The present invention relates to nasal oxygen cannulas and, more particularly, to an apparatus for protecting and storing a nasal cannula to reduce contamination.
Nasal oxygen cannulas are used to deliver oxygen directly to the nasal airways of a patent to infuse oxygen into the inspirational air flow of the patient. A typical oxygen delivery device utilizing a nasal cannula assembly includes a nasal cannula, a pair of support tubes extending from either end of the cannula, a slide, through which the support tubes pass to tighten the tubing against the patient's neck, a Y-adaptor or manifold connector to divide gas flow between the support tubes, a main supply tubing connected to the Y-adapter or manifold connector and a connector that couples to the oxygen source.
Nasal cannulas are among the most common medical devices in use today, conservatively estimated at several hundred million units annually. Nasal cannulas are widely used in hospitals and surgical centers as well as by patients at home who benefit from long term oxygen therapy. When a cannula is removed from the patient for short periods of time to allow the patient to move about, blow his/her nose, or simply to provide relief from wearing the cannula, it must be hung up or stored somewhere. Often the cannula falls to the floor and becomes contaminated, thus subjecting the patient to an increased risk of respiratory infection when the cannula is reinserted in the patient's nostrils. These patients, especially patients with chronic respiratory diseases, are at an increased susceptibility of developing respiratory infections and suffering severe complications as well as death once doing so. Even a modest reduction in infection rates would correlate to billions of dollars in savings to the healthcare system annually.
The present invention provides a protective storage apparatus for a nasal oxygen cannula assembly which includes a convenient protective storage capsule to limit environmental exposure when not being used. The nasal cannula may be in a folded or collapsed configuration when in the protective storage capsule. The protective storage capsule may replace the prior art slide and provide the adjustment function of the slide. Alternatively, the protective storage capsule may be slidably positioned on one of the support tubes. The surfaces of the protective storage capsule may be coated with an antimicrobial film or may be infused with antimicrobial particles. When the nasal cannula assembly is removed from the patient, while grasping the protective storage capsule, the supply line may be pulled through the protective storage capsule until the nasal cannula is inside the protective storage capsule shielding the nasal cannula from bacterial contamination and environmental exposure.
Referring initially to
Referring to
Protective storage capsule 58 includes a generally bell-shaped housing 63 with a large circular opening 64 at one end 66 and a smaller circular opening 68 at the other end 70. Protective storage capsule 58 may be moved up and down along the support tubes 54 and 56 to adjust the nasal cannula assembly 50 under the chin of a patient. A cap 72 is attached to the rim 74 of opening 64 of the bell housing 63 by a flexible hinge 76.
When a patient takes off the nasal cannula assembly 50, the patient may grasp the Y-adapter or manifold connector 60 with one hand and the protective storage capsule 58 with the other hand and pull the two apart. This action pulls the support tubes 54 and 56 through the lower opening 68 of the protective storage capsule 58 until the cannula 52 reaches the large circular opening 64. As the patient continues to pull the support tubes 54 and 56 through the lower opening 68 of the protective storage capsule 58, the cannula 52 bends or folds in half and is pulled into the bell housing 63.
The cannula 52 is typically made of a flexible material such as medical grade polyvinylchloride (“PVC”), high molecular weight PVC, ultra-high molecular weight PVC, PVC/silicone, or other appropriate material, for example, that may be dip molded, injection molded or extruded, for example, into the particular shape desired. The interior surfaces 65 and 73 of the capsule 58 may be treated with an antimicrobial coating. It may be advantageous for all surfaces of the capsule 58 to be treated with a nanocomposite coating of silver and/or gold nanoparticles, or silver sulfadiazine, for example, in a thin surface layer. Alternatively, the interior surfaces 65 and 73, and/or all surfaces of the capsule 58 may be infused with antimicrobial particles such as silver or copper nanoparticles, for example, that protect the surfaces from microbes, and ultimately the patient.
Once the cannula 52 is pulled into the bell housing 63, the cap 72 may be snapped over the opening 64 to seal the cannula 52 inside the protective storage capsule 58. At this point the cannula 52, and in particular the pair of intra-nasal ports 53, are protected from dirt, debris, bacterial contamination and environmental exposure.
