DEVICE FOR ADJUSTMENT AND/OR CONDITIONING OF THE CO2 CONTENT OF THE INHALED AIR

Abstract

The subject matter of the application is a device for adjustment and/or regulation of the CO.sub.2, carbon dioxide content of the inhaled air. Device based on the invention where a CO.sub.2 vessel 30 is connected to the CO.sub.2 input aperture 22, a measuring tool 15 determining the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air is connected to the exhaled air pipe 11, the output aperture of the measuring tool 15 is connected to the input aperture of a control unit 50, and the output aperture of the control unit 50 is connected to the valve 28 adjusting the blending rate of blending vessel 20 and so adjusting the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air.

Claims

1. A device for automatic adjustment and/or regulation of a CO.sub.2 (carbon dioxide) content of air inhaled by normal respiration for treatment of hyperventilation, comprising: a by-pass element, which conducts inhaled and exhaled air of a self-breathing patient in two directions, an exhaled air pipe and an inhaled air pipe connected to the by-pass element, where valves enabling a one direction flow are placed and arranged in the pipes, and a blending vessel connected to the inhaled air pipe comprising a fresh air input aperture and a CO.sub.2 input aperture, wherein a CO.sub.2 vessel is connected to the CO.sub.2 input aperture, a first CO.sub.2 measuring tool for determining the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air is connected to the inhaled air pipe, a second CO.sub.2 measuring tool for determining the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air is connected to the exhaled air pipe, an oxygen measuring tool for determining the oxygen content of exhaled and inhaled air is connected to the exhaled air pipe and to the inhaled air pipe, output apertures of the first and second CO.sub.2 and the oxygen measuring tools are connected to an input aperture of a control unit, an exhaled air vessel, where a first output aperture of the vessel is connected to the blending vessel and a second output aperture of the vessel is connected to a pipe opened to the atmosphere, the output aperture of the control unit is connected to a valve adjusting the blending rate of the blending vessel and so adjusting the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air by increasing the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air to an appropriate level to avoid hyperventilation by using the CO.sub.2 content of the air either directly exhaled or stored in the exhaled air vessel and/or using the CO.sub.2 content of the CO.sub.2 vessel, and/or using the O.sub.2 content of the fresh air and/or of a compressed air vessel, and in a breathing-counter is connected to the by-pass element, and an output of the breathing-counter is connected to an input of the control unit.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein an output aperture of the first CO.sub.2 measuring tool is connected to an input aperture of the control unit.

3. The device according to claim 1 wherein the exhaled air pipe is connected to an exhaled air vessel, where one output aperture of the exhaled air vessel is connected to the blending vessel and the other output aperture of the exhaled air vessel is connected to a pipe opened to the atmosphere.

4. The device according to claim 1 wherein in the air pipe opened to the atmosphere comprises an opening-closing valve placed where the control input of the valve is connected to the control unit.

5. The device according to claim 1 wherein the CO.sub.2 vessel and the exhaled air vessel are connected through a shuttle valve to the blending vessel, where a control input of the shuttle valve is connected to an output of the control unit.

6. The device according to claim 1 wherein the CO.sub.2 vessel and the exhaled air pipe are connected through a shuttle valve to the blending vessel, where a control input of the shuttle valve is connected to the output of the control unit.

7. The device according to claim 1 wherein the output aperture of the blending vessel a filter is connected.

8. The device according to claim 7, wherein the filter comprises more than one filtering means.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaled air pipe is connected directly to the air pipe opened to atmosphere.

10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the CO.sub.2 vessel and the compressed air vessel are connected to the blending vessel so that the CO.sub.2 vessel and the compressed air vessel vessels are connected to a blending valve that is placed in the blending vessel.

11. The device according to claim 1 wherein a breather pipe is connected to the by-pass element.

12. The device according to claim 1 wherein a breather mask is connected to the by-pass element.

13. The device according to claim 1 wherein a breathing-counter is connected to the by-pass element and the output of the breathing-counter is connected to the appropriate input of the control unit.

14. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is portable and applicable for self-treatment.

