Automated HME with Nebulizer Connection

摘要

An airway circuit has two modes of operation, dependent upon the presence or absence of a nebulizer in a nebulizer port. When the nebulizer if absent, a patient port is in fluid communications with a ventilation circuit port through a heat and humidity exchange element. When the nebulizer is inserted into the nebulizer port, the nebulizer port (and nebulizer), patient port, and ventilation circuit port are in fluid communications with each other and the heat and humidity exchange element is isolated, thereby protecting the heat and humidity exchange element from medicines emanating from the nebulizer. After the nebulizer is removed from the nebulizer port, the patient port is again placed in fluid communications with the ventilation circuit port through a heat and humidity exchange element.

主权项

1. A patient connector providing heat and humidity exchange, the connector comprising:
an enclosure having a patient port for connection to a patient circuit, a ventilation communications port for connection to a ventilation circuit, and a nebulizer port for intermittent connection to a nebulizer; a heat and moisture exchange element; and a means for communicating, the means for communicating fluidly connecting the patient port through the heat and moisture exchange element to the ventilation communications port when the nebulizer port is empty; and the means for communicating fluidly connecting the patient port to the ventilation communications port and to the nebulizer port when the nebulizer port is occupied.