Various medical procedures require the provision of gases (such as heated gases) to a patient during the medical procedure. Medical procedures such as closed type medical procedures and open type medical procedures involve delivering gases to the patient, typically carbon dioxide or other similar gases. The gases can be delivered via an interface to the patient, which can include any suitable medical instrument, for example, a cannula, a diffuser, any directed gas flow accessory, and/or others.
In closed type medical procedures, an insufflator is arranged to deliver gases to a body cavity of the patient to inflate the body cavity and/or to resist collapse of the body cavity during the medical procedure. Examples of such medical procedures include laparoscopy and endoscopy, although an insufflator may be used with any other type of medical procedure as required. Endoscopic procedures enable a medical practitioner to visualize a body cavity by inserting an endoscope or the like through natural openings or small puncture(s) to generate an image of the body cavity. In laparoscopy procedures, a medical practitioner typically inserts a surgical instrument through natural openings or small puncture(s) to perform a surgical procedure in the body cavity. In some cases, an initial endoscopic procedure may be carried out to assess the body cavity, and then a subsequent laparoscopy carried out to operate on the body cavity. Endoscopic and/or laparoscopic procedures are widely used, for example, within the peritoneal cavity, or during a thoracoscopy, mediastinoscopy, upper or lower GI procedure (e.g., colonoscopy, gastroscopy, duodenoscopy, jejunoscopy, ileoscopy, or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography), arthroscopy, cystoscopy or ureteroscopy, bronchoscopy, sinus surgery, or other procedures as being some non-limiting examples. In at least some of these procedures, it can be beneficial for pressure to be maintained within a small cavity.
In open type medical procedures, such as open surgeries, gases are used to fill a surgical cavity, with excess gases spilling outward from the opening. The gases can also be used to provide a layer of gases over exposed internal body parts where there is no discernible cavity. For these procedures, rather than serving to inflate a cavity, the gases can be used to prevent or reduce desiccation and infection by covering exposed internal body parts with a layer of heated, humidified, sterile gases. In open surgeries, pressure may need to be measured, for example, to identify more clearly an occlusion relating to a diffuser or gases pathway, misconnection, and/or misuse of surgical instruments.
The gas pressure sensing systems and/or components thereof disclosed herein can be used, for example, in connection with endoscopic, laparoscopic, or open procedures that can benefit from maintaining pressure within a small cavity, including but not limited to others as disclosed herein.
An apparatus for delivering gases during these medical procedures can include an insufflator arranged to be connected to a remote source of pressurized gases, such as a gases supply system in a hospital. The apparatus can be operative to control the pressure and/or flow of the gases from the gases supply to a level suitable for delivery into the body cavity, usually via a cannula or needle connected to the apparatus and inserted into the body cavity. The apparatus can also be operative to control the pressure and/or flow of the gases via a diffuser arranged to diffuse gases over and into the wound or surgical cavity, such as in an open surgery. In many cases, a humidifier is operatively coupled to the insufflator. A controller of the apparatus can energize a heater of the humidifier located in the gases flow path to humidify the gases stream prior to entering the patient's body cavity. The humidified gases can be delivered to the patient via further tubing, which may also be heated. The insufflator and humidifier can be located in separate housings that are connected together via suitable tubing and/or electrical connections, or located in a common housing arranged to be connected to a remote gas supply via suitable tubing.
For standard surgical gas supplies (such as insufflator units), the operation of gas delivery is usually pulsatile, either partially or fully, due to the need for measuring the pressure at the gas supply unit rather than at the surgical cavity. The insufflator unit pulses gas down a gas delivery line to the patient. The gas flow is paused for the pressure inside the surgical cavity to be read at the insufflator unit to determine the appropriate gas flow for the next pulse. This method of pressure sensing can result in an undesirably reduced surgical cavity due to the delay in measuring pressure from the cavity and then delivering an appropriate response. Further, restrictions in the delivery tube can obstruct the pulses from the insufflator, and hamper the ability to sense pressure at the insufflator due to the restriction. It can also result in instability in the surgical cavity when there are significant leaks, which can negatively interact with the gas control algorithms used to pulse the gas flow. Additionally, when the flow is stopped to allow pressure reading, a backflow of gas is created so that the lens of a viewing instrument, for example, a scope, is more likely to be undesirably in contact with the humid air inside the surgical cavity, thereby causing fogging of and/or condensation formation on the lens which can impede vision.
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for pressure sensing. Various sensors, such as a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, a pressure-relief valve, a strain gauge, a force sensor, a temperature sensor, or otherwise, can be positioned in a connector of the cannula or in a tube coupled to the cannula. A pressure tap or pressure line that is connected to a pressure sensor can be included, where the pressure sensor is positioned distal to the cannula/cavity.
The various sensors can determine pressure in the surgical cavity. The measured/determined pressure can be used to control a gases source to provide gases to the surgical cavity. The pressure sensing disclosed herein can advantageously allow for more advanced flow algorithms by removing the need for the gas flow to stop for pressure measurement, and/or optimizing a gas flow stop for measurement (for example, by preventing backflow, decreasing flow stop time, and/or otherwise). This can allow for better pressure and/or flow control, which can help mitigate instability in the surgical cavity or insufficient insufflation, and when combined with other features (such as a directed gas flow cannula), can provide flow profiles that help mitigate problems such as smoke accumulation in the surgical cavity and/or impairment to vision.
The pressure sensing systems and methods disclosed herein can also be combined with other features of the medical gases delivery system, such as reduced restriction at gas connection, a tube set with less friction, a tube set with a consistent diameter, and/or a tube set with multiple connections and/or gas supply sources. A tube set includes multiple components. A tube set optionally includes at least one tube with a heater in the tube, the tube including a connector at each end. One connector can be configured to connect to the insufflator. The other connector can be configured to connect to the surgical cannula. The tube set can optionally include a filter that is downstream of the humidifier to filter gases, for example, air prior to introducing the air into the surgical cavity via the cannula, or prior to introducing the gases into other interfaces, for example, a diffuser, which delivers carbon dioxide.
