Gas flow control valves comprising a valve housing including a cylindrical interior passage, and a housing opening extending from the interior passage through the housing. The gas flow control valve further comprises a cylindrical rotary valve element including a sidewall, and a rotary valve element opening extending through the sidewall. The valve element is rotatably received within the interior passage of the valve housing, such that the housing opening may be selectively aligned with the rotary valve element opening, and an area of overlap of the housing opening and the valve element opening may be varied by rotating the valve element within the interior passage of the valve housing.

A control system (706) provides automated control of gas washout of a patient interface, such as a mask or nasal prongs. A gas washout vent assembly (60) of the system may include a variable exhaust area such as one defined by overlapping apertures of the assembly or a conduit having a variable gas passage channel. The vent assembly may be formed by nested structures, such as conic or cylindrical members, each having an opening of the overlapping apertures. The vent assembly may be attached substantially near or included with the patient interface. An actuator of the assembly, such as a solenoid or voice coil, manipulates an aperture of the vent assembly. The actuator may be configured for control by a controller to change the exhaust area of the vent assembly based on various methodologies including, for example, sleep detection, disordered breathing event detection, rebreathing volume calculation and/or leak detection.

A system and method of body temperature regulation, including inhalation of cooled or warmed air flow supplied either manually or by a ventilator through an intubation tube or a breathing mask. The system is automatically regulated to produce a regime of compensated hyperventilation defined as the rate of breathing gas supply that would cause the defined decrease of CO.sub.2 blood levels if left uncompensated under given conditions. The system relies on minimized thermal inertia by including a combined heating/warming chamber, where the corresponding heating and cooling paths are mutually insulated. The inhaled breathing gas is automatically directed via a heating or cooling path by a processor, analyzing the inputs of temperature and CO.sub.2 level sensors measuring the core body temperature and CO.sub.2 blood level.

The present invention relates to a system and method for delivering oxygen for breathing at a higher concentration than found in normal air and therapeutic applications of such a system and method, which improves on the limitations of the prior art by reducing and practically eliminating the waste of oxygen gas. The main benefit of this approach is a reduction in the amount of oxygen required which may result in secondary benefits such as simplifying the logistics of acquiring and storing oxygen, reducing cost, improving system portability, and allowing for the use of low-flow sources such as an oxygen concentrator instead of only using high-flow sources such as tanks of compressed oxygen.

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering medicated fluid or anaesthetic to a patient. An issue, particularly with small patients, is the issue of dead space in an anaesthetic circuit which can lead to hypoxia and difficulty with achieving anaesthesia. An apparatus in accordance with the present invention minimises or eliminates dead space by introducing fresh gas (e.g. containing anaesthetic) proximal to a respiratory opening of the subject's respiratory tract, and inducing a fluid flow to reduce re-breathing of fluid exhausted from the respiratory tract.

Gas mixture used for ventilation of passengers and crew in emergency situations. Depending on the density altitude, it has 75% CO2 at 15,000 ft flying altitude increasing to 175% CO2 at 30,000 ft flying altitude. The carbon dioxide improves the bioavailability of oxygen in the body. The gas mixture is produced by additive dosage of CO2 to either pure O2 or to a gas mixture having a fraction of N2 and a fraction of O2. The method for ensuring good ventilation in case of loss of cabin pressure, or generally in case of hyperventilation, involves making the gas mixture above available via respiration masks. The use of such a gas mixture also for ensuring good ventilation of people with limited mobility, if such ventilation is required. The prescribed amount of onboard oxygen for aircraft can thus be reduced and flight routes leading directly over high-altitude terrain may be taken.

A breathing device with carbon dioxide compensation function includes an air source pipeline, a low pressure oxygen source pipeline, a high pressure oxygen source pipeline, a carbon dioxide source pipeline, a gas supply pipeline all of which are set in a ventilator and corresponding to an air source, a lower pressure oxygen source, a high pressure oxygen source and a carbon dioxide source respectively; and a breathing pipeline which is set outside the ventilator. The breathing device further includes a carbon dioxide flow regulation system for detecting and regulating carbon dioxide in the breathing gas which is transported by the breathing device for patients.

An anesthesia delivery and ventilation system (ADVS) includes an expiratory section, a circulation flow system (CFS), an inspiratory section, a ventilation drive system (VDS), and an anesthesia delivery system (ADS). The expiratory section receives gases from a patient and the inspiratory section and fresh gases from a fresh gas supply system. An elastic mixing reservoir receives and mixes the gases circulated by the CFS with residual gases via a connector element. The inspiratory section connects to the expiratory section at one end and to a patient connector tube at the other end. The ADS infuses an anesthetic agent into the mixed gases in the inspiratory section. The VDS delivers the mixed gases with the anesthetic agent to the patient. The VDS and the CFS are controlled and operate independently of each other to provide positive end-expiratory pressure control and ventilation control to the patient without use of a proportional valve.

A device includes a first flow channel and a liquid space for a liquid. The device also includes a second flow channel arranged in a flow connection with the liquid space, and a steam space arranged to receive steam forming in the liquid space. The first flow channel is arranged in a flow connection with the steam space. Gas flow to the device is conveyed via the second flow channel to the liquid space. Resistance is induced to the exhaled gas flow flowing through the second flow channel and pressure is increased in the liquid space. As a result of the pressure increase, steam produced in the liquid space is received in the steam space. The gas flow is conveyed from the steam space via the first flow channel to the outside of the device.

Provided are methods and devices useful for treating a respiratory disease or disorder involving the central or upper airways. The methods and devices deliver to central or upper airways of a subject a vapor or aerosol comprising an effective amount of an active ingredient selected from the group consisting of menthol, menthone, neomenthol, isomenthol, and menthofuran. The methods are useful for treating conditions including cough, asthma, bronchitis, and allergic rhinitis.