In a method of ventilating excised lungs, a ventilation gas is supplied to an airway of a lung and a vacuum is formed around the lung. A quality of the vacuum is varied between a lower level and a higher level to cause the lung to breathe, while the pressure of the ventilation gas supplied to the airway is regulated to maintain a positive airway pressure in the airway of the lung. The vacuum may be cyclically varied between the two vacuum levels. The levels may be maintained substantially constant over a period of time, or one or both of the lower and higher levels may be adjusted during ventilation. The lung may be placed in a sealed chamber, and a vacuum is formed in the chamber around the lung.

An oscillating positive expiratory pressure device comprising a housing enclosing at least one chamber, a chamber inlet configured to receive exhaled air into the at least one chamber, and a chamber outlet configured to permit exhaled air to exit the at least one chamber. A channel is positioned in an exhalation flow path between the chamber inlet and the chamber outlet, with the channel being movably connected to a chamber of the at least one chamber. An air flow regulator is movable with respect to the channel between a first position, where the flow of air through the channel is restricted and a second position, where the flow of air through the channel is less restricted, the air flow regulator being configured to repeatedly move between the first position and the second position in response to a flow of exhaled air.

Discloses is a micro-pump that includes a pump body having a compartmentalized pump chamber, with plural inlet and outlet ports and a plurality of membranes disposed in the pump chamber to provide compartments. The membranes are anchored between opposing walls of the pump body and carry electrodes disposed on opposing surfaces of the membranes and walls of the pump body. Also discloses are applications of the micro-pump including as a heat remover and a self-contained continuous positive airway pressure breathing device.

A patient interface for delivery of a supply of pressurised air or breathable gas to an entrance of a patient's airways includes a frame member, a cushion assembly provided to the frame member, and an anterior wall member repeatedly engageable with and disengageable from the cushion assembly. The frame member includes connectors operatively attachable to a positioning and stabilizing structure. The cushion assembly includes a seal-forming structure and a void defined by an anterior surface of the cushion assembly. The anterior wall member has a predetermined surface area to seal the void of the cushion assembly and form a gas chamber when the anterior wall member and the cushion assembly are engaged. The void of the cushion assembly is sized such that the patient's nose and/or mouth is substantially exposed when the anterior wall member is disengaged from the cushion assembly thereby improving breathing comfort of the patient.

A device for measuring a concentration of a component in a target sample includes a flow chamber with a first channel that receives a reference sample having a known concentration of the component. The flow chamber also includes a second channel that receives the target sample having an unknown concentration of the component. A pump operates to pump the reference sample and the target sample at a same volume flow rate through the first and second channels, respectively. A thermal mass flow meter measures a thermal conductivity of the reference sample, a thermal conductivity of the target sample, or both.

A high flow therapy system for delivering heated and humidified respiratory gas to an airway of a patient includes 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 respiratory gas is controlled by a microprocessor, a mixing area for mixing a first gas and a second gas in the respiratory gas flow pathway, a humidification area downstream of the mixing area and configured for humidifying respiratory gas in the respiratory gas flow pathway, and a heated delivery conduit for minimizing condensation of humidified respiratory gas.

A patient interface device includes a frame member and a cushion having a main body, a sealing portion, and first and second posts extending from the main body. The frame member defines a first orifice and a second orifice. The first post of the cushion is rotatably received within the first orifice and the second post is rotatably received within the second orifice in a manner that permits the cushion to rotate relative to the frame member.

A breathing assistance apparatus is configured with features that improve serviceability of the apparatus. The apparatus can include animations to provide instruction regarding correcting easily-identified fault conditions and to provide instruction regarding routine maintenance routines. The apparatus also can be configured with top level control menus that are obscured in a manner to limit manipulation of the top level control elements by unauthorized users.

Systems, devices, and methods for coupling a tracheostomy tube to a source of humidified breathing gas are disclosed. An adaptor includes a housing, a tracheostomy tube connection device, and a baffle. The housing has an interior surface, an exterior surface, and a breathing gas port. The tracheostomy tube connection device is positioned within the housing and includes an input port for receiving a flow of humidified breathing gas from the breathing gas port and an output port for coupling with the tracheostomy tube. The tracheostomy tube connection device has an internal surface defining a breathing gas passage and an external surface spaced from the interior surface of the housing to create a condensation passage. The baffle may be positioned between the breathing gas port and the input port to cause controlled condensation from the flow of humidified breathing gas by disrupting the flow of humidified breathing gas.

A method of producing a flow of a fluid through a passage (24) defined in a rigid frame (22) comprises selectively actuating a flexible membrane (38) disposed across a midpoint of the passage (24) with an actuating system in a manner which produces a wave-like motion in the membrane (38) thereby causing a peristaltic movement of the fluid through the passage (24).