The reduced restriction of the gas path can help reduce latency in the gas supply system, reduce restriction for gas flow, and may help improve pressure sensing capability. Optimizing the restriction of the gas path can improve operation of the control system. The pressure sensing systems and methods disclosed herein can act as feedback for a control system in the gas supply so that the pneumatic components can be operated to insufflate a patient for surgery. The pressure sensing systems and methods disclosed herein can allow the gas supply to better handle intentional leaking and venting for smoke removal using a venting cannula or venting attachment to a cannula or a venting port. The pressure sensing systems and methods disclosed herein can also be combined with a heated cannula, a directed gas flow cannula and/or accessory, any other interfaces, and/or an optimized humidity source, which can allow for specific flow algorithms that enhance the functionality of these technologies (for example, a continuous flow for the directed gas flow).
The present disclosure provides examples of a medical gases delivery system. The system can comprise a surgical cannula for insertion into a surgical cavity, the cannula comprising: a cannula body including a gases port, wherein the gases port can be configured to be operably coupled to a gases supply; and a cannula shaft coupled to the cannula body, a free end of the cannula shaft configured to be inserted into a surgical cavity for delivering a medical instrument and/or a flow of gases to the surgical cavity; and a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of the flow of gases, the surgical cannula, or the surgical cavity, wherein the sensor can be in electrical communication with a processor and the processor can be configured to determine a pressure inside the surgical cavity based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor. A measured characteristic could include one or more quantitative or qualitative features.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a pressure sensor.
In a configuration, the surgical cannula can further comprise a pressure channel in fluid communication with a gases path of the cannula, the sensor located in the pressure channel.
In a configuration, the pressure channel can comprise a medium configured to react to the pressure inside the surgical cavity such that the reaction can be measured by the sensor.
In a configuration, the medium can deform upon exposure to the pressure inside the surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can comprise a pressure-sensing probe with an elongate body extending from outside the surgical cannula through an orifice of the surgical cannula and a lumen of the cannula shaft.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can be positioned at a location past seals in the cannula and the pressure sensor is in fluid communication with the lumen of the cannula shaft.
In a configuration, the elongate body of the probe can comprise a wire bendable into a predetermined shape.
In a configuration, the elongate body of the probe can comprise a cannula insert forming an internal cannula inside a lumen of the surgical cannula, the cannula insert comprising one or more seals.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can be configured to be attached to the medical instrument.
In a configuration, the system can further comprise a pressure port in fluid communication with the surgical cavity and adjacent the surgical cannula, the pressure sensor located in the pressure port.
In a configuration, the system can further comprise a pressure-sensing cannula in fluid communication with the surgical cavity and adjacent the surgical cannula, the pressure sensor located in the pressure-sensing cannula.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a strain gauge.
In a configuration, the strain gauge can be embedded in a wall of the surgical cannula.
In a configuration, the strain gauge can be located in the cannula shaft.
In a configuration, the system can further comprise a balloon configured to surround a portion of the cannula shaft and an incision site on a patient's skin, the balloon configured to form an airtight seal with the cannula shaft and the patient's skin, the strain gauge located on a wall of the balloon.
In a configuration, the system can further comprise an inflatable attachment configured to surround a portion of the cannula shaft and an incision site on a patient's skin, when inflated, the inflatable attachment configured to form an airtight seal with the cannula shaft and the patient's skin.
In a configuration, the inflatable attachment can comprise a balloon, the strain gauge located on a wall of the balloon.
In a configuration, the inflatable attachment can comprise one or more retention members, the strain gauge located on or in the one or more retention members, or in a channel in fluid communication with the one or more retention members.
In a configuration, the one or more retention members can comprise at least one member located under the patient's skin.
In a configuration, the one or more retention members can comprise at least one member located above the patient's skin.
In a configuration, the one or more retention members can form a unitary construction.
In a configuration, the strain gauge can comprise an attachment configured to attach to a patient's skin near or adjacent the cannula shaft.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a flow sensor.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be located in the cannula shaft, the flow sensor configured to measure a flow rate of the flow of gases delivered at a continuous flow rate or a flow rate of a known leak orifice in the system.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can comprise a cyclic flow that is greater than zero.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can be greater than zero. The continuous flow rate may be at a substantially constant level greater than zero.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can comprise a constant flow rate.
In a configuration, the surgical cannula further can comprise a pressure channel in fluid communication with a gases path of the cannula, wherein the flow sensor is located upstream of the pressure channel.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be located in a secondary pressure line connected to the gases port.
In a configuration, they system can further comprise a pressure-sensing cannula in fluid communication with the surgical cavity and adjacent the surgical cannula, the flow sensor coupled to a gases port of the pressure-sensing cannula.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be located in a venting attachment coupled to the gases port of the pressure-sensing cannula, the venting attachment comprising a known orifice with a leak flow rate.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise one or more pressure-indicating valves.
In a configuration, a plurality of pressure-indicating valves can be located on a wall of the cannula shaft, the plurality of pressure-indicating valves configured to open at different set pressure values.
In a configuration, a single pressure-indicating valve can be located on a wall of the cannula shaft, the single pressure-indicating valve configured to open at an adjustable set pressure value.
In a configuration, the single pressure-indicating valve can be configured to prevent the pressure inside the surgical cavity from exceeding the adjustable set pressure value.
In a configuration, the processor can be configured to determine a pressure inside the surgical cavity in real time or near real time when the flow of gases to the surgical cavity is not paused.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and/or the controller of the humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be embedded within the surgical cannula.