15. The device according to claim 1, wherein the appropriate level of the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air has margin of error lower than 0.5% CO.sub.2 concentration.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] The subject matter of the invention will be described using the enclosed numbered figures with application examples in details, where

[0042] FIG. 1 is the first version of the device based on the invention,

[0043] FIG. 2 is the principled scheme of the second version of the device based on the invention, and

[0044] FIG. 3-4 with the diagrams representing the measured and adjusted levels of CO.sub.2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0045] Some part of the device based on the invention represented on FIGS. 1-2 comprises the same elements and same structured elements. First these common elements will be described.

[0046] It is represented on both Figures thus, that the device comprises a by-pass element 10 leading the inhaled and exhaled air in two directions, an exhaled air pipe 11 and inhaled air pipe 21 both connected to the by-pass element 10. In both air pipes 11, 21 valves 13, 23 enabling one direction flow are placed and arranged.

[0047] To the inhaled air pipe 21 blending vessel 20 is connected comprising input aperture for fresh air 24 and input aperture for CO.sub.2 22. CO.sub.2 vessel 30 is connected to the input aperture for CO.sub.2 22.

[0048] Measuring tool 15 determining the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air is connected to the exhaled air pipe 11. The output aperture of the measuring tool 15 is connected to the input aperture of a control unit 50.

[0049] The device based on the invention comprises the by-pass element 10, and to this by-pass element 10 advantageously a breather pipe or breather mask 19 could be connected directly or advantageously through a breathing counter 19.

[0050] Using the device occasionally the use of breath mask 18 could be appropriate, using continuously, the use of air pipe 17 is more advantageous. The end of air pipe 17 can be put into the blowhole of the treated patient and could be fixed if needed.

[0051] In both cases there is a possibility to use breath-counter 19, which allows monitoring and continuous measuring the respiratory rate.

[0052] Using the device based on the invention, CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air can be measured with the measuring tool 15, e.g., capnograph continuously and based on the results of this measurement the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air can be adjusted and/or conditioned automatically.

[0053] Capable and portable capnograph for measuring the CO.sub.2 concentration of the exhaled air is commercially easily available, e.g., under the name EMMA Capnograph.

[0054] Using a breathing-counter 19, there is a possibility for continuous monitoring and measuring respiratory rate. Therefore, the output of the breathing-counter 19 should be connected to the appropriate input of the control unit 50. In this case, the sign of changed respiratory rate could be used as trigger to start administering CO.sub.2.

[0055] Changed respiratory rate is exhibitive of hyperventilation or diseased state. This possibility can be used primarily in case of patients suffering in heavy panic or asthmatic diseases, where hyperventilation fits appear often and unpredictably.

[0056] The CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air can be adjusted and/or conditioned more preciously if a measuring tool 25 is connected to the inhaled air pipe 21. The measuring tool 25 determines the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air, and the output of this tool 25 is connected to the input of control unit 50.

[0057] According to the measurement results, the control unit can condition more preciously.

[0058] In the case of the application examples represented on FIGS. 1 and 2, O.sub.2 content measuring tools 16 and 26 are connected to the exhaled air pipe 11 and the inhaled air pipe 21.

[0059] Based on the results of the measuring tools 16 and 26, the control unit 50 is able to adjust also the O.sub.2 content of the inhaled air to a certain level, or to keep it on a certain level. To increase the O.sub.2 content of the inhaled air, it is not sufficient to redirect the exhaled air, instead fresh air needs to be inducted from the atmosphere.

[0060] In the case of the application example shown on FIG. 1, exhaled air pipe 11 is connected to the exhaled air vessel 40 that has two output apertures, one of them 41 is connected to the blending vessel 20, the other one 42 is connected to the air pipe 43 open to the atmosphere.

[0061] In the air pipe opened to the atmosphere 43, there is an opening-closing valve 42 placed where the control input is connected to control unit 50.

[0062] The CO.sub.2 vessel 30 and the exhaled air vessel 40 are connected through a shuttle valve 35 to the blending vessel 20, where the control input of the valve 35 is connected to the output of the control unit 50.

[0063] Valve 42 and shuttle valve 35 gets a synchronised control with each other.

[0064] According to this control, the valve 42 is closed when the shuttle valve 35 connects the exhaled air vessel 40 with the blending vessel 20, so the exhaled air cannot leave through the air pipe 43 opened to the atmosphere, but flows to the blending vessel 20.

