Systems, methods, and devices for humidifying a breathing gas are presented. The system includes a base unit, a vapor transfer unit, a nasal cannula, and a liquid container. The base unit includes a blower. The vapor transfer unit is external to the base unit and includes a gas passage, a liquid passage, a gas outlet, and a membrane separating the gas passage and the liquid passage. The membrane permits transfer of vapor into the gas passage from liquid in the liquid passage. The nasal cannula is coupled to the gas outlet. The liquid container is configured to reversibly mate with the base unit.

Systems and methods for generating nitric oxide are disclosed. A nitic oxide (NO) generation system includes at least one pair of electrodes configured to generate a product gas containing NO from a flow of a reactant gas; and a controller configured to regulate the amount of nitric oxide in the product gas produced by the at least one pair of electrodes by utilizing duty cycle values of plasma pulses selected from a plurality of discrete duty cycles to produce a target rate of NO production based on an average of discrete production rates associated with each of the plurality of discrete duty cycles.

A respiratory humidification device includes: a casing; a separator wall to divide an interior space into filling and humidification chambers, wherein a bottom edge of the separator wall leaves a space between it and the casing bottom to define a passage allowing water to flow atop the casing bottom between the chambers, and enabling the water level to rise enough to block the passage to prevent respiratory gas from passing therethrough; a valve and float within the filling chamber to control water flow into the filling chamber to prevent the water level from rising higher than a threshold; and wherein an outer wall of the casing and the separator wall cooperate with the water surface within the humidification chamber to define an elongate tube-like pathway through which respiratory gas proceeds along a path extending generally parallel to the water surface within the humidification chamber to be humidified.

An apparatus for the supply of humidified gases to a patient is disclosed that comprises a gases supply passage downstream of a humidified gases supply, and upstream of a patient in use, where at least one sensor is embedded in or located on the outside of the wall of the passage. In preferred forms the wall of the passage divides the sensor(s) from a flow of gases in the passage. In use, a controller receives an output of the sensor(s) and derives from the output of the sensor(s) an estimation of a property of gases flowing through the passage or provides a control output to the humidified gases supply according to the output of the sensor(s).

A sensor and method for determining the state of a humidification chamber in a respiratory gas humidifier. The sensor comprises a transmitter for emitting an electromagnetic radiation signal, a receiver for receiving the electromagnetic radiation signal and providing an output signal, and a controller for varying the intensity of the electromagnetic radiation signal emitted by the transmitter and/or the gain setting of the receiver. The controller has two sensor configurations, a first configuration in which the transmitter emits an electromagnetic radiation signal having a first intensity, the receiver has a first gain setting, and the receiver provides a first output signal, and a second configuration in which the transmitter emits an electromagnetic radiation signal having a second intensity, the receiver has a second gain setting, and the receiver provides a second output signal, wherein the first intensity is different to the second intensity, and/or the first gain setting is different to the second gain setting, and the controller determines a state of the humidification chamber by comparing the first and second outputs of the receiver with one or more threshold values.

A liquid reservoir for a humidifier containing a base, a top portion opposite the base, a side wall, and a liquid presence indicator. The side wall contains a lower side wall portion adjacent to the base, and an upper side wall portion adjacent to the top portion. The liquid presence indicator interacts with the humidifier to detect the presence of liquid in the liquid reservoir. A humidifier, and/or a medical device may contain the liquid reservoir, and a method may employ the humidifier and/or medical device.

The disclosed invention provides a breathing circuit that includes a volume regulator that includes only three ports which include an inlet port connected to the exhalation port, a first outlet port connected to atmosphere, and a second outlet port connected to the moisturizer assembly. The breathing circuit is used for a ventilation system that delivers breaths to a patient. The inlet port of the volume regulator includes a flapper valve that moves only inward at an open position to receive the exhaled gas from the patient. The first outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the atmosphere. The second outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves only outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the moisturizer assembly.

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.

A steam therapy assembly includes a housing that has an intake and an exhaust to pass air through the intake and the exhaust. A water tank is removably attachable to the housing and the water tank has a fluid port to pass water therethrough for filling the water tank with water. An oil cartridge contains oil and the oil cartridge is removably insertable into the housing. A vaporizing unit is integrated into the housing and the vaporizing unit is in fluid communication between the intake and the exhaust to urge air into the intake and outwardly through the exhaust when the vaporizing unit is turned on. The vaporizing unit vaporizes the water in the water tank into a steam. Additionally, the vaporizing unit vaporizes the oil in the oil cartridge thereby mixing the vaporized oil with the vaporized water.

The disclosed invention provides a breathing circuit that includes a volume regulator that includes only three ports which include an inlet port connected to the exhalation port, a first outlet port connected to atmosphere, and a second outlet port connected to the moisturizer assembly. The breathing circuit is used for a ventilation system that delivers breaths to a patient. The inlet port of the volume regulator includes a flapper valve that moves only inward at an open position to receive the exhaled gas from the patient. The first outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the atmosphere. The second outlet port includes a flapper valve that moves only outward at an open position to exhaust gas in the volume regulator into the moisturizer assembly.