In a configuration, the sensor can be configured to detect over-pressure and/or under-pressure in the system, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates of the flow of gases.
In a configuration, signals from the sensor can be configured to be used to detect undesirable or improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application.
The present disclosure provides examples of a pressure-sensing system in a medical gases delivery system. The system can comprise a gases conduit comprising: an elongate body including a lumen extending therethrough; a gases inlet end operably coupled to a gases supply; and a gases outlet end operably coupled to a surgical cannula, wherein the gases inlet end and gases outlet end can be located on opposite ends of the lumen; and a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of the flow of gases, the gases conduit, or the gases supply, wherein the sensor can be in electrical communication with a processor and the processor can be configured to determine a pressure inside the surgical cavity based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a pressure sensor.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can be located at or near the gases inlet end.
In a configuration, the system can comprise a connector coupled to the gases inlet end, wherein the pressure sensor is located at the connector.
In a configuration, the system can comprise a connector coupled to the gases outlet end, wherein the pressure sensor is located at the connector.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise an expansion ring configured to deform in response to the pressure inside the surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the expansion ring can be located at or near the gases inlet end.
In a configuration, the system can comprise a connector coupled to the gases outlet end, wherein the expansion ring is located at the connector.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a heater wire in the elongate body, the heater wire configured to deform in response to the pressure inside the surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a flow sensor in fluidic communication with the lumen.
In a configuration, the system can comprise a connector attached to the conduit at the gases inlet end or the gases outlet end, wherein the flow sensor can be coupled to the connector, the connector comprising a known orifice with a known leak flow rate.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be located in elongate body along the conduit.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and/or the controller of the humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be embedded within the gases conduit.
In a configuration, the sensor can be configured to detect over-pressure and/or under-pressure in the system, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates of the flow of gases.
In a configuration, signals from the sensor can be configured to be used to detect undesirable or improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application.
The present disclosure provides examples of a tube or tube-set for delivering a flow of gases in a medical gases delivery system. The tube or tube-set can comprise at least one tube including a first end and a second end; the tube defining a lumen to transport gases through it; a first connector at the first end and a second connector at the second end of the tube; and a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of the flow of gases or a characteristic of a component of the tube-set, wherein the sensor can be in electrical communication with a processor and the processor is configured to determine a pressure in the tube-set based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor, and wherein the sensor can comprise a pressure sensor.
In a configuration, the at least one tube can comprise a first conduit and a second conduit, the first and second conduits being co-axial with each other.
In a configuration, the first conduit can be positioned within the second conduit and being surrounded by the second conduit, the first conduit and second conduit defining a dual wall tube.
In a configuration, the first connector and/or the second connector can comprise a Luer connector.
In a configuration, the first connector and/or the second connector can comprise a Luer connector, wherein the Luer connector comprises a resilient outer cover.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can be located at the first connector.
In a configuration, the pressure sensor can be located at the second connector.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise an expansion ring configured to deform in response to the pressure.
In a configuration, the expansion ring can be located at the first connector.
In a configuration, the expansion ring can be located at the second connector.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a heater wire in the tube, the heater wire configured to deform in response to the pressure.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a flow sensor in fluidic communication with a lumen of the tube.
In a configuration, the flow rate sensor can be coupled to the first or second connector, the first or second connector comprising a known orifice with a leak flow rate that is determined by the flow rate sensor.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be located in a wall of the tube.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and/or the controller of the humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be embedded within the at least one tube.
In a configuration, the tube or tube-set can comprise a filter that is located downstream of a humidifier.
In a configuration, the at least one tube can comprise a delivery tube that connects a gases supply to a humidifier and a supply tube that connects the humidifier to a cannula.
In a configuration, the at least one tube can comprise a delivery tube that connects a gases supply to a humidifier and a supply tube that connects the humidifier to a medical instrument.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a diffuser.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a directed gas flow accessory.
The present disclosure provides examples of a surgical humidification system comprising the tube or tube-set of any of the configurations described above, and a humidifier comprising a humidification chamber, the first or second connector coupled to an outlet of the humidification chamber.
In a configuration, the humidifier can be configured to humidify the flow of gases prior to introducing the flow of gases into a surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the system can comprise an insufflator, wherein the insufflator is the gases supply.
In a configuration, the sensor can be configured to detect over-pressure and/or under-pressure in the system, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates of the flow of gases.
In a configuration, signals from the sensor can be configured to be used to detect undesirable or improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application.
The present disclosure provides examples of a medical gases delivery system. The system can comprise a medical instrument for insertion into a surgical cavity, the medical instrument being coupled to a gases supply and in fluid communication with the surgical cavity; and a sensor configured to measure a characteristic of the flow of gases, the medical instrument, or the surgical cavity, wherein the sensor can be in electrical communication with a processor and the processor is configured to determine a pressure inside the surgical cavity based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a pressure sensor.
In a configuration, the sensor can comprise a flow sensor.
In a configuration, the flow sensor can be configured to measure a flow rate of the flow of gases delivered at a continuous flow rate or a flow rate of a known leak orifice in the system.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can comprise a cyclic flow that is greater than zero.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can be constantly greater than zero.
In a configuration, the continuous flow rate can comprise a constant flow rate.
In a configuration, the sensor can be configured to be attached to an end connector coupled to the medical instrument.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a diffuser.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a directed gas flow accessory.
In a configuration, the processor can be configured to determine a pressure inside the surgical cavity in real time or near real time when the flow of gases to the surgical cavity is not paused.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and the controller of the humidifier.
In a configuration, the sensor can be configured to detect over-pressure and/or under-pressure in the system, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates of the flow of gases.
In a configuration, signals from the sensor can be configured to be used to detect undesirable or improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application.
