A ventilator and a method for detecting an obstruction during episodes of apnea by an additional pressure increment serve to detect episodes of obstructive apnea a respiratory gas source, a connecting line, and a patient interface are used to carry out the ventilation. The respiratory gas source has a control system for generating an incremental pressure change and at least one sensor for flow measurement. The sensor is connected to an evaluation unit that evaluates the flow pattern. A comparison of the flow pattern with the pattern of a pressure increment is carried out, and a ventilation state is automatically detected on the basis of the flow pattern.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the drawing:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of the device with a well-defined opening for generating a leakage flow.
FIG. 2 is different flow patterns in response to incremental pressure changes.
Claims
1. A ventilator comprising a respiratory gas source, a connecting line, a patient interface, and a control system for generating an incremental pressure change, and at least one sensor for flow measurement, wherein the sensor is connected to an evaluation unit for evaluating the flow pattern and comparing the pattern of a pressure increment with the pattern of the flow.
2. A ventilator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the evaluation unit has an analyzer for carrying out an operation for detecting apnea as a function of the result of the comparison.
3. A ventilator in accordance with claim 2, wherein the analyzer is configured to distinguish obstructive apnea from central apnea as a function of the measured flow pattern.
4. A ventilator in accordance with claim 2, wherein the analyzer is designed to analyze a change in flow that occurs in response to an incremental pressure change.
5. A ventilator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the connecting line has a leakage opening.
6. A ventilator in accordance with claim 1, wherein a control system of the respiratory gas source is configured to generate a pressure surge in response to a cessation of breathing detected by the analyzer.
7. A ventilator in accordance with claim 2, wherein the analyzer is configured to detect obstructive apnea when a constant leakage flow is measured.
8. A ventilator in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control system of the respiratory gas source is configured to effect an incremental pressure increase when obstructive apnea is detected.
9. A method for controlling a ventilator, comprising supplying respiratory gas from a respiratory gas source to a patient interface through a connecting line, and generating an incremental pressure pattern and measuring a flow pattern, wherein a measurement that constitutes monitoring for the presence of an obstruction is carried out after the pressure pattern has been compared with the flow pattern.
10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein, on the basis of the analysis of the flow pattern, the device distinguishes between the detection of obstructive apnea and the detection of central apnea.
11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein a change in flow in response to an incremental pressure change is measured.
12. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising generating a constant leakage flow.
13. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising generating a pressure surge when cessation of breathing is detected.
14. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the detection of obstructive apnea is automatically generated from a constant leakage flow.
15. A method in accordance with claim 9, comprising generating an incremental pressure increase when obstructive apnea is detected.
Patent Application
20070227539
