A nasal interface uses asymmetrical nasal delivery elements to deliver an asymmetrical flow through the interface to both nares or to either nare, and a mouthpiece may be inserted to maintain a leak, to improve dead space clearance in the upper airways, decrease peak expiratory pressure, reduce noise, increase safety of the therapy for smaller patients and reduce resistance in the interface allowing desired flow rates to be achieved at reduced motor speeds of associated flow generating devices. Different forms of fittings, such as sleeves or inserts can be attached to nasal delivery elements to improve or optimise the therapeutic effects of nasal high flow. It may allow high pressures to be achieved at lower flow rates, reduce noise, improve patient comfort and efficiently clear anatomical dead space.

A customizable mask including a conforming seal is configured to utilize the physical process of granular jamming to enable it to adapt to a wide range of facial geometries. The mask may include a frame having a perimeter and a conduit connection, a conforming seal positioned along the perimeter of the frame. The conforming seal may include a sealing surface and a connecting surface, the connecting surface configured to mate with the perimeter of the frame, and the sealing surface configured to conform to a users' face. The conforming seal may further include an outer casing, granular material contained within the outer casing, and a vacuum connection. The mask may also include a similarly configured conforming frame. Further disclosed are methods of forming such masks.

A face mask (also called full face) for respiratory therapy, in particular for non-invasive mechanical ventilation, has a low value of CO.sub.2 rebreathing. The mask includes a shaped shell to cover at least the mouth, the nose and the eyes of a patient when the mask is worn, and includes, on said shaped shell an inlet fitting for the connection to a pipe through which a ventilation apparatus supplies the mask with a mixture of air and oxygen, and an outlet fitting, separate from said inlet fitting, for the discharge of air exhaled by the patient. With this arrangement, the mask allows drastically reducing the phenomenon of carbon dioxide rebreathing, which is very harmful for the patient subjected to ventilation.

A patient interface includes a plenum chamber, a seal-forming structure, and a positioning and stabilising structure to provide a force to hold the seal-forming structure in a therapeutically effective position on a patient's head. The positioning and stabilizing structure includes a superior strap portion, an inferior strap portion, and a posterior connecting strap portion connected to or formed integrally with the superior strap portion and the inferior strap portion. The posterior connecting strap portion is constructed from a mesh material that is different than the material used to construct the superior strap portion and the inferior strap portion. The posterior connecting strap portion has a greater stretch capability than the superior strap portion and a lesser stretch capability than the inferior strap portion. The stretch capabilities allow the positioning and stabilizing structure to be removable from the patient's head when the loop engages the connection portion.

The present invention relates to neck-mount powered respirators and methods of use. The respirators comprise an air handler, a temple rail, and a shoulder rail that fits around the back of the neck and over the shoulders of the wearer. The air handler is either positioned behind the neck of the wearer or integrated into a hollow shoulder rail. The temple rail is hollow and sized to fit snugly around the back of the head and contact with the temples of the wearer. A neck conduit is hollow and interconnects the shoulder rail and the temple rail forming an airflow channel. A face shield includes an elastic band that covers the temple rail temple vents, and the eyes, nose, and mouth of the wearer. Purified filtered air inflates the region between the face shield and the face of the wearer allowing the wearer to breathe the purified filtered air.

A neck strap, a crown strap assembly and a headgear for a breathing mask. The neck strap for a headgear includes a one-piece main body adapted to engage a patient's neck, first and second lower connection portions adapted to connect to first and second lower mask connection straps, and first and second upper connection portions adapted to connect to respective first and second lateral crown straps.

A system for determining an optimal hardness of a patient interface device includes a fit score determination unit structured to receive a 3-D model of the patient interface device and a 3-D model of a patient's face and to determine a fit score between the patient interface device and the patient's face based on the 3-D model of the patient interface device and the 3-D model of the patient's face, and a hardness determination unit structured to determine a hardness value of the patient interface device based on the determined fit score.

An interface for positive pressure therapy includes a mask assembly and a headgear assembly. The mask assembly comprises a mask seal that is adapted to underlie the nose. The mask seal extends up the lateral sides of the nose. The mask seal has a primary seal below the nose and a secondary seal alongside the nose.

A cushion/frame assembly for a patient interface includes a cushion frame and a cushion. The cushion frame includes a cushion frame material, an annular wall portion having an opening that extends along a cushion frame longitudinal axis, and a projection extending radially with respect to the opening. The cushion frame is configured to snap fit with an outer frame having headgear attachment points and being configured to engage an inlet conduit. The cushion is connected to the cushion frame. The cushion is structured to form a seal with the patient and includes a cushion material that is more flexible than the cushion frame material.

Forms of the technology provide a patient interface for supplying a flow of air at a therapeutic pressure to a patient's airways. The patient interface may comprise a cushion module comprising a cushion, wherein the cushion is constructed and configured to be substantially flexible, and may further comprise a brace. The brace may be configured to mount to a nasal portion of the cushion and, in use, to brace against movement of portions of the seal-forming structure in sealing engagement with regions of the patient's face proximate the patient's nares. Additionally, or alternatively, when the brace is mounted to a nasal portion of the cushion module, the nasal portion may be deformed relative to a natural shape of the nasal portion.