results in a better signal to noise ratio because there is less mixing of the respiratory-sampling gas between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor.
Before explaining the embodiments of the invention in detail, it should be noted that each is not limited in its application or use to the details of construction and arrangement of parts, instructions, and steps illustrated in the accompanying drawings and description. The illustrative embodiments of the invention may be implemented or incorporated in other embodiments, variations, and modifications, and may be practiced or carried out in various ways. Furthermore, unless otherwise indicated, the terminology employed herein has been chosen for the purpose of describing the illustrative embodiments of the present invention for the convenience of the reader and are not for the purpose of limiting the invention.
It is further understood that any one or more of the following-described embodiments, implementations, etc. can be combined with any one or more of the other following-described embodiments, implementations, etc.
A first embodiment of the invention is shown in
In one arrangement of the embodiment of
In the same or a different arrangement, the cannula 12 includes a tube 16, 18, 20 and 22 and an ear strap 38. The tube 16, 18, 20 and 22 has a distal port 26. The ear strap 38 is adapted to (directly or indirectly) attach the tube 16 and 18 to an ear of the patient 14 with the distal port 26 positioned proximate at least one of the nose 28 and the mouth 30 of the patient 14. In one variation, the cannula assembly 10 also includes a capnometer 32, wherein the tube 16 has a proximal port 34 operatively connectable to the capnometer 32. In one modification, the cannula assembly 10 also includes a source of oxygen-enriched air 36, wherein the tube 18 has a proximal port 34 operatively connectable to the source of oxygen-enriched air 36. In one example, the ear strap 38 provides the only attachment of the cannula 12 to the patient 14. Other arrangements are left to the artisan including those having separate nasal and oral capnometers, those measuring only nasal CO2 (carbon dioxide), those measuring only oral CO2, those delivering only nasal O2 (oxygen), those delivering only oral O2, those with O2 delivery but without CO2 measurement, those with CO2 measurement but without O2 delivery, etc.
In one implementation of the embodiment of
In one construction of the embodiment of
In another construction, the cannula assembly 10 includes an ear strap but does not include an adhesive pad. In one variation, the ear strap is adapted in design to allow the cannula 12 to be removably attached to either ear of the patient 12. In either or a different construction, the cannula assembly 10 includes at least one flexible strap 40 for interconnecting tubes 16 and 18 with tubes 20 and 22 proximate the one side of the face of the patient 14. In one variation, the cannula assembly 10 includes at least one tie 42 interconnecting tubes 16 and 18 with tubes 20 and 22 proximal the at-least-one flexible strap 40 for ease of tube handling. In one modification, tubes 16 and 18 are attached together, side-by-side, substantially along their entire lengths, and tubes 20 and 22 are attached together, side-by-side, substantially along their entire lengths.
A second embodiment of the invention is shown in
In one example, the mouthpiece 54 with the attached reusable unit 52 will hang from the mouth 72 of a supine, upward-facing patient 74 when the second end 70 is positioned in the mouth 72 of the patient 74. In the same or a different example, the mouthpiece 54 with the attached reusable unit 52 will hang from the mouth 72 of a standing, forward-facing patient 74 when the second end 70 is positioned in the mouth 72 of the patient 74.
In one enablement of the embodiment of
In one employment of the embodiment of
In one arrangement of the embodiment of
In one application of the embodiment of
In one construction of the embodiment of
The presence and arrangements of components different from those shown in
Several benefits and advantages are obtained from one or more of the embodiments of the invention. In one example, using a cannula assembly which leaves completely exposed one side of the patient's face allows a medical procedure to be performed on the other side of the patient's face while providing the patient with a cannula system. In the same example, the cannula system can be moved to the other side of the patient's face should the previously covered side of the patient's face also need medical attention. In one example of the second embodiment, having a cannula system with a reusable unit which calculates carbon dioxide level and which is directly connected to a mouthpiece positioned in the patient's mouth shortens the respiratory-sampling gas pathway between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor resulting in a faster response time and a smaller pump size compared to the response times and pump sizes associated with using long prior-art connecting tubing between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor. In the same or a different example of the second embodiment, the shorter pathway results in a better signal to noise ratio because there is less mixing of the respiratory-sampling gas between the patient and the carbon dioxide sensor.
While the present invention has been illustrated by several embodiments, and enablements, applications, etc. thereof, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or limit the spirit and scope of the appended claims to such detail. Numerous other variations, changes, and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. It will be understood that the foregoing description is provided by way of example, and that other modifications may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the appended Claims.
