Unwinding a portion of a support helix that comprises a heating wire from a wall of a hose at an end of the hose; sleeving a length of heatshrink tubing at least partly onto the unwound portion of the support helix; heating the heatshrink tubing to shrink onto at least part of the unwound portion of the support helix; and at an end of the unwound portion, directly connecting the heating wire to an electrical contact of an electrical connector.

A liquid ventilation system includes a reservoir holding a perfluorochemical (“PFC”) fluid, and a suction pump connected to the reservoir to reduce pressure within the reservoir. A sensor is configured to measure an intra-lung pressure. An appliance is configured to be disposed within a patient. The appliance carries an injector to supply the PFC fluid through the appliance. An extraction valve is disposed on an extraction line between the appliance and the reservoir. The extraction valve is arrangeable between a first position enabling fluid communication from the appliance to the reservoir and a second position disabling fluid communication from the appliance to the reservoir.

An apparatus for applying positive pressure nebulized liquid to a patient includes a funneled T-connector having a funnel with a first opening of a first diameter, a second opening of a second diameter smaller than the first diameter, and a funnel wall extending between the first and second openings. The funneled T-connector further has a cylindrical nebulizer port that extends outwardly from the funnel wall. A nebulizer cup assembly includes a nebulizer cup to contain liquid and a nebulizer cap to removably attach to a top region of the nebulizer cup. The nebulizer cap has a cylindrical nebulizer outlet sized to removably attach to the cylindrical nebulizer port. The cylindrical nebulizer outlet extends upwardly through the nebulizer passage, beyond the cylindrical nebulizer port, and into the internal funnel space such that a top edge of the cylindrical nebulizer outlet is located within the internal funnel space.

Systems and methods for generating MRI images of the lungs and/or airways of a subject using a medical grade gas mixture comprises between about 20-79% inert perfluorinated gas and oxygen gas. The images are generated using acquired .sup.19F magnetic resonance image (MRI) signal data associated with the perfluorinated gas and oxygen mixture.

An apparatus and method for providing heat exchange in the lungs of the mammal during partial liquid ventilation are provided. The apparatus and method can control delivery and removal of partial liquid ventilation to the lungs of a mammal by responding to pressure change in the lungs to minimize danger of causing barotrauma to the patient.

Fan unit for a ventilator, comprising a housing with a suction connector which forms an inlet duct for the suction-side inflow of a fluid into the housing, a pressure connector which forms an outlet duct for the pressure-side outflow of the fluid from the housing, and a fan impeller mounted rotatably in the housing and being configured, by rotation, to suck in the fluid via the suction connector and to convey it through the inlet duct into the housing, and to eject the fluid again via the pressure connector and to convey it through the outlet duct out of the housing. The suction connector has at least one flow guiding element on its inner face which faces the inlet duct and defines an inlet duct nominal diameter, by which element an inlet duct internal diameter differing at least in sections from the inlet duct nominal diameter is set.

Systems and methods for generating MRI images of the lungs and/or airways of a subject using a medical grade gas mixture comprises between about 20-79% inert perfluorinated gas and oxygen gas. The images are generated using acquired .sup.19F magnetic resonance image (MRI) signal data associated with the perfluorinated gas and oxygen mixture.

An apparatus such as a fluid mixer, suitable for use with a respirator, including a venturi nozzle for flow of a pressure-controlled fluid; an ambient fluid aperture in fluid communication with the venturi nozzle; a fluid port; a pressure force multiplier in fluid communication with the fluid port; and a valve moveable relative to the venturi nozzle between a start flow position and a stop flow position; where the pressure force multiplier is configured such that fluid forced into the fluid port actuates the valve relative to the venturi nozzle; and where the pressure force multiplier is configured such that fluid withdrawn from the fluid port actuates the valve relative to the venturi nozzle. An attachment device, connector, and method of using an apparatus suitable for a ventilator is also disclosed.

A CPAP system for respiratory therapy includes an RPT device configured to supply a flow of gas at a therapeutic pressure, a patient interface, an air delivery conduit configured to pass the flow of gas from the RPT device to the patient interface, and a vent assembly configured to provide a vent flow of gas to discharge gas exhaled by the patient from a pressurized volume to ambient. The vent assembly includes a base including at least one first orifice to allow gas to be discharged along a primary vent flow path and at least one second orifice to allow gas to be discharged along a secondary vent flow path, a diffusing member provided to the base, and a membrane provided to the base. The membrane is configured to apportion the vent flow of gas along the primary vent flow path and the secondary vent flow path throughout respiratory therapy.

The nebulizer gas scavenging system includes a condenser positioned in the expiratory pathway of the breathing circuit for extracting liquid from expiratory gases and redirecting the extracting liquid to the input of the nebulizer. The system is further configured to detect the actual consumption of inhaled medication by measuring the concentration of medication in the expiratory pathway and comparing it to the initial content of medication in the aerosol of the inspiratory pathway. A more accurate determination of the amount of inhaled medication is advantageous in certain critical situations involving application of medication by inhalation.