The present disclosure provides examples of a method of sensing pressure within a medical gases delivery system comprising: inserting a surgical cannula into a surgical cavity, the cannula comprising a cannula body including a gases port, wherein the gases port is operably coupled to a gases supply; and a cannula shaft coupled to the cannula body, wherein a free end of the cannula shaft can be inserted into the surgical cavity; flowing gases into the surgical cavity; sensing a characteristic of the flow of gases, a component of a tube-set, the surgical cannula, or the surgical cavity; transmitting data relating to the characteristic of the flow of gases, a component of the tube-set, the surgical cannula, or the surgical cavity to a processor; and estimating a pressure inside the surgical cavity via the processor based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor, wherein estimating the pressure can occur in real-time or near-real time without pausing the flowing of gases into the surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the method can comprise outputting the pressure estimated by the processor to a display.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and/or the controller of the humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be embedded within the surgical cannula.
The present disclosure provides examples of a method of sensing pressure within a medical gases delivery system comprising: inserting a medical instrument into a surgical cavity, the medical instrument being coupled to a gases supply and in fluid communication with the surgical cavity; delivering gases into the surgical cavity; sensing a characteristic of the flow of gases, a component of a tube-set, the medical instrument, or the surgical cavity; transmitting data relating to the characteristic of the flow of gases, a component of the tube-set, the medical instrument, or the surgical cavity to a processor; and estimating a pressure inside the surgical cavity via the processor based at least in part on the characteristic measured by the sensor, wherein estimating the pressure can occur in real-time or near-real time without pausing the delivering of gases into the surgical cavity.
In a configuration, the method can comprise outputting the pressure estimated by the processor to a display.
In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of the gases supply. In a configuration, the processor can be part of a controller of a humidifier. In a configuration, the processor can be in the controller of the gases supply and the controller of the humidifier.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a diffuser.
In a configuration, the medical instrument can comprise a directed gas flow accessory.
The present disclosure provides examples of a non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer executable instructions that, when executed on a processing device, cause the processing device to perform any method according to any one of the configurations described above.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present disclosure are described with reference to the drawings of certain embodiments, which are intended to schematically illustrate certain embodiments and not to limit the disclosure.
Although certain embodiments and examples are described below, those of skill in the art will appreciate that the disclosure extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments and/or uses and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the disclosure herein disclosed should not be limited by any particular embodiments described below.
Gases can be introduced to a surgical cavity, such as the peritoneal cavity via an interface, for example, a cannula, inserted through an incision made in patient's body (such as the abdominal wall). The interface, for example, the cannula, can be coupled to an insufflator. The gases flow from the insufflator can be increased to inflate the surgical cavity (such as for example to maintain a pneumoperitoneum, which is a cavity filled with gas within the abdomen). The introduced gases can inflate the surgical cavity. A medical instrument can be inserted through the cannula into the inflated surgical cavity. For example, an endoscope, another scope, or camera unit can be inserted into the cavity and visibility in the cavity can be assisted by insertion of gases, which can be air or carbon dioxide or any other suitable gases. After initial insufflation and insertion of the instrument (such as a laparoscope) through the primary cannula, additional cannulas can be placed in the surgical cavity under laparoscopic observation. Gases and/or surgical smoke can be vented from the surgical cavity using a venting attachment on one of the cannulas placed in the surgical cavity. Smoke can be vented using a passive smoke venting arrangement that is configured to vent smoke due to a pressure differential between the surgical cavity and atmosphere. The passive smoke venting arrangement may include a filter to filter smoke and/or other particulate matter prior to venting the smoke. Alternatively, an active smoke evacuation system may be used to vent or remove smoke from the cavity. For example, the active smoke evacuation system may include a pump or other device that creates suction or a pressure differential to draw smoke out of the surgical cavity. An active smoke evacuation system may include a filter to filter smoke and/or particulate matter prior to venting the smoke. The evacuated gases may be recirculated and delivered back into the surgical cavity.
At the end of the operating procedure, all instruments and cannulas are removed from the surgical cavity, the gases are expelled, and each incision is closed. For thoracoscopy, colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, gastroscopy, bronchoscopy, and/or others, some non-limiting examples of which are disclosed elsewhere herein, the same or substantially similar procedure for introducing gases to a surgical cavity can be followed. The quantity and flow of gases can be controlled by the clinician performing the examination and/or automatically by the insufflation system, which can include an insufflator and other components, for example but not limited to a pressure relief valve or otherwise. The insufflator may deliver intermittent or continuous flow. The insufflator can control flow to ensure that the pressure in the surgical cavity is maintained at or around a predetermined range. The pressure allows for the surgical cavity to be inflated to a predetermined volume.
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The cannula disclosed herein may optionally include one or more structures that retain the scope in a substantially concentric and/or coaxial orientation relative to the cannula in order to improve visibility through the scope. Having gas pressure sensing external to the gases source can improve delivery of the gases flow and the performance of the concentric and/or coaxial features, for example, to allow a more consistent flow of gases to be delivered to the patient. The gas pressure sensing external to the gases source can allow the pressure measurement to be closer to the patient, which can improve patient safety as the pressure measurement can be more accurate and therefore allowing better control of the delivery of gases to the patient.
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The gases supply 9 can provide one or more insufflation gases, such as, for example, carbon dioxide, to the humidifier chamber 5. The gases can be humidified as they are passed through the humidifier chamber 5, which can contain a volume of water or other liquid 8. The gases are humidified by a passover humidification mechanism in the illustrated humidifier 5.
A humidifier that incorporates the humidifier chamber 5 can be any type of humidifier. The humidifier chamber 5 can include a plastic formed chamber having a metal or otherwise conductive base 14 sealed thereto. The base can be in contact with the heater plate 16 during use. The volume of water 8 contained in the chamber 5 can be heated by a heater plate 16, which can be under the control of a controller 21 of the humidifier. The volume of water 8 within the chamber 5 can be heated such that it evaporates, mixing water vapor with the gases flowing through the chamber 5 to heat and humidify the gases.
