A method of estimating a parameter indicative of respiratory flow of a patient being administered flow therapy, comprising: optionally administering a gas at a flow rate to the patient using a flow therapy apparatus with a patient interface, determin—-ing a terminal pressure in, at or proximate the outlet of the patient interface or in, at or proximate the nares of the patient, determin -ing nasal RTF, determining a nasal flow parameter being or indicative of nasal flow based on the pressure and a nasal RTF, and optionally outputting the nasal flow parameter or parameter derived therefrom.

A surgical instrument includes a housing, an elongated shaft assembly extending from the housing, and an end effector extending from the elongated shaft assembly. An inner shaft of the assembly defines proximal and distal portions and a longitudinal lumen. The proximal portion inhibits passage of gas while the distal portion permits passage of gas. An intermediate collar is disposed about the inner shaft between the proximal and distal portions. An outer sleeve of the assembly is disposed about the inner shaft and the intermediate collar to define a proximal area therebetween proximally of the intermediate collar and a distal annular area therebetween distally of the intermediate collar. The outer sleeve includes a proximal portion surrounding the proximal annular area and a distal portion surrounding the distal annular area. The proximal portion permits passage of gas while the distal portion inhibits passage of gas.

Systems and methods of an electronic drug delivery system for use in a treatment program (e.g., a smoking cessation program). The delivery system can include a mobile platform and a hand-held inhalation delivery device having a controller circuit coupled to a power source, sensors, aerosolizer drivers, and a rescue button, and a pod removably coupled to the delivery device. The delivery system generates an aerosol mixture from substances in the pod in accordance with the treatment program, and delivers the aerosol mixture for inhalation by a user. The controller circuit individually and dynamically controls the aerosolizer drivers to generate signals that drive a plurality of thermal, or non-thermal, aerosolizers of the pod to generate individually tailored aerosol mixtures from multiple substances in the aerosolizer pod. The generated aerosol mixtures can have various percentages of the substances, and have different aerosol droplet sizes during different portions of the treatment program.

The present disclosure provides an aerosol delivery device and a cartridge for an aerosol delivery device. The cartridge can comprise a body defining a reservoir and defining an aerosol pathway in fluid communication with an aerosol outlet. The cartridge can further include one or more of an air entry, a splitter configured to split air entering the air entry into a plurality of air passages, an atomizer, and an aerosol forming chamber where air from the plurality of air passages is configured to mix with vapor formed by the heater to form an aerosol. Preferably, the aerosol forming chamber can be in fluid connection with the aerosol pathway. The present disclosure further can include a control device configured to receive, power, and control aerosol formation by the cartridge.

The present invention provides new devices, systems, and methods for delivering enriched oxygen to recipients (e.g., chronically ill patients, such as COPD patients). One aspect is a more efficient portable oxygen concentrator that is configured to deliver an enriched oxygen airflow having a significantly lower overall oxygen concentration and greater overall volume administered as compared to currently marketed or known portable oxygen concentrators. Administering the lower oxygen concentration at higher volumes allows for the present portable oxygen concentrators to deliver an equivalent number of moles of oxygen as administered by traditional portable concentrators while increasing the efficiency of the system and the ability of the system to maintain the therapeutic level of oxygen concentration for a longer period.

A face engaging device such as a nozzle, facemask, etc., may include a housing including a fluid channel extending through the housing to an opening configured to be placed in fluid communication with the mouth of a user. The housing may include a first surface configured to be placed in contact with the skin of the user and a second surface exposed to the fluid channel. The face engaging device may also include a thermal actuator supported by the housing and including a first heat transfer surface position on the first surface, where the first heat transfer surface is configured to apply a thermal profile to the skin of the user when the opening is placed in fluid communication with the mouth of the user.

An apparatus including tubing sets, a modular constraint assembly, and methods of use are described for deliver a therapeutic medication to a patient, the apparatus can have a controller and a sensor. The controller is configured to receive data from the sensor, and to start and stop delivery of the therapeutic medication to the patient in response to data received from the sensor. In addition, apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed, which are configured to deliver a therapeutic medication to a patient. The apparatus, system and methods use a reservoir, a patient interface, a tubing set, a modular constraint assembly connected to the tubing sets, and a fluid pump, and the components are configured to provide a calibrated flow rate based upon specific characteristics of the therapeutic medications passing through and internal lumen of the tubing set.

A device and method for separating whole blood includes flowing whole blood to a centrifuge, separating whole blood into blood components within the centrifuge, and flowing separated blood components out of the centrifuge. The device and method include a flow rate stoppage phase executed one or more times during the method. The flow rate stoppage phase includes (i) stopping the flow of whole blood to the centrifuge and stopping the flow of separated blood components out of the centrifuge; (ii) spinning the centrifuge at a selected rate; and (iii) after a selected time ending the flow rate stoppage phase and resuming the flow of whole blood to the centrifuge and the flow of separated blood components out of the centrifuge.

A mechanical ventilator is provided that includes a dashboard display identifying a patient's current ventilatory status within a global or universal ventilatory mechanics map. This dashboard display is dynamically updated with the patient's condition, and shows trends in the patient's ventilation over time. The map identifies suggested safe and unsafe regions of ventilation for the patient, and the ventilator can display informational texts, trigger auditory and/or visual alarms, and transmit alarm communications in response to determining that the patient is approaching or has entered an unsafe region.

A syringe pump includes a lead screw, a motor, and a sliding block assembly. The lead screw has threads and the motor is coupled to the lead screw to rotate it. The half-nut housing has a half nut and a barrel cam. The half nut is disposed within the half-nut housing. The half nut has half-nut threads at an end adjacent to the lead screw void. The half nut engages or disengages with the threads of the lead screw. The half nut includes a half-nut cam-follower surface and a half nut slot. The barrel cam is disposed within the half-nut housing and engages with the half-nut cam-follower surface. The barrel cam includes a pin to fit within the half nut slot such that the barrel cam rotates between a first position and a second position to actuate the half nut between the engagement position and the disengagement position, respectively.