According to an aspect, there is provided a ventilator system. The ventilator system comprises: a mouthpiece, to be received within a user's mouth, wherein the mouthpiece comprises: a passage for permitting a flow of gases through the mouthpiece between a first side of the passage to be inside the user's mouth and a second side of the passage to be outside the user's mouth; a passage adjustment component for selectively adjusting a flow area of the passage; and one or more sensors mounted on the mouthpiece, wherein the sensors comprise a pressure sensor configured to measure a pressure at the first side of the passage; and a controller configured to control: a flow rate and/or concentration of oxygen supplied to the user through a nasal cannula; a total flow rate of air and oxygen supplied through the nasal cannula; and/or the flow area of the passage, based on the pressure measured by the pressure sensor.

A method for controlling mechanical lung ventilation is described. The method may include intermittently switching the airway pressure of the patient from a substantially constant high baseline pressure level to a substantially constant low baseline pressure and vice-versa such that the patient is able to breathe spontaneously in both high and low baseline pressure levels; detecting an inspiration effort by the patient inside a trigger time window that immediately precedes a switching event of the intermittently switching the airway pressure; maintaining a baseline pressure at the level in which the inspiration effort was detected so that the patient can complete the inspiration-exhalation cycle; and switching the baseline pressure level after a delay time.

A process for operating a ventilator (12) and a ventilator (12) operating according to the process are provided. A pressure target value (p.sub.z) is determined during a phase of exhalation (48) as a function of a compliance (C) determined in relation to the lungs (14) of a patient being ventilated by means of the ventilator (12).

A positive air way pressure mask includes a mask body having an inlet and an outlet, a nasal interface supported on the body, the nasal interface having air passages, with the nasal interface coupling a user's nose to the outlet of the continuous positive air way pressure mask body, and an air switch device having an input port, an output port, and a diversion port, with the input port receiving air from a continuous positive airway pressure machine and delivering the received air to the output port during an inhalation, and that switches the air from the positive airway pressure machine from the inlet to the diversion port to expel diverted air to ambient during an exhalation. Also disclosed is an alternative voice coil actuated air switch device having an input port and an output port, with the input port receiving air from a continuous positive airway pressure machine and delivering the received air to the output port during an inhalation, and that inhibits the air from the positive airway pressure machine from entering the voice coil actuated air switch during an exhalation.

A method of an apparatus control pressure in the patient interface. A vent valve may be used with a respiratory device, where the vent valve may selectively block fluid communication between components, such as the flow generator, the patient interface, and/or the vent. An expiratory flow model may be used to determine an expiratory characteristic such as an expiratory flow rate or pressure in the patient interface where an indicative measure may not be available. The expiratory flow model may receive inputs based on a measure of the patient's respiration, such as the tidal volume, peak inspiratory flow rate or length of inspiration. The expiratory characteristic may be used by a controller to control a pressure in the patient interface to provide respiratory therapy to a patient at or close to a target pressure.

In alternative embodiments, provided are mechanical ventilators and methods for making and using them.

A ventilator (100) ventilates a patient (102) by a high-flow oxygen therapy via a tube system (104). The ventilator has at least one sensor element (110), at least one actuatable inhalation valve or exhalation valve (120) and a control unit (130). The sensor element is arranged and configured to determine and to output a measured variable (112) within the tube system. The measured variable indicates a gas flow within the tube system. The actuatable inhalation valve or exhalation valve is arranged and configured to make possible a flow of a breathing gas from a ventilation circuit (107) of the ventilator. The control unit regulates a ventilation pressure provided by the ventilator via the at least one sensor element and the at least one inhalation valve or exhalation valve such that a predefined maximum pressure is not exceeded in a predefined area (140) of the tube system.

A filter sterilization system includes an expiratory filter having filter material that collects pathogens present in the exhaled gas stream from a ventilated patient. A filter sterilizer includes an ultraviolet (UV) light source that is activated by the system to emit light towards the expiratory filter. Additionally, the system includes a ventilator coupled to a patient breathing circuit that provides a gas mixture from a gas source to the ventilated patient and transfers exhaled gases of the ventilated patient to the expiratory filter.

An inhalation device, assembly or system can include a kit and a pharmaceutical composition. The device can be adapted for administering therapeutic aerosols to pediatric patients, including neonates, infants or toddlers. The device can further include a vibrating mesh aerosol generator that can be insertable into a flow channel of the inhalation device through a lateral opening, and a valved face mask. The device can be connectable to a gas source through which a gas, such as oxygen, can be received into the flow channel at a low flow rate.

Methods are provided for the treatment of RSV infections in young children. More specifically, methods are provided wherein polypeptides that bind F protein of hRSV and that neutralize RSV infection are administered to the lungs of young children at specific dose regimens.