The controller 21 can be housed in a humidifier base unit 3, which can also house the heater plate 16. The heater plate 16 can have an electric heating element therein or in thermal contact therewith. One or more insulation layers can be located between the heater plate 16 and the heater element. The heater element can be a base element (or a former) with a wire wound around the base element. The wire can be a nichrome wire (or a nickel-chrome wire). The heater element can also include a multi-layer substrate with heating tracks electrodeposited thereon or etched therein. The controller 21 can include electronic circuitry, which can include a microprocessor for controlling the supply of energy to the heating element. The humidifier base unit 3 and/or the heater plate 16 can be removably engageable with the humidifier chamber 5. The humidifier chamber 5 can also alternatively or additionally include an integral heater.
The heater plate 16 can include a temperature sensor, such as a temperature transducer, a thermistor, or otherwise, which can be in electrical connection with a processor or signal processor. The processor can be part of the controller 21. The processor may be in the humidifier and/or in the gases supply. Alternatively, the processor may be incorporated into a tube, such as the gases delivery conduit, or a portion of the tube. As another alternative configuration, the processor may be a remote processor that is arranged in wireless communication with any sensors or sensing apparatus. The processor includes a processing unit and a data storage unit, for example, a memory unit. The data storage can store measured values for further processing. The heater plate temperature sensor can be located within the humidifier base unit 3. The processor can monitor the temperature of the heater plate 16, which can approximate a temperature of the water 8.
A temperature sensor can also be located at the or near the outlet 11 to monitor a temperature of the humidified gases leaving the humidifier chamber 5 from the outlet 11. The temperature sensor can also be connected to the processor (for example, with a cable or wirelessly). Additional sensors can also optionally be incorporated, for example, for sensing characteristics of the gases (such as temperature, humidity, flow, or others) at a patient end of the gases delivery conduit 13. The humidifier operation can also be controlled based on the temperature of the heater plate and/or the temperature sensor at the chamber outlet 11.
The gases can exit out through the humidifier's outlet 11 and into the gases delivery conduit 13. The gases can move through the gases delivery conduit 13 into the surgical cavity of the patient 2 via the cannula 15, thereby inflating and maintaining the pressure within the cavity. In some cases, the gases leaving the outlet 11 of the humidifier chamber 5 can have a relative humidity of around 100%. As the gases travel along the gases delivery conduit 13, “rain out,” that is, condensation when the temperature of the gases decreases below the dew point of the gases, can occur so that water vapor can condense on a wall of the gases delivery conduit 13. Rain out can have undesirable effects, such as detrimentally reducing the water content of the gases delivered to the patient. In order to reduce and/or minimize the occurrence of condensation within the gases delivery conduit 13, a heater wire 14 can be provided within, throughout, or around the gases delivery conduit 13. The heater wire 14 can be electronically connected to the humidifier base unit 3, for example by an electrical cable 19 to power the heater wire. In some embodiments, other heating elements could be included in addition or alternatively, e.g., a conductive ink, or a flexible PCB.
The heater wire 14 can include an insulated copper alloy resistance wire, other types of resistance wire, or other heater element, and/or be made of any other appropriate material. The heater wire can be a straight wire or a helically wound element. An electrical circuit including the heater wire 14 can be located within walls of the gases delivery tube 13. The gases delivery tube 13 can be a spiral wound tube. The heater wire 14 can be spirally wound around an insulating core of the gases delivery conduit 13. The insulating coating around the heater wire 14 can include a thermoplastics material which, when heated to a predetermined temperature, can enter a state in which its shape can be altered and the new shape can be substantially elastically retained upon cooling. The heater wire 14 can be wound in a single or double helix. As alternatives to a heater wire 14, the gases delivery conduit 13 can include any other types of heating element. Measurements by the temperature sensor and/or the additional sensor(s) at the patient end of the conduit 13 can provide feedback to the processor of the controller 21 so that the controller 21 can optionally energize the heater wire to increase and/or maintain the temperature of the gases within the gases delivery conduit 13 so that the gases delivered to the patient can be at or close to a desired temperature. In one example, the outlet set point can be about 37° C. Alternatively, the gases are delivered at a temperature to maintain a core temperature of the patient at a desired level, for example, at a 37° C. core temperature. The gases may be heated in the gases delivery conduit 13. The gases may also be heated within the cannula by appropriate heating structures in the cannula. Alternatively or additionally, the system can include additional sensors configured to measure one or more parameters, for example, ambient temperature and ambient humidity sensors; and/or flow sensors, and/or pressure sensors configured to determine flow rate or pressure of flow or determine the pressure within a cavity or in the tube. Additionally or alternatively, the system may also include additional sensors. The sensors can be located upstream, downstream, and/or within the humidifier. The sensors may be configured to determine a parameter of the insufflation gases or one or more parameters of the patient/surgical cavity. Each of the sensors can provide feedback information for controlling the gases supply. For all the sensors disclosed herein, the sensors may be able to communicate wirelessly with the processor or may have a wired connection with the processor.
The controller can, for example, include the microprocessor or logic circuit with associated memory or storage means, which can hold a software program. When executed by the controller 21, the software can control the operation of the insufflation system 1 in accordance with instructions set in the software and/or in response to external inputs. For example, the processor of the controller 21 can be provided with input from the heater plate 16 so that the controller 21 can be provided with information on the temperature and/or power usage of the heater plate 16. The processor of the controller 21 can be provided with inputs of temperature of the gases flow. For example, the temperature sensor can provide input to indicate the temperature of the humidified gases flow as the gases leave the outlet 11 of the humidifier chamber 5. The temperature sensor can be at or near the interface to assist with device performance and/or patient safety monitoring. A flow sensor can also be provided in the same position as or near the temperature sensor or at another appropriate location within the insufflation system 1. The controller 21 can control a flow regulator which regulates the flow rate of gases through the system 1. The regulator can include a flow inducer and/or inhibiter such as a motorized fan. Valves and/or vents can, additionally or alternatively, be used to control the gases flow rate.
