Apparatus and methods for delivering humidified breathing gas to a patient are provided. The apparatus includes a humidification system configured to deliver humidified breathing gas to a patient. The humidification system includes a vapor transfer unit and a base unit. The vapor transfer unit includes a liquid passage, a breathing gas passage, and a vapor transfer device positioned to transfer vapor to the breathing gas passage from the liquid passage. The base unit includes a base unit that releasably engages the vapor transfer unit to enable reuse of the base unit and selective disposal of the vapor transfer unit. The liquid passage is not coupled to the base unit for liquid flow therebetween when the vapor transfer unit is received by the base unit.

A continuous positive air pressure mask system, configured to fit around a human head, including a mask, an air inlet distribution chamber a first and second air channel and head gear. The mask configured is to fit over at least one of a nose and a mouth on the head. The air inlet distribution chamber includes an air inlet chamber and a chamber air inlet configured to connect to a continuous positive air pressure machine to receive pressurized air. The air inlet chamber includes a bottom surface contoured to fit the top of the head. The first and second air channels fluidly connect the mask to the air distribution chamber. The head gear releasably attaches to the mask to hold the mask over the at least one of a nose and a mouth.

A respiratory mask assembly for delivering breathable gas to a patient includes a frame having a front surface and a rear surface, opposite the front surface, and adapted in use to face the patient. The frame defines an inner wall and an outer wall extending from the rear surface, the inner and outer walls being spaced to define a channel therebetween. A cushion is removably attachable to the frame such that the cushion and frame are repeatably engagable with and disengagable from one another. The cushion includes a side wall to be inserted into the channel of the frame, the side wall having a first interlocking surface that engages a second interlocking surface provided in the channel when the cushion and frame are engaged with one another. The first and second interlocking surfaces interlock with one another to removably attach the cushion to the frame.

Headgear for use with a respiratory mask is described. The headgear comprises a continuous and substantially curved elongate member extending in use below a user's nose and at least two headgear straps capable of attachment to the ends of the elongate member. A mask attachment on the elongate member is disposed to sit below or on one of said user's nose, mouth, upper lip and an inlet to the mask. The attachment is capable of receiving the mask.

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.

The application describes a nasal sub-system (21) having: a hollow body (22) with an inner chamber (22a) and an inlet (22b) for receiving a respiratory gas, and a pair of nasal prongs (23, 24), in fluid communication with the inner chamber 22a of the hollow body 22, each nasal prong (23, 24) comprising a pair of inner channels (23b, 23c; 24b, 24c), each inner channels (23b, 23c; 24b, 24c) comprising a first channel (23b; 24b) and a second channel (23c; 24c) arranged in parallel, each first passage (23b; 24b) fluidly connecting the internal chamber (22a) of the hollow body (22) with a nostril (13, 14) of the patient (1), and each second passage (23c, 24c) fluidly connecting a nostril (13, 14) with a vent conduit (25) arranged in the hollow body (22) and in fluid communication with the atmosphere via at least one venting port (25a).

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 combination respiratory therapy management system creates a combined respiratory therapy prescription that can be executed by a combined respiratory therapy device to provide multiple coordinated respiratory therapies to a patient. The system can update the combined respiratory therapy prescription and implement the updates while the combined respiratory therapy device is in use. Some versions of the system provide additional features that allow the combined respiratory therapy prescriptions to be created, accessed, shared with other users, and performed by the combination respiratory therapy device in a customizable user-friendly and non-threatening way.

A ventilation gas cooling apparatus is configured in a modular form adapted for selective removable engagement to a ventilator. The apparatus includes a gas inlet port, a gas delivery port, a pressure sensing port, and a thermoelectric cooler. The inlet port is fluidly connectible to a source of therapeutic breathing gas at an external end and is fluidly connectible to an inlet of the ventilator at an internal end. The delivery port is fluidly connectible to a patient circuit at an external end and is fluidly connectable to an outlet of the ventilator at an internal end. The pressure sensing port is fluidly connectible to both a pressure sensing port of the ventilator and to the patient circuit. The apparatus may further include a cooling fluid system operative to circulate either a gas or liquid coolant along at least a portion of a multi-lumen tube integrated into the patient circuit.

The present invention discloses ventilation apparatus, comprising a casing with a first vent and a second vent, a fixed spacer disposed within the casing, and a movable spacer in operative connection with a power mechanism. Also discloses herein are methods for ventilating a subject, by synchronously providing a positive pressure ventilation and a negative pressure ventilation using the ventilation apparatus described herein.