When the patient wants to put the nasal cannula assembly 50 back on, he/she opens the cap 72 and pulls the cannula 52 from the bell housing 63. The patient may slide the protective storage capsule 58 down the support tubes 54 and 56 until the lower end 70 encounters the Y-adapter or manifold connector 60. The patient may now put the nasal cannula assembly 50 back on and adjust it as desired.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
To store the nasal cannula 52, the support tube 54 is pulled while grasping the protective storage capsule 120. As the nasal cannula 52 is pulled into the cylindrical housing 122, the intra-nasal ports 53 may fold over in a stored configuration. Once the nasal cannula 52 and intra-nasal ports are completely within the cylindrical housing, the cap 132 is placed over the opening 126 with the notch 134 aligned with the support tube 56 sealing the protective storage capsule 120, and thus protecting the nasal cannula 52, and in particular the intra-nasal ports 53, and ultimately the patient from dirt, debris, bacterial contamination, and environmental exposure. Opening 124 and cylindrical housing 122 may be sized such that the intra-nasal ports 53 need not bend or fold when pulled into the housing 122. Additionally, the housing 122 may have an oval or other geometrical shapes.
To use the nasal cannula 52 again the patient pulls the support tube 56 while grasping the protective storage capsule 120, sliding the protective storage capsule 120 down the other support tube 54, until the nasal cannula 52 is exposed. The flexible intra-nasal ports 53 return to an unfolded normal position. When not storing the nasal cannula 52, the cap 132 of the protective storage capsule 120 may be snapped in place over the opening 124 to seal the protective storage capsule 120 and prevent dirt, debris, and other contaminants from collecting in the protective storage capsule 120.
Referring to
When a patient takes the nasal cannula assembly 50 off, the patient may grasp the Y-adapter or manifold connector 60 with one hand and the protective storage capsule 150 with the other hand and pull the two apart. The action pulls the support tubes 54 and 56 through the lower opening 158 of the protective storage capsule 150 until the cannula 52 reaches the opening 154. As the patient continues to pull the support tubes 54 and 56 through the lower opening 158 of the protective storage capsule 150, the cannula 52 bends or folds in half and is pulled into the rectangular housing 152. Once the cannula 52 is pulled into the rectangular housing 152, the flap 162 cover the opening 154 to protect the cannula 52 in the protective storage capsule 150. Alternatively, a zipper, snap, Velcro® or other closure (not shown) may be employed to seal the opening 154 and protect the cannula 52. At this point the cannula 52, and in particular the pair of intra-nasal ports 53, are protected from dirt, debris, bacterial contamination and environmental exposure.
When the patient wants to put the nasal cannula assembly 50 back on, he/she opens the flap 162 and pulls the cannula 52 from the rectangular housing 152. The patient may slide the protective storage capsule 150 down the support tubes 54 and 56 until the lower end 160 encounters the Y-adapter or manifold connector 60. The patient may now put the nasal cannula assembly 50 back on and adjust it as desired.
It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims and allowable equivalents thereof.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4106505 | Salter et al. | Aug 1978 | A |
4273124 | Zimmerman | Jun 1981 | A |
4367735 | Dali | Jan 1983 | A |
4422456 | Tiep | Dec 1983 | A |
4648398 | Agdanowski et al. | Mar 1987 | A |
4753233 | Grimes | Jun 1988 | A |
4808160 | Timmons et al. | Feb 1989 | A |
5025805 | Nutter | Jun 1991 | A |
5437267 | Weinstein et al. | Aug 1995 | A |
5509409 | Weatherholt | Apr 1996 | A |
6439234 | Curti et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6655385 | Curti et al. | Dec 2003 | B1 |
6679265 | Strickland et al. | Jan 2004 | B2 |
7007694 | Aylsworth et al. | Mar 2006 | B2 |
7047974 | Strickland et al. | May 2006 | B2 |
D533269 | McAuley et al. | Dec 2006 | S |
7146976 | McKown | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7156097 | Cardoso | Jan 2007 | B2 |
7353826 | Sleeper et al. | Apr 2008 | B2 |
7614401 | Thompson | Nov 2009 | B2 |
D612148 | Treece et al. | Mar 2010 | S |
7798332 | Brunet | Sep 2010 | B1 |
20090101142 | Lang | Apr 2009 | A1 |
20090199858 | Hagberg et al. | Aug 2009 | A1 |
20090292258 | Turner | Nov 2009 | A1 |
20100059053 | Niland | Mar 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20110272313 A1 | Nov 2011 | US |