A user interface 18 configured to receive input information can be located on the humidifier base unit 3. The user interface 18 can allow a user (such as a surgeon or nurse) to set a desired gases temperature and/or gases humidity level to be delivered. Other functions can also optionally be controlled by the user interface 18, such as control of the heating delivered by the heater wire 14. The controller 21 can control the system 1, and in particular control the flow rate, temperature, and/or humidity of gas delivered to the patient, to be appropriate for the type of medical procedure for which the system 1 is being used. The humidifier base unit 3 can also include a display for displaying to the user the characteristics of the gas flow being delivered to the patient 2.
When in use, the humidifiers described above can be located outside an “operating sterile zone” and/or adjacent the insufflator. As a result, the medical personnel would not be required to touch the humidifier when moving the cannula during the operation to maneuver the medical instruments within the surgical cavity. The humidifier and the humidification fluid therein may not need to be sterilized to the same extent as the medical instruments. Furthermore, the humidifier being located outside the “operating sterile zone” can reduce obstructions to the medical personnel during the operating procedure that may restrict movements of the medical personnel and/or the medical instruments in the already crowded space.
As shown in
As alternative embodiments relating to the cannula 15, the gases delivery conduit 13 shown in
As shown in
The pressure sensing feature 212 can provide redundancy in the prevention of over-pressure in the gases delivery system that includes an existing safety feature against undesired elevated pressure. The pressure sensing feature 212 can also provide protection against under-pressure, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates. Pressure measurements from the pressure sensing feature 212 can be communicated to the controller 21. For example, if a tube in the system gets occluded (partially or entirely) and the pressure in the system exceeds a predetermined threshold, the pressure sensing feature 12 can communicate with the controller 21, which can in turn limit or disable the supply of gases until the pressure returns to normal levels, that is, below the threshold. Additionally, the pressure sensing feature 212 can detect pressure signals configured to be used in inferring unwanted use cases, which can be related to, for example, unwanted or undesired use of the diffuser 220. The diffuser 220 can cause splatter, bubbling, and/or other unwanted or undesirable effects, which can interfere with proper delivery of the gases. The pressure sensing feature 212 that is located closer to the patient can provide signals used for monitoring characteristics in the pressure signal (such as oscillations), which may be related to the unwanted or undesirable events, such as undesirable connections, improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application. The pressure sensing feature 12 can communicate with the controller 21, which can in turn limit the supply of gases, for example, by limiting the pressure and/or flow rate, accordingly.
As shown in
As shown in
As described above, the present disclosure provides systems and methods for gas supply control of the systems described above. As shown in
The gas flow control system and related sensor configurations disclosed herein can be implemented in any of the medical gases delivery systems disclosed herein, or on a secondary gas source used in combination with any of the medical gases delivery systems.
Examples of pressure sensing devices and methods are described below. The method of attaching the pressure sensing devices to the medical gases delivery system incorporates all necessary electrical connections. All electrical connections can be wired connections or wireless connections. The pressure sensing devices and methods can be incorporated in any of the medical gases delivery systems disclosed herein and/or components thereof, for example, with any gases supply (such as insufflators), gases delivery cannula, or gases delivery conduit. The pressure sensing devices and methods can also be used for any laparoscopic surgery in which pressure inside the surgical cavity needs to be monitored. The pressure sensing devices and methods can provide protection against over-pressure, under-pressure, and/or undesirably high or low flow rates. The pressure sensing device that is located closer to the patient can provide signals used for monitoring characteristics in the pressure signal (such as oscillations), which may be related to the unwanted or undesirable events, such as undesirable connections, improper connections, and/or inappropriate connections for a particular surgical application.
One or more pressure sensor or a pressure sensing apparatus or pressure sensing device disclosed herein can be incorporated into a component of a tube. For example, the pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus may be incorporated into the tube body or into a connector of the tube. The pressure sensor or a pressure sensing apparatus can be configured to measure pressure in the tube, which can be used to determine the pressure in the surgical cavity. In one example implementation, the processor equates the measured pressure in the tube to the pressure in the surgical cavity as it is assumed the gases path is a sealed path.
A pressure sensor, such as the pressure sensor 56 of
When gases are delivered from the first end 304 to the second end 306, as illustrated by the arrows, the lumen 310 can be pressurized, which can in turn pressurize the surgical cavity. The pressure can be detected by the pressure sensor 312 at the first end 304. The pressure sensor 312 can be located anywhere along the conduit 300.
As shown in
The pressure sensor can be in the form of an expansion ring 400, such as shown in
As shown in
A controlled leak via an orifice known to the system can be used to detect pressure in the medical gases delivery system. As shown in
In
As shown in
Pressure sensing can be performed by monitoring an amount of deformation of the heater wire in or on the wall of the gases delivery conduit. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
The pressure tap 920 can be located in the connector 908, which can have any features of the connector 408 described above, coupled to the gases port 910 (for example, via a Luer connection or other types of connection). The pressure tap 920 can be built into the connector 908, for example, within the barb connector 914 including barb 916. The pressure sensor 900 can be directly in the gases flow path. The pressure tap 920 can also be incorporated into a gas manifold at (or near) the gases port 910. The pressure sensor 900 can determine pressure in the gases delivery conduit 902 and hence pressure inside the surgical cavity. The pressure sensors disclosed herein are configured to transmit electrical signals that are processed by a processor to determine the pressure measured by the sensor. The electrical signal may be a signal relating to voltage or current. The heater wire 906 of the gases delivery conduit 902 can be in electrical communication with the pressure sensor 900 and can send signals from the pressure sensor 900 back to the gases supply processor for pressure calculations.