[0065] In this case, the fresh air in the inhaled air could be enriched with the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air.

[0066] In such cases, the content of CO.sub.2 of the inhaled air could be maximum 4-5%.

[0067] When the shuttle valve 35 connects the CO.sub.2 vessel 30 with the blending vessel 20, the valve 42 is in opened state, so the exhaled air is leaving through the air pipe 43 opened to the atmosphere and CO.sub.2 flows from the CO.sub.2 vessel 30 to the blending vessel 20.

[0068] In this case, the fresh air in the inhaled air can be mixed with the CO.sub.2 flowing out from the CO.sub.2 vessel 30, so the CO.sub.2 content of the inhaled air can be adjusted optionally.

[0069] Another advantageous version of the invention could be where the shuttle valve 35 is substituted with a blending valve. In this case, the blending valve can change the rate of the exhaled air and the CO.sub.2 flowed from the CO.sub.2 vessel 30 optionally, so the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air could be increased and meanwhile the rate of other gases remain. In this case, valve 42 should be controlled on a way that the unused exhaled air should leave to the atmosphere.

[0070] In the case of the application example shown on FIG. 1, output aperture of blending vessel 20 is connected to filter 27 which filters the air getting into the inhaled air pipe 21. As the device makes possible for the patient and the air from atmosphere a direct contact, a system comprising three filters could secure, that the patient should not contact directly with any contamination. One filter for bacterium to filter the bacteria getting in with the air of atmosphere, one filter pollen to get rid of the pollens which could cause even an allergic fit, and a filter of dusk to filter the dusk and found in the air which could be often found in the city air.

[0071] In the case of application, example of the device based on the invention shown on FIG. 2, instead of exhaled air vessel 40 a compressed air vessel 60 is used, where exhaled air pipe 11 is connected directly to the air pipe 43 opened to the atmosphere.

[0072] In case of this version of the device, the CO.sub.2 vessel 30 and compressed air vessel 60 are connected to a blending valve 28 placed in the blending vessel 20.

[0073] The controllable input of the blending valve 28 is connected to the appropriate output of the control unit 50 also. The filtering of the inhaled air is not needed in this case, as the blending vessel 20 is not connected with the atmosphere and so the inhalable fresh air is not from there.

[0074] In case an O.sub.2 vessel or compressed air vessel is used besides a CO.sub.2 vessel, on the one hand it is possible to set the oxygen and carbon dioxide rate of the air inhaled by the patient more precisely within certain limits, on the other hand the patient can be completely isolated from the air of the air of the atmosphere, excluding the risk of bacterial and/or pollen pollution. According to this implementation, the patient does by no means re-inhale the air exhaled by them, instead the patient receives a completely fresh and sterile air produced in a conditioned way, in which the rate of O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 is constant and can be kept at a controlled level.

[0075] Measuring the O.sub.2 concentration can be reasonable for several reasons. On the one hand, it provides additional information on the air exhaled by the patient, on the other hand monitoring the 02 concentration also reduces the risk of asphyxia. Faint can be avoided with the help of an oxygen measuring tool, for example in case the O.sub.2 level of the exhaled air is abnormally low (below 16%), the inhaled air can be adjusted during the blending. This has to reach the O.sub.2 level of the air inhaled in a normal situation, thus setting O.sub.2 concentration of 20-22% is optimal, to which CO.sub.2 concentration, causing the elimination of hyperventilation, can also be added. In the case of the second implementation option, this can easily be adjusted with the help of the CO.sub.2 and compressed air vessels. However, in a closed system there is a close link between these two concentration values. By increasing the CO.sub.2 concentration, the percentage of O.sub.2 decreases, which might be dangerous. This can be avoided, if the gas composition in the compressed air container is not identical to the atmospheric air, but it has a higher O.sub.2 rate, approximately 20-25%. In this case, even dosing 4-8% Co.sub.2, used during longer-term (few minutes) therapies, cannot reduce the O.sub.2 concentration below 20%.

