A user-replaceable receptacle for an oxygen concentrator includes a containment structure and a desiccant disposed within the containment structure. An inlet end of the containment structure allows feed gas to be introduced into the desiccant. An outlet end of the containment structure allows the feed gas to exit the containment structure. A connection mechanism couples the outlet end of the containment structure to a gas separation adsorbent. The connection mechanism is operable between an unconnected position and a connection position. The desiccant in the user-replaceable receptacle removes water moisture from the feed gas prior to exiting the outlet end of the containment structure, thereby reducing exposure of the gas separation adsorbent to water.

The invention disclosed herein concerns screening and early detection of a variety of disease conditions in seemingly healthy subjects, enabling early intervention and treatment.

Described herein are methods which involve minimizing or eliminating the occurrence of delayed negative effects that may arise from exposure to reduced oxygen partial pressure. An amount of supplemental oxygen, which substantially mimics a target oxygen partial pressure, is administered to an individual that is exposed to a reduced oxygen partial pressure environment, to compensate for the reduced oxygen partial pressure. The target partial pressure may be selected such that the individual experiences substantially no change in the oxygen partial pressure. Individuals receiving the supplemental oxygen may be healthy, have special sensitivities, or have a pre-existing neurological condition.

There is a ventilator for mechanical ventilation during a breathing cycle including an inhalation cycle and an exhalation cycle. The ventilator is configurable to be in fluid communication with a supply of a first fluid. The ventilator includes an inhalation pathway and an exhalation pathway. A first fluid injector is in fluid communication with the supply of the first fluid for injecting the first fluid. The inhalation pathway receives the first fluid injected by the first fluid injector. A controller is operatively connected with the first fluid injector and programmed to selectively actuate the first fluid injector to inject the first fluid, which is received within the inhalation pathway such that an inhalation pressure in the inhalation pathway is within a predetermined range during the inhalation cycle.

Oxygen concentrator apparatus provides variation in therapy gas during a breathing cycle such as by varying flow rate and/or oxygen purity of enriched air. The apparatus may include a compressor and a valve set that operates sieve bed(s) for the enriching air and to vent exhaust gas from the bed(s). The therapy gas may include released enriched air and exhaust gas. The apparatus has a supply valve to selectively release enriched air from an accumulator via a primary path to a delivery conduit. The apparatus may include a secondary path, such as with a valve, to release a portion of exhaust gas to the delivery conduit. A controller actuates the valve set to produce the enriched air, and the supply valve to release enriched air to the delivery conduit. The controller may actuate the secondary valve in anti-sync with the supply valve to release exhaust gas to the delivery conduit.

A respiratory system, primarily to provide a mechanical insufflation/exsufflation therapy, may include a first pressure generating source, a second pressure generating source and a primary valve to switch between insufflation/positive pressure flow and exsufflation/negative pressure flow, and to generate oscillations alongside either of these cycles. The respiratory system can optionally employ a secondary valve either on a fluidic path of the first pressure generating source or on a fluidic path of the second pressure generating source. An interfacing assembly acts as a fluidic conduit between the pressure generating sources and the patient. A control unit is configured to generate required pressurized flow and oscillations as per the user settings. The aforesaid valves can be manipulated into multiple orientations/positions, which are aligned and/or adjusted with respect to the respective pressure generating sources as per the therapy requirements.

A system for providing a NO-containing gas flow to treat a biological object. The system includes a nozzle receptacle for receiving NO-rich air from a plasma-generated NO source, tubing coupled to the nozzle for directing the NO-rich air to a scrubber, the scrubber configured to receive a solvent for absorbing NO2, tubing coupled between the scrubber and a gas mixer for directing scrubbed NO-rich air to the gas mixer, where the gas mixer is coupled to a source of atmospheric air for selectively mixing the scrubbed NO-rich air with the atmospheric air to create diluted NO-containing air; and a manifold for distributing the diluted NO-containing air to a plurality of patient locations.

A breathing assistance apparatus includes an inner volumetric member pressurizable from a first pressure to a second pressure and an outer volumetric member surrounding at least a portion of the inner expandable volumetric member. The inner volumetric member pressurizes the outer volumetric member as the inner volumetric member is pressurized from the first pressure to the second pressure. In another embodiment, a breathing assistance apparatus includes exhalation and inhalation chambers with respective biasing members providing for the exhalation chamber to apply a pressure to the inhalation chamber and thereby provide assisted inhalation. Methods for assisting breathing are also provided.

The present system (10) comprises a subject interface (22), a segmenter (12), a loosener (14), sensors (18), and computer processors (28). The segmenter is configured to selectively control gas flow through the subject interface to provide high amplitude pressure oscillations (44) during exhalation such that the high amplitude pressure oscillations aid cough productivity in the subject. The loosener controls gas flow through the subject interface to provide low amplitude pressure oscillations (43, 63) during inhalation (48, 68) and exhalation (49) such that the low amplitude pressure oscillations loosen respiratory secretions. The computer processors detect trigger events based on the output signals such that the one or more trigger events include a loosening trigger event and a segmenting trigger event (66); and responsive to detecting the loosening trigger event, control the loosener to provide the low amplitude pressure oscillations, and, responsive to detecting the segmenting trigger event, control the segmenter to provide the high amplitude pressure oscillations.

Methods and apparatus may implement controlled generation of oxygen enriched air in an oxygen concentrator while implementing control that reduces pneumatic imbalance between the concentrator's canisters, such as dynamic pressure imbalance or other pneumatic characteristic. One or more controllers may regulate operation of a compressor that feeds a pressurised air stream to the concentrator's canisters. This may regulate speed of the compressor to a speed set point for generating the pressurised stream. The regulating may involve generating a compressor control signal having a characteristic parameter such as a power parameter. The controller(s) may operate valve(s) in a cyclic pattern so as to produce oxygen enriched air in an accumulator. A cycle of the cyclic pattern may include a plurality of phases, where each of the plurality of phases has a duration. The controller(s) may then generate a dynamic adjustment to the duration(s) based on an evaluation of the characteristic parameter.