In other configurations, the conduit may comprise additional sensor wires. The sensor wires may be embedded into the wall of the conduit and extend along the length of the conduit. Alternatively, the sensor wires may be positioned in the lumen of the conduit. The sensor wires are configured to transmit signals from the sensor to the processor for processing the sensor signals. The sensor wires may also be configured to transmit power signals to the pressure sensor to power the sensor. Generally, the tubes disclosed herein that incorporate using the heater wire to transmit sensor signals can include separate heater wires and separate sensor wires to transmit signals. The sensor signals may be read at the zero crossing of the power signals, wherein the power signals are DC signals.
For all configurations disclosed herein, the pressure sensor may be configured for wired communication of sensor signals, or alternatively may be configured for wireless communication with the processor.
The pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus can be integrated into a component of the tube set and isolated from the gases supply to reduce any contamination risk. The tube set may be reused in some uses, and the pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus being located in the tube set reduces the need to constantly replace the pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus. A pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus in the cannula requires the pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus to be discarded with the cannula, which is discarded after a surgical procedure. Further, including the pressure sensor or pressure sensing apparatus in the tube set can advantageously move the pressure sensor away from any instruments inserted into the cannula, thereby reducing the chances of electronic interference or damage from the instruments to the pressure sensor or sensing apparatus.
Pressure inside the cannula can be determined so as to determine the pressure inside the surgical cavity. The pressure inside the cannula can be measured by a pressure sensor or sensing apparatus incorporated into the cannula. The pressure sensor or sensing apparatus may be incorporated into a portion of the cannula and provide an indication of the pressure in the surgical cavity.
The present disclosure provides examples of a pressure sensing channel (
In an alternative configuration, the medium 1116 may be a solid material, for example, a foam or a flexible plastic. In some configurations, the sensor may be a strain gauge, a force sensor, or a strain sensor. The solid material of the medium 1116 is configured to change its physical characteristics in response to changes in the pressure within the channel 1100 due to changes in the pressure in the surgical cavity. The changes in the physical characteristics can be related to the pressure in the channel 1100 by a mathematical function. The controller or the processor may be configured to store the mathematical function and utilize the mathematical function to determine the pressure in the surgical cavity.
In
A further alternative configuration, such as shown in
The relationship between the pressure and deformation can be used by the processor to determine the pressure in the surgical cavity based on the strain gauge measurement provided by the element 1200 in the form of a strain gauge. The strain gauge provides a signal that is indicative of a deformation, that is, strain experienced by the shaft 1204. The processor is configured to determine the strain based on the strain gauge signal and then determine a corresponding pressure in the surgical cavity based on the mathematical relationship between deformation and pressure. The cannula in
The medical gases delivery system can be configured such that the flow rate of the gases flow inside the cannula 1302 (at least in the shaft 1304) is constant. As shown in
The gases delivery conduit 1306 can provide power to the flow rate sensor 1300. For example, the heater wire 1310 can be connected to a wire that extends from the flow rate sensor 1300, upon the gases delivery conduit 1306 being connected to the gases port 1308 to provide power to the flow rate sensor 1300. The cannula in
As shown in
As shown in
The wall of the cannula shaft 1508 in the portion surrounded by the sleeve 1500 can include one or more channels for gases to inflate the sleeve or balloon 1500 more quickly, for example, if the normal surgical leaks around the incision site 1504 are insufficient or the rate of inflation of the sleeve 1500 is too slow so the pressure sensing response has too much lag. The tube set can power the strain gauge similar to the arrangement of
For the configuration in
As an alternative to the sleeve 1500, as shown in
As shown in
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As shown in
Accordingly, the valves in
The pressure-indicating valve(s) 1600 may be powered by power lines that are routed through the gases delivery conduit 1612. The conduit 1612 may also include the sensor described above. The valve(s) 1600 may also be configured for wireless communication with the processor.
The change in position of the slider 1614 inside the channel 1606 can be determined using a variety of ways. For example, as shown in
As another example, such as shown in
In another example, such as shown in
The switches 1616, the position sensor 1618, and/or the non-contact distance sensor 1620 may be powered by power lines that are routed through the gases delivery conduit 1612. The switches 1616, the position sensor 1618, and/or non-contact distance sensor 1620 may also be configured for wireless communication with the processor.
As shown in
The strain sensing apparatus 1700 is closely attached to the skin such that the strain sensing apparatus 1700 can sense the skin stretching or relaxing due changes in the pressure within the surgical cavity. The strain sensing arrangement 1700 may include a mounting device that includes a first element that is attached to the skin of the patient and a second element that is attached to the strain sensing apparatus 1700. The first and second element can be removably attached to each other. In one example, the first and second elements are removably attached by corresponding portions of hook and loop fasteners. The first element can include a patient contacting side that includes a hydrocolloid gel configured to adhere removably to the patient's skin. The second element can include a carrier layer that supports the hook and loop fasteners. The carrier layer may be silicon, a hydrocolloid gel, or another suitable material.
The deformation under pressure of the surface of the skin to which the sensing apparatus 1700 is secured can be used, for example, via calibration, to estimate the internal pressure of the surgical cavity.
Calibration of the sensing apparatus 1700 can be performed, for example, by using pressure measurements from other types of pressure sensing of the gases supply and/or surgical cavity while monitoring the strain gauge in the sensing apparatus 1700. The mathematical relationship between the pressure in the surgical cavity and the strain sensed by the strain sensing apparatus 1700 in the form of a strain gauge can be determined experimentally. In one example implementation, the strain gauge is calibrated at a zero position for a predetermine pressure. The predetermined pressure may be an operative pressure or operative pressure range for laparoscopic surgery. If the strain gauge measures an increasing strain, this can correspond to an increase in pressure. A larger negative strain from the zero position may denote a reduction of the pressure in the cavity. The processor may store the mathematical relationship between a detected strain value and a pressure value in the surgical cavity. The processor can use this relationship to provide a pressure reading based on the detected strain. Other calibration methods can also be implemented.