[0076] In the case of a short-term high CO.sub.2 concentration therapy, this problem doesn't exist, since in this case the patient takes only a few breaths before he/she breaths fresh air again. In the case of the first implementation, it is important that in case exhaled oxygen level is low, the air is not recommended to re-direct. In this case the fresh air of the atmosphere should be used, which contains the normal inspiration oxygen concentration. This can be mixed with an appropriate amount of therapeutic CO.sub.2. In this case, instead of the shuttle valve 35, a blending valve 28 should be applied. In this case, due to the open system, the inhaled CO.sub.2 concentration can be adjusted in such a way that the O.sub.2 level can also be kept at an appropriate value.

[0077] The size of the blending vessel 20 has to be selected in such a way that the mixed air is sufficient even for multiple respiratory cycles. The exhausted compressed air and CO.sub.2 vessels always need to be replaced therefore it is desirable to also display the filling level of the vessels.

[0078] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the time diagrams of the CO.sub.2 concentration figures measured in the inhaled and exhaled air in different therapy cycles using the device based on invention. In case of hyperventilation, the alveolar CO.sub.2 concentration decreases which results in rapid breathing and increased respiratory rate. During the rapid breathing, ventilation becomes inappropriate, the body does not get sufficient amount of oxygen, and the CO.sub.2 level decreases further. In this case, if the CO.sub.2 concentration measured in the exhaled air gets below 4% that can be considered as abnormal, and normally results in hyperventilation.

[0079] In the case represented on FIG. 3, the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air decreased only in a small degree, which means from starting value 4-5% to 3-4%. This small decreasing however could be a sign for a starting hyperventilation, when treatment should be started already. In such cases the CO.sub.2 concentration of the inhaled air should be adjusted between 4-8%, so that practically the exhaled air of the patient can be redirected and the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air reused. The exhaled air can be enriched with CO.sub.2 from the CO.sub.2 vessel. Based on the measurement of the exhaled O.sub.2 content, the used procedure and control of the device based on the invention could be modified, so that the exhaled air will be redirected till the O.sub.2 concentration of the exhaled air remains above 16%. In case the O.sub.2 level of the exhaled air decreases below 16%, the redirection of exhaled air should be stopped, and the fresh (from atmosphere or compressed) air should be used enriching the inhaled air with CO.sub.2 in a proper rate.

[0080] Beside or instead of the compressed air vessel, O.sub.2 vessel could be used also for adjusting the required O.sub.2 level if needed.

[0081] Generally, the treatment takes only a few minutes, which is enough to the restitution of the hyperventilation and the normal respiratory parameters.

[0082] In the case represented on FIG. 4, the CO.sub.2 content of the exhaled air decreased significantly, which means from starting value 4-5% to 2%. In such cases for treatment and to reach fast result, a higher CO.sub.2 concentration of the inhaled air should be used but for shorter time (2-3 breaths). This higher CO.sub.2 concentration could be 10-15% also. Short time using could be efficient to stop hyperventilation. After according to the measuring values hyperventilation has stopped, use of lower CO.sub.2 concentrations could be used again till the end of the treatment with using the procedure described concerning FIG. 3.

[0083] The device based on the subject invention occasionally could be used also for treatment acute symptoms or even continuous monitoring and treatment if needed.

[0084] The subject matter of the invention could be used also for therapeutic tasks in helping respiratory.

[0085] Generating automatic respiratory reflex the method could teach the patient right breathing, conditioning by will after words, decreasing the chance to start a hyperventilation fit again. Completing the CART respiratory therapy with the device based on the invention the hyperventilation fits of patients who are panic diseased could even more effectively decreased and besides the fits of asthmatic patients could be decreased also.

[0086] As most of the asthmatic and panic diseased patient can feel the start of a fit directly before developing, with the recommended device based on the invention the CO.sub.2 poor state causing the fit could be avoided. With subject procedure all the medicines for treatment and preventing hyperventilation could be replaced, which means lower costs to the patient for long time and the decreases drug loading and risks of side effects of medicines.

[0087] Concerning all these points of view the subject matter of the invention can improve the quality of life of the patients, suffering in diseases as described above, on a significant way.

[0088] Although the subject matter of the invention was described only through two application examples in details, it doesn't mean to limit the protection and scope of subject patent application to these examples.

[0089] As obvious for an expert the characteristics of the subject matter of the invention can be used itself or in other different combinations, and the device based on the invention can be used differently from the described examples, so all these solutions are within the scope of the application.