A vaporizer (20) is shaped to define a flow channel (120) that is open to an environment external to the vaporizer at first and second ends of the flow channel. At the first end of the flow channel is a mouthpiece (112) of the vaporizer. A flow sensor (114) includes (a) a nanoscale resistive element (200) disposed at least partially within the flow channel and (b) sensing circuitry (115) configured to measure a change in the nanoscale resistive element due to airflow within the flow channel. Other applications are also described.

This disclosure relates to a method for determining a fluid balance between a first volume flow in a first section of a fluid circuit and a second volume flow of a second section of the fluid circuit. The method may also include adjusting, assuming or detecting a first temperature in the first section of the fluid circuit and a second temperature in the second section of the fluid circuit, or detecting a temperature difference between the first and the second sections. The method may also include detecting a second volume flow in a second section of the fluid circuit and forming a balance from at least the first volume flow and a corrected value of the second volume flow. The corrected value is determined from the detected second volume flow and the second temperature and/or the temperature difference.

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing negative pressure and/or instillation fluids to a tissue site and sensing properties of fluids at a tissue site are disclosed. Systems, apparatuses, and methods for wirelessly activating and pairing a sensing device with a wireless communication device and/or therapy device to transfer sensor data from the tissue site is also disclosed.

An environment control device includes a determination unit and a supply unit. The determination unit determines the type of symptom that disturbs sleep of a sleeper. The supply unit supplies the sleeper with a stimulus that reduces the symptom, according to the type of the symptom, disturbing the sleep, determined by the determination unit. The symptom includes at least snoring, and the determination unit determines whether the snoring is due to nasal congestion or due to constriction of the throat.

A sensor component for use in a system for measuring concentration of analytes in fluid in a fluid line comprises one or more sensing elements having an optical property that varies with the concentration of the analytes, and engages with the fluid line such that the sensing elements are exposed to the fluid. The sensor component comprises a connector connecting to one or more optical waveguides, and transmits light between the waveguides and the sensing elements. The sensor component comprises one or more of a sampling port configured to provide fluidic access to the fluid line, a data storage medium storing data representing information about the sensor component, and a reflective element. Where it comprises a reflective element, the sensor component transmits light between the waveguides and the reflective element on a separate optical path from an optical path between the waveguides and the sensing elements.

Introduced here is a face mask system having a mask enclosure that contains, or otherwise directly supports, an automated liquid-droplet dispensing mechanism (ADM) for humidification. In operation, the enclosure and ADM are compact and lightweight so that when worn by a user can be supported entirely by the user's head and neck. The enclosure can be comprised of one or more layers of breathable fabric adapted to flexibly conform to the face of a user when worn and form a cavity that is adjacent to the user's nostrils and mouth. The ADM can be comprised of a reservoir in which liquid is stored, a respiratory cycle detector, a timer and controller, and a droplet dispenser that controllably dispenses droplets of the liquid from the reservoir into the cavity for inhalation by the user.

Methods and systems are provided for delivering anesthetic agent to a patient. In one embodiment, a liquid anesthetic agent container includes a base region, an interior of the base region configured to hold liquid anesthetic agent and a capillary force vaporizer (CFV). The CFV can be configured to couple to a vapor reservoir of a patient breathing circuit to supply vaporized anesthetic agent vaporized by the CFV to a patient, the CFV comprising a heating element, a temperature of the heating element controllable by a driver of the patient breathing circuit based at least in part on a pressure of the vapor reservoir as measured by a pressure sensor coupled to the vapor reservoir.

The invention relates to a respiratory device (10) for the artificial respiration of a patient (12), comprising:—a respiration gas source assembly (15, 62),—a flow-changing device (16),—a humidifier device (38) which is designed to increase the value of the absolute humidity of the inspiratory respiration gas flow (AF), said humidifier device (38) having a liquid store (40) and an evaporation device (76) with a variable output for this purpose,—a respiration gas line assembly (30) in order to convey the inspiratory respiration gas flow (AF) from the dehumidifying device (38) to the patient (12),—a flow sensor (44) which detects the value of the respiration gas flow (AF), and—a controller (18) which is designed to control the operational output of the evaporation device (76) depending on a specified target humidity of the respiration gas and depending on signals of the flow sensor (44), the proximal end (30a) of said respiration gas line assembly (30) having a coupling formation (44a) for coupling the respiration gas line assembly (30) to a patient interface (31) that transfers respiration gas to the patient (12). According to the invention, the controller (18) is designed to detect a sequence state of the respiration situation downstream of the coupling formation (44a) in the inspiratory direction depending on operational parameters of the respiratory device (10) and change the operational output of the evaporation device (76) depending on the result of the detection

An apparatus and method of controlling the delivery of therapeutic gas delivered to a patient undergoing positive airway pressure therapy is described. The method includes providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure, obtaining information from the range of 0 to 25 Hz of the frequency domain of the flow, and adjusting the pressure based on the information. The apparatus includes a blower for providing a flow of gas to a patient's airway at a pressure, a sensor to measure a characteristic of the flow, a controller to obtain information from the range of 0 to 25 Hz of the frequency domain of the characteristic, and a pressure regulator for adjusting the pressure based on the information.

A humidification system for delivering humidified gases to a user can include a heater base, humidification chamber having an inlet, outlet, and associated fluid conduit, and breathing circuit including a supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit. The humidification system can include various features to help make set-up less difficult and time-consuming. For example, the supply conduit, inspiratory conduit, and optional expiratory conduit can be coupled into a one-piece circuit to aid set-up. Various components can be color-coded and can have corresponding structures to indicate which components should be connected to one another during set-up. Such features can also help make the set-up process more intuitive for an operator, which can reduce the need for specialized training and reduce the number of potential errors.