The strain gauge information can be sent back to the processor via wireless transmission (using any wireless communication protocol, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, etc.) and/or a wired connection. The wired connection can be to the end of the cannula 1702 or to the end of the tube set, for example, the connector 1708. Wires for powering the sensing apparatus 1700 and transporting the sensing signals (for example, the strain gauge signals) may extend from the end of the cannula 1702 or may extend from the connector 1708 of the tube-set.
As shown in
A pressure-sensing cannula 2000, such as shown in
Examples of medical gases delivery systems and associated components and methods have been described with reference to the figures. The figures show various systems and modules and connections between them. The various modules and systems can be combined in various configurations and connections between the various modules and systems can represent physical or logical links. The representations in the figures have been presented to clearly illustrate the principles and details regarding divisions of modules or systems have been provided for ease of description rather than attempting to delineate separate physical embodiments. The examples and figures are intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the inventions described herein. For example, the principles herein may be applied to a surgical humidifier as well as other types of humidification systems, including respiratory humidifiers.
As used herein, the term “processor” refers broadly to any suitable device, logical block, module, circuit, or combination of elements for executing instructions. For example, the controller 8 can include any conventional general purpose single- or multi-chip microprocessor such as a Pentium® processor, a MIPS® processor, a Power PC® processor, AMD® processor, ARM® processor, or an ALPHA® processor. In addition, the controller 122 can include any conventional special purpose microprocessor such as a digital signal processor or a microcontroller. The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein can be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein, or can be a pure software in the main processor. For example, logic module can be a software-implemented function block which does not utilize any additional and/or specialized hardware elements. Controller can be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a combination of a microcontroller and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
Data storage can refer to electronic circuitry that allows data to be stored and retrieved by a processor. Data storage can refer to external devices or systems, for example, disk drives or solid state drives. Data storage can also refer to fast semiconductor storage (chips), for example, Random Access Memory (RAM) or various forms of Read Only Memory (ROM), which are directly connected to the communication bus or the controller. Other types of data storage include bubble memory and core memory. Data storage can be physical hardware configured to store data in a non-transitory medium.
Although certain embodiments and examples are disclosed herein, inventive subject matter extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses, and to modifications and equivalents thereof. Thus, the scope of the claims or embodiments appended hereto is not limited by any of the particular embodiments described herein. For example, in any method or process disclosed herein, the acts or operations of the method or process can be performed in any suitable sequence and are not necessarily limited to any particular disclosed sequence. Various operations can be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that can be helpful in understanding certain embodiments; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent. Additionally, the structures described herein can be embodied as integrated components or as separate components. For purposes of comparing various embodiments, certain aspects and advantages of these embodiments are described. Not necessarily all such aspects or advantages are achieved by any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, various embodiments can be carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other aspects or advantages as can also be taught or suggested herein.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “could,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments. As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Also, the term “or” is used in its inclusive sense (and not in its exclusive sense) so that when used, for example, to connect a list of elements, the term “or” means one, some, or all of the elements in the list. Conjunctive language such as the phrase “at least one of X, Y and Z,” unless specifically stated otherwise, is otherwise understood with the context as used in general to convey that an item, term, etc. may be either X, Y or Z. Thus, such conjunctive language is not generally intended to imply that certain embodiments require at least one of X, at least one of Y and at least one of Z each to be present. As used herein, the words “about” or “approximately” can mean a value is within ±10%, within ±5%, or within ±1% of the stated value.
Methods and processes described herein may be embodied in, and partially or fully automated via, software code modules executed by one or more general and/or special purpose computers. The word “module” refers to logic embodied in hardware and/or firmware, or to a collection of software instructions, possibly having entry and exit points, written in a programming language, such as, for example, C or C++. A software module may be compiled and linked into an executable program, installed in a dynamically linked library, or may be written in an interpreted programming language such as, for example, BASIC, Perl, or Python. It will be appreciated that software modules may be callable from other modules or from themselves, and/or may be invoked in response to detected events or interrupts. Software instructions may be embedded in firmware, such as an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM). It will be further appreciated that hardware modules may comprise connected logic units, such as gates and flip-flops, and/or may comprise programmable units, such as programmable gate arrays, application specific integrated circuits, and/or processors. The modules described herein can be implemented as software modules, but also may be represented in hardware and/or firmware. Moreover, although in some embodiments a module may be separately compiled, in other embodiments a module may represent a subset of instructions of a separately compiled program, and may not have an interface available to other logical program units.
In certain embodiments, code modules may be implemented and/or stored in any type of computer-readable medium or other computer storage device. In some systems, data (and/or metadata) input to the system, data generated by the system, and/or data used by the system can be stored in any type of computer data repository, such as a relational database and/or flat file system. Any of the systems, methods, and processes described herein may include an interface configured to permit interaction with users, operators, other systems, components, programs, and so forth.
It should be emphasized that many variations and modifications may be made to the embodiments described herein, the elements of which are to be understood as being among other acceptable examples. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims. Further, nothing in the foregoing disclosure is intended to imply that any particular component, characteristic or process step is necessary or essential.
This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) as a nonprovisional application of U.S. Prov. App. No. 62/826,208 filed on Mar. 29, 2019, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The present disclosure relates in some embodiments to humidifier systems and components of humidifier systems configured to supply gases to a patient, in particular to monitoring pressure in a surgical cavity of the patient.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/IB2020/052893 | 3/27/2020 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62826208 | Mar 2019 | US |