An automated mechanical ventilator may include a positive pressure source that periodically delivers periodic positive pressure ventilations to a patient when a pressure within the patient's airway is greater than a predetermined threshold. The ventilator may include an inspiratory lumen coupled with the positive pressure source. The ventilator may include an inlet valve interfaced with the inspiratory lumen. The inlet valve may open with each positive pressure ventilation. The ventilator may include an expiratory lumen. The ventilator may include a pressure sensor in fluid communication with the expiratory lumen that senses the pressure within the patient's airway. The ventilator may include an outlet valve interfaced with the expiratory lumen. The ventilator may include a controller that opens the first valve without delivering a positive pressure ventilation when the pressure measured by the pressure sensor is less than the predetermined threshold.

Devices, systems and methods are provided for controlling the operation of a breathing assistance device for a user. The controller may include an input for receiving sensor data to measure at least one airflow parameter of the user's airflow; a memory unit that stores at least one machine learning model and at least one classifier or predictor; and a processor that is configured to perform measurements and to generate a control signal for adjusting the operation of the breathing assistance device for a current monitoring time period by: obtaining measured air pressure and/or airflow data and measured FOT data during a current monitoring time period; performing feature extraction on the measured data to obtain feature values that are used by the machine learning model employed by the at least one classifier or predictor to determine a property of the user; and adjusting the control signal based on the determined property.

A high flow therapy system for delivering heated and humidified respiratory gas to an airway of a patient, the system including a respiratory gas flow pathway for delivering the respiratory gas to the airway of the patient by way of a non-sealing respiratory interface; wherein flow rate of the pressurized respiratory gas is controlled by a microprocessor.

Aspects of this disclosure describe methods and systems for nerve stimulation using a balloon catheter. The balloon catheter includes a catheter, an inflatable balloon with a surface, and a set of electrodes positioned along the surface of the inflatable balloon. The balloon catheter may be positioned in a vessel of a patient, such as the esophagus. The patient may be concurrently undergoing mechanical ventilation. The balloon catheter is secured in the vessel by inflating the inflatable balloon. When the inflatable balloon is inflated, the surface of the inflatable balloon and the set of electrodes is positioned at an internal wall of the vessel. Stimulation is provided to a nerve near the vessel, via the set of electrodes, based on stimulation parameters. Values for the stimulation parameters may be adjusted based on breathing parameters of the patient. The stimulation parameters may also be adjusted to wean a patient off mechanical ventilation.

A universal respiratory detector for detecting a respiratory gas. The universal respiratory detector may include a plurality of layers with a visual indicator to quickly and reversibly change color to detect a respiratory gas parameter such as carbon dioxide. The color change may be visible from both sides of the detector. In some examples, the respiratory detector may be a biocompatible and conformable sticker for mounting on a person’s face or an oxygen delivery device.

A breathing assistance apparatus is configured with features that improve serviceability of the apparatus. The apparatus can include animations to provide instruction regarding correcting easily-identified fault conditions and to provide instruction regarding routine maintenance routines. The apparatus also can be configured with top level control menus that are obscured in a manner to limit manipulation of the top level control elements by unauthorized users.

Various embodiments are described herein for a controller for controlling the operation of a breathing assistance device that provides breathing assistance to a user. The controller comprises a processor that generates a respiratory index value that is determined during a current monitoring time period to detect a respiratory failure, or predict the respiratory failure when at least one PSG signal is measured. The respiratory index value is compared to a threshold to determine if the control signal needs to be updated to reduce or eliminate respiratory failure that the user is currently experiencing or to prevent a predicted respiratory failure from occurring.

A method for inducing a hibernation-like state and a device for the same is described. The method is a chemical and physical method for reducing, in a subject, a theoretical set-point temperature of a body temperature and/or a feedback gain of heat production, or for inducing a hibernation-like state in the subject, the method including applying an excitatory stimulus to pyroglutamylated RFamide peptide (QRFP)-producing neurons. A device used to implement the method is also described.

Systems and methods for generating MRI images of the lungs and/or airways of a subject using a medical grade gas mixture comprises between about 20-79% inert perfluorinated gas and oxygen gas. The images are generated using acquired .sup.19F magnetic resonance image (MRI) signal data associated with the perfluorinated gas and oxygen mixture.

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, determining a terminal pressure in, at or proximate the outlet of the patient interface or in, at or proximate the nares of the patient, determining 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.