A bronchoscope for insertion into a patient's airways for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. The bronchoscope includes a bronchoscope head configured to be releasably secured and sealed to one tube of a set of interchangeable bronchial and/or tracheal tubes.

A patient circuit of a ventilation system, such as a non-invasive open ventilation system, wherein the patient circuit comprises a nasal pillows style patient interface that incorporates at least one Venturi effect jet pump proximal to the patient. The patient circuit further comprises a pair of uniquely configured 3-way connectors which, in cooperation with several uniquely configured tri-lumen tubing segments, facilitate the cooperative engagement of the patient interface to a ventilator of the ventilation system.

A gases flow rate sensing system may be configured to operate in at least two different target temperature modes, based upon a measured temperature of the gases flow. In some embodiments, the gases flow sensing system may have a voltage divider containing a thermistor. The gases flow rate may be determined based upon a voltage output indicating an amount of power needed to maintain the thermistor at a target temperature as specified by the target temperature mode, and a measured temperature of the gases flow.

There is provided herein methods, apparatus and systems for evaluating carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) concentration in a subject's breath, for example in subjects ventilated with High Frequency Ventilation (HFV), the method includes inserting to a trachea of a subject an endotrachial tube (ETT), sampling breath from an area in the trachea located in proximity to a distal end of the endotrachial tube (ETT) and evaluating one or more CO.sub.2 related parameters of the sampled breath.

A device for providing a high frequency ventilation to a patient that includes a pressure generating system that delivers a flow of breathing gas to the patient, where the flow has a first and second positive pressure levels that alternate with one another in a plurality of cycles in the flow so as to have a frequency and an amplitude. The flow generates a mean airway pressure. A controller, coupled to the pressure generating system, is configured to make a determination, as to a spontaneous breathing, or an attempt, by the patient, or a change in a user settings by a user, and in response adjusts the mean airway pressure, modulates the frequency and a duty cycle of the flow, or modulates a level of the flow and the amplitude of the flow, or two or more flows.

A system for providing ventilation support to a patient may include a ventilator, a control unit, a gas delivery circuit with a proximal end in fluid communication with the ventilator and a distal end in fluid communication with a nasal interface, and a nasal interface. The nasal interface may include at least one jet nozzle at the distal end of the gas delivery circuit; and at least one spontaneous respiration sensor for detecting respiration in communication with the control unit. The system may be open to ambient. The control unit may receive signals from the at least one spontaneous respiration sensor and determine gas delivery requirements. The ventilator may deliver gas at a velocity to entrain ambient air and increase lung volume or lung pressure above spontaneously breathing levels to assist in work of breathing, and deliver ventilation gas in a cyclical delivery pattern synchronized with a spontaneous breathing pattern.

A pump unit includes a micro pump and an assist mechanism. The micro pump includes: a housing having an inflow port and an outflow port; and a pump device built in the housing, the pump device transporting a fluid from the inflow port to the outflow port. The assist mechanism includes a jet nozzle for jetting a fluid. A jet port is opened at a tip portion of the jet nozzle. The assist mechanism is disposed in such a manner that a gap through which a fluid outside can flow is formed between the tip portion and the housing. The jet port is located in proximity to the inflow port. The jet port directly faces the inflow port.

Disclosed are methods of treatment that permit a reduction of risk of mortality in infants who are candidates for treatment with inhaled nitric oxide, by identifying a subset of such infants who are at an increased risk of mortality upon treatment with inhaled nitric oxide; also disclosed are related systems for use in administering inhaled nitric oxide and methods of distributing a pharmaceutical product.

A cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, device (100, 200, 400) for delivering intrathoracic pressure pulses to a subject (290), the device comprising an air pressure generator (110, 310, 410) for delivering air to the airways of the subject (290), wherein the air pressure generator (110, 310, 410) is configured to: operate a first mode, wherein in the first mode the air pressure generator (110, 310, 410) generates a first output (412, 770a, 770b) comprising a first plurality of positive pressure pulses (771) for temporally increasing the subject's intrathoracic pressure to induce compressions of the heart of the subject (290) by increasing the volume of the subject's lungs; operate a second mode, wherein in the second mode the air pressure generator (110, 310, 410) generates a second output (414, 880) comprising a second plurality of positive pressure pulses for providing an assured airflow to the lungs of the subject (290); and deliver a resulting output (425, 986, 1086) to the airways of the subject (290), the resulting output being the superposition of the first output (412, 770a, 770b) and of the second output (414, 880); wherein said first plurality of positive pressure pulses (771) have an amplitude greater than 30 mbar and a frequency in a range of 40-240 beats per minute; and wherein said second plurality of positive pressure pulses have an amplitude smaller than 30 mbar and a frequency in a range of 3 to 20 cycles per minute.

Fertilizer pellets may be formed by compressing or compacting a primary fertilizer powder mixed with micronized sulphur.