A gases humidifier comprising: a gases inlet and an outlet, a removable humidification chamber cartridge with a heater source adapted to vaporize fluid; and a metering arrangement adapted to connect to and transfer fluid from a fluid supply to the humidification chamber.

Methods and apparatus infer or indicate sleep stage(s) of a patient from a respiratory flow rate signal of the patient. The method may include applying a plurality of detection pathways to a signal representing a respiratory flow rate of the patient, wherein each detection pathway is configured to generate start events and end events indicating start times and end times of episodes respectively of a corresponding sleep stage, wherein each start event and each end event has a priority; and combining the start events and end events based on their priorities to produce an indication of the sleep stage of the patient. The apparatus may include a sensor configured to generate a signal representing a property of a flow of air within a patient interface; and a processor configured to implement a method of inferring a sleep stage of the patient from the signal.

An infection containment band (IC Band) that consists of a wrist band with a mouth sized cavity that holds a filter in the filter chamber which is attached to, and/or part of the wrist band-resembling a wrist watch. There are pressure vents on the unit that release the air pressure when coughing or sneezing into the unit. The filter, in preferred embodiments consists of a sub-micron and/or standard filter and/or anti-microbial filter. The foregoing and other objects are intended to be illustrative of the invention and are not meant in a limiting sense. Many possible embodiments of the invention may be made and will be readily evident upon a study of the following specification and accompanying drawings comprising a part thereof. Various features and sub-combinations of invention may be employed without reference to other features and sub-combinations. Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent.

A method of an apparatus control pressure in the patient interface. A vent valve may be used with a respiratory device, where the vent valve may selectively block fluid communication between components, such as the flow generator, the patient interface, and/or the vent. An expiratory flow model may be used to determine an expiratory characteristic such as an expiratory flow rate or pressure in the patient interface where an indicative measure may not be available. The expiratory flow model may receive inputs based on a measure of the patient's respiration, such as the tidal volume, peak inspiratory flow rate or length of inspiration. The expiratory characteristic may be used by a controller to control a pressure in the patient interface to provide respiratory therapy to a patient at or close to a target pressure.

A medical airway device includes a housing having at least one breathing circuit port and including an airway filter arranged to filter air flowing through the at least one breathing circuit port. The airway filter includes a layered filter including at least a first separate filter layer and a second separate filter layer being stacked on top of each other so that neighbouring separate filter layers abut each other. The layered filter has a first surface being laminated with a first scrim layer and a second surface being laminated with a second scrim layer. Each separate filter layer is a non-woven fiber layer.

A reservoir configured to retain a volume of liquid for use in an apparatus for humidifying a flow of pressurised air comprises a base portion and a lid portion. The reservoir may be configured to improve its level of thermal contact to the heater plate using the flow of pressurised air. The reservoir may be configured to improve thermal contact between the reservoir and the heater plate by pre-compression upon engagement of the reservoir with the humidifier. The reservoir may comprise a removable intermediate portion, which may include the inlet tube and/or the outlet tube, for improved access for cleaning. The reservoir may also be configured to prevent overfilling. Overfill prevention features in the reservoir may include defined flow egress paths and/or formation of air locks.

A method of delivering a substance, such as one or more of a triptan, a nasal steroid or carbon dioxide gas, to the nasal cavity of a subject, in particular for the treatment of headaches, for example, migraine, or rhinosinusitis, for example, chronic rhinosinusitis, optionally with polyps, the method comprising the steps of fitting a nosepiece to one nostril of the subject, delivering the substance through the nosepiece to the posterior region of the nasal cavity of the subject.

A patient interface for sealed delivery of a flow of air at a continuously positive pressure with respect to ambient air pressure to an entrance to the patient's airways including at least entrance of a patient's nares to ameliorate sleep disordered breathing may include a seal-forming structure comprising a foam undercushion and a textile membrane for contact with the patient's face; a positioning and stabilising structure to maintain the seal-forming structure in sealing contact with an area surrounding an entrance to the patient's airways while maintaining a therapeutic pressure at the entrance to the patient's airways; and a plenum chamber pressurised at a pressure above ambient pressure in use.

An ultrasound scanning apparatus comprises an ultrasound scanning unit, an ultrasound controller for controlling the operation of the ultrasound scanning unit, detecting the operation state of the ultrasound scanning unit, generating a first enable signal when detecting that the operation state of the ultrasound scanning unit is transferred from an operating state to a non-operating state and generating a second enable signal when detecting that the operation state of the ultrasound scanning unit is transferred from the non-operating state to the operating state, and an enable output end for transmitting the first enable signal or the second enable signal to the breathing machine to control the running of the breathing machine.

In alternative embodiments, provided are mechanical ventilators and methods for making and using them.