The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment.

A ventilation device for artificially ventilating a patient, the controller of the ventilation device being designed to actuate a flow modifying device for carrying out a P/V maneuver, in which a patient is supplied with respiratory gas while the pressure of the respiratory gas is increased during an inspiration phase, said respiratory gas passively flowing out of the patient during an expiration phase after the pressure increase is terminated. For a plurality of respiratory gas pressures, the respective maneuver respiratory gas volume present in the patient as a result of the P/V maneuver is ascertained in connection with the present respiratory gas pressure during the inspiration phase as well as during the expiration phase; the controller is designed to—ascertaining a sequence of lung compliance values during the inspiration phase on the basis of signals of a flow sensor assembly and a pressure sensor assembly, —ascertain a reference compliance value in accordance with the sequence of compliance values, —on the basis of the reference compliance value, determine a termination compliance value, which differs from the reference compliance value in terms of amount, in the form of a threshold value as a termination criterion for the inspiration phase, and —terminate the inspiration phase if the termination compliance value is reached or exceeded.

A method of determining a duration of safe apnoea. Information is obtained relating to a respiratory indicator, which can include information relating to a potential respiratory equilibrium, and a duration of safe apnoea is determined from the obtained information.

A method of determining a duration of safe apnoea. Information is obtained relating to a respiratory indicator, which can include information relating to a potential respiratory equilibrium, and a duration of safe apnoea is determined from the obtained information.

A method of treating a human subject which is effected by inhalation of gaseous nitric oxide, the method comprising a first treatment period comprising administering gNO by inhalation over a period of about at least 5 days, wherein the first treatment period is followed by a second treatment period comprising administering gNO by inhalation over a period of at least 3 months. The method can be utilized for treating a human subject suffering from, or prone to suffer from, a disease or disorder that is manifested in the respiratory tract, or from a disease or disorder that can be treated via the respiratory tract.

This disclosure describes systems and methods for providing a high pressure controlled proportional assist ventilation breath type during ventilation of a patient. The disclosure describes a novel breath type that reduces ventilator support (or a percent support setting) based on the occurrence of a predetermined number of high pressure alarms.

Methods and systems for assessing characteristics of a lung of a patient. A method includes, during an applied positive end expiratory pressure, identifying a first position of a patient, acquiring first impedance data representative of at least a region of patient's lung when the patient is in the first position, during the applied positive end expiratory pressure, identifying a second different position of a patient, acquiring second impedance data representative of at least the region of patient's lung when the patient is in the second position, comparing the first impedance data with the second impedance data, and determining whether the applied positive end expiratory pressure is sufficient to effectuate recruitment.

Methods and systems for assessing characteristics of a lung of a patient. A method includes, during an applied positive end expiratory pressure, identifying a first position of a patient, acquiring first impedance data representative of at least a region of patient's lung when the patient is in the first position, during the applied positive end expiratory pressure, identifying a second different position of a patient, acquiring second impedance data representative of at least the region of patient's lung when the patient is in the second position, comparing the first impedance data with the second impedance data, and determining whether the applied positive end expiratory pressure is sufficient to effectuate recruitment.

Disclosed is a computer controlled dosage system, for dosage adjustment for a mobile, hand held, inhaler for delivering a dosage of a medicine, is provided. The system comprises at least one measuring device for measuring at least one parameter; and a handheld mobile computer separate from the inhaler, the computer being configured to communicate with the at least one measuring device and with a remote memory for sending and receiving information to and from patient medical records of the remote memory for storage in a memory of the computer, and the computer being configured to receive a manual input for storage in the memory of the computer. The computer is configured to create a data set for setting a plurality of levels of different dosages of medicine based on the medicine used by the inhaler, the information from the patient's medical records of the remote memory, and the manual input; and the computer is further configured to store the data set in the memory of the computer. The computer is further configured to generate an indication indicating a dosage adjustment for the inhaler, based on the at least one parameter and on one of the plurality of levels of dosage of the data set, the indication indicating one of the plurality of levels of dosage of the data set as the dosage adjustment for the inhaler. A dosage regime generated by the computer controlled dosage system is also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a plurality of ventilation devices, to ventilation devices having visualization apparatuses, and to methods for operating the ventilation devices. The intent is to minimize the energy input into the at least one airway of a patient as a result of the ventilation.