A respiratory device of negative pressure type comprising a shell fastened to the user's chest and/or abdomen with minimal dead space, one or more vacuum and compressed air chambers attached to the shell; vacuum generating and compressed air generating sources connected to the vacuum and compressed air chambers respectively, one or more openings on the shell to allow exchange of the air enclosed between shell and user's body, with the vacuum and compressed air chambers; a valve shuttling between the vacuum and compressed air chambers. By having low dead space, pre-generated vacuum and compressed air close to the user, and the use of fast acting valves in some embodiments, the power requirement, weight, and size are reduced, making the device low cost and portable. In some embodiments, the vacuum and compressed air generating sources can be mounted on the shell itself, making the device ambulatory.

A respiratory device of negative pressure type comprising a shell fastened to the user's chest and/or abdomen with minimal dead space, one or more vacuum and compressed air chambers attached to the shell; vacuum generating and compressed air generating sources connected to the vacuum and compressed air chambers respectively, one or more openings on the shell to allow exchange of the air enclosed between shell and user's body, with the vacuum and compressed air chambers; a valve shuttling between the vacuum and compressed air chambers. By having low dead space, pre-generated vacuum and compressed air close to the user, and the use of fast acting valves in some embodiments, the power requirement, weight, and size are reduced, making the device low cost and portable. In some embodiments, the vacuum and compressed air generating sources can be mounted on the shell itself, making the device ambulatory.

A respiratory therapy apparatus includes components operable to simultaneously provide a High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO) therapy and a Mechanical Insufflation/Exsufflation (MIE) therapy to a patient. The respiratory therapy apparatus includes a controller that controls a synchronization of the HFCWO therapy and the MIE therapy to provide respiratory therapy to the patient to effectively clear mucous or induce deep sputum from the lungs of patient.

Medical techniques include systems and methods for administering a positive pressure ventilation, a positive end expiratory pressure, and a vacuum to a person. Approaches also include treating a person with an intrathoracic pressure regulator so as to modulate or upregulate the autonomic system of the person, and treating a person with a combination of an intrathoracic pressure regulation treatment and an intra-aortic balloon pump treatment.

Medical techniques include systems and methods for administering a positive pressure ventilation, a positive end expiratory pressure, and a vacuum to a person. Approaches also include treating a person with an intrathoracic pressure regulator so as to modulate or upregulate the autonomic system of the person, and treating a person with a combination of an intrathoracic pressure regulation treatment and an intra-aortic balloon pump treatment.

Methods for treating fluid overload in a subject comprise shifting fluids directly and non-invasively from an interstitial compartment of the subject to skin of the subject through controlled local sweating. Methods of the invention allow for removal of excess fluid from the interstitial compartment of the subject and treat fluid overload in the subject. Sweat stimulation systems comprise a chamber and first and second relative humidity sensors. The chamber is sized to fit around a body part of a subject, comprises an inlet and an outlet, and is configured such that air flows through the chamber from the inlet to the outlet. The first relative humidity sensor is operably located inside the inlet, and the second relative humidity sensor is operably located proximate the outlet.

A CPR device having a base member configured to be placed underneath a patient, a chest compression mechanism configured to deliver CPR chest compressions to the patient, a support leg configured to support the chest compression mechanism at a distance from the base member, a clamp mechanism coupled to the support leg, and a release mechanism coupled to the support leg and the clamp mechanism. The clamp mechanism is configured to attach the support leg to a lock component of the base member in a latch-closed configuration and to release the support leg from the lock component in a latch-open configuration. The clamp mechanism is further configured to transition from the latch-closed configuration to the latch-open configuration when the lock component of the base member impacts an external portion of the clamp mechanism without the release mechanism being pulled away from the base member.

A CPR device having a base member configured to be placed underneath a patient, a chest compression mechanism configured to deliver CPR chest compressions to the patient, a support leg configured to support the chest compression mechanism at a distance from the base member, a clamp mechanism coupled to the support leg, and a release mechanism coupled to the support leg and the clamp mechanism. The clamp mechanism is configured to attach the support leg to a lock component of the base member in a latch-closed configuration and to release the support leg from the lock component in a latch-open configuration. The clamp mechanism is further configured to transition from the latch-closed configuration to the latch-open configuration when the lock component of the base member impacts an external portion of the clamp mechanism without the release mechanism being pulled away from the base member.

A device for treating chest wall injuries, including rib fractures, flail chest injuries or surgical incisions is described herein. The device includes a localized airtight compartment external to the chest wall and fully covering the area of injury, and is capable of varying the pressure within the compartment, and providing dynamic real-time counter forces that act reciprocal to the intrathoracic pressure changes that occur during ventilation. In a preferred embodiment, the device has the capability of sensing the patient's chest wall motion created by ventilation, and includes a pressure control component capable of varying the pressure within the airtight compartment such that it opposes pressure changes within the chest. The apparatus would be particularly useful in preventing the paradoxical movement of flail chest injuries. The device would also lessen pain experienced by patients with thoracic injuries such as rib fractures and post operative suffering.

A system includes a guidance device that provides feedback to a user to compress a patient's chest at a rate of between about 90 and 110 compressions per minute and at a depth of between about 4.5 centimeters to about 6 centimeters. The system includes a pressure regulation system having a pressure-responsive valve that is configured to be coupled to a patient's airway. The pressure-responsive valve is configured to remain closed during successive chest compressions in order to permit removal at least about 200 ml from the lungs in order to lower intracranial pressure to improve survival with favorable neurological function. The pressure-responsive valve is configured to remain closed until the negative pressure within the patient's airway reaches about 7 cm H.sub.2O, at which time the pressure-responsive valve is configured to open to provide respiratory gases to flow to the lungs through the pressure-responsive valve.