초록 ▼

A heat and moisture exchanger for both conducting a stream of air produced by a ventilator to a moisturizing medium and internally bypassing the moisturizing medium if aerosolized medication is introduced into the stream includes a housing having a ventilator-side port coupled to an outlet of a vent

A heat and moisture exchanger for both conducting a stream of air produced by a ventilator to a moisturizing medium and internally bypassing the moisturizing medium if aerosolized medication is introduced into the stream includes a housing having a ventilator-side port coupled to an outlet of a ventilator and a source of aerosolized medication. The housing has a patient-side port for coupling to a patient to provide ventilation including either air or air carrying aerosolized medication. A first path conducts air from the ventilator-side port through the moisturizing medium and the patient-side port, and a second path conducts air carrying aerosolized medication from the ventilator-side port directly to the patient-side port. A two-way valve mechanism in the housing selectively couples the ventilator-side port into fluid communication with one or the other of the first and second paths.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A heat and moisture exchanger for selectively conducting a stream of air produced by a ventilator through a moisturizing medium or causing the stream of air to bypass the moisturizing medium, the heat and moisture exchanger comprising: (a) a housing having a ventilator-side p

What is claimed is: 1. A heat and moisture exchanger for selectively conducting a stream of air produced by a ventilator through a moisturizing medium or causing the stream of air to bypass the moisturizing medium, the heat and moisture exchanger comprising: (a) a housing having a ventilator-side port configured to be coupled to an outlet of a ventilator and a source of aerosolized medication, the housing also having a patient-side port configured to be coupled to a patient to provide ventilation to the patient; (b) a structure within the housing forming a first path within the housing for conducting non-aerosolized air from the ventilator-side port through the moisturizing medium to the patient-side port and a second path within the housing for conducting air carrying aerosolized medication from the ventilator-side port to the patient-side port by bypassing the moisturizing medium; and (c) a two-way valve mechanism in the housing for selectively coupling the ventilator-side port into fluid communication with one or the other of the first and second paths. 2. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 1 including an external valve control extending through the housing for controlling the two-way valve mechanism. 3. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 2 wherein the structure includes a tube located between the ventilator-side port and the patient-side port, the second path extending entirely through the tube, wherein the two-way valve mechanism selectively blocks or opens a portion of the second path extending through the tube in response to the external valve control, the moisturizing medium being disposed between an outer surface of the tube and an inner surface of the housing, the first path extending around the tube and through the moisturizing medium. 4. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 3 including a gap between a first end of the tube and the ventilator-side port, the gap forming part of the first path. 5. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 3 wherein the two-way valve mechanism includes a valve post having an upper end portion extending through the housing and attached to the external valve control and a lower end portion extending through a wall of the tube, and wherein the two-way valve mechanism also includes a butterfly valve vane located in the tube and attached to the lower end portion of the valve post. 6. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 5 wherein the tube includes an elongated slot for admitting the valve post and the butterfly valve vane. 7. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 3 wherein the moisturizing medium is annular and is disposed around the tube, an inner surface of the moisturizing medium forming a seal with an outer surface of the tube, an outer surface of the moisturizing medium forming a seal with an inner surface of the housing. 8. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 7 wherein the tube and the housing are cylindrical, and wherein the inner surface and outer surface of the moisturizing medium are cylindrical. 9. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 3 wherein the housing includes a ventilator-side section and a patient-side section which are fit together as a unit to form the housing. 10. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 3 wherein the ventilator-side section includes a plurality of integral support members which support the tube in axial alignment between the ventilator-side port and the patient-side port. 11. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 4 wherein the first end of the tube extends beyond the two-way valve mechanism toward the ventilator-side port, the housing forming a volume within which an antibacterial and viral filter can be disposed in the first path. 12. The heat and moisture exchanger of claim 1 including a gas sampling port for providing fluid communication with the interior of the housing. 13. A method for conducting a stream of air produced by a ventilator through a moisturizing medium contained within a heat and moisture exchanger and selectively bypassing the moisturizing medium to conduct aerosolized medication in the stream from a ventilator-side port of the heat and moisture exchanger through a patient-side port thereof, the method comprising: (a) providing an internal bypass path within the heat and moisture exchanger to bypass the moisturizing medium; (b) providing a two-way valve within the heat and moisture exchanger to selectively block the internal bypass path; (c) operating an external valve control to cause the two-way valve to open the internal bypass path; (d) introducing medication particles into the stream of air produced by the ventilator to produce aerosolized medication in the stream, wherein the stream flows from the ventilator-side port through the internal bypass path and the patient-side port; and (e) after the aerosolized medication has passed through the patient-side port, operating the external valve control to cause the two-way valve to block the internal bypass path, wherein the stream of air produced by the ventilator flows from the ventilator-side port through the moisturizing medium and the patient-side port.