초록 ▼

A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula. The method comprising the steps of forming the nasal cannula with at least one nare, and at least one nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof. Coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for mo

A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula. The method comprising the steps of forming the nasal cannula with at least one nare, and at least one nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof. Coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of the patient while the patient is sleeping. Detecting breathing characteristics of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least the primary inlet/outlet opening of the nare and sending the detected breathing characteristics of the patient to detection device for evaluation.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula, the method comprising the steps of; forming the nasal cannula with a hollow body having an internal compartment being divided into a first compartment and a second compartment; forming a first nare having s fixed lengt

We claim: 1. A method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula, the method comprising the steps of; forming the nasal cannula with a hollow body having an internal compartment being divided into a first compartment and a second compartment; forming a first nare having s fixed length, the first nare being sized to be received within a first nasal passage of a nose of the patient and having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof, a second end of the first nare being connected to the first compartment of the nasal cannula and at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening spaced from the primary inlet/outlet opening and communicating with the first compartment; forming a second nare having a fixed length, the second nare being sized to be received within a second nasal passage of the nose of the patient and having a primary inlet/outlet opening formed in a remote end thereof, a second end of the second nare being connected to the first compartment of the nasal cannula and at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening spaced from the primary inlet/outlet opening and communicating with the second compartment; forming at least a first mouthpiece connected to the nasal cannula and communicating with the first compartment with a remote end thereof for communicating with a mouth of the patient; coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device for monitoring breathing characteristics of the patient while the patient is sleeping; sensing at least one breathing characteristic of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via at least one of the primary inlet/outlet opening of the first nare and the first mouthpiece; and sensing at least one breathing characteristic of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via the primary inlet/outlet opening of the second nare; sending the detected breathing characteristics of the patient to the detection device for evaluation, and in the event that a primary inlet/outlet opening of at least one nare becomes at least partially occluded while the patient is sleeping, detecting the breathing characteristics of the patient via at least the secondary inlet/outlet opening of the partially occluded at least one nare. 2. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling the nasal cannula to the detection device by first and second tubes; and providing a filter which at least filters moisture from flowing therealong toward the detection device 3. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with a second mouthpiece separated and spaced apart from the first mouthpiece for communicating with a mouth of the patient and the second mouthpiece communicates with the second compartment and the second nare. 4. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 3, further comprising the steps of: preforming a first function using the first compartment and a first flow path; and preforming a second function using the second compartment and a second flow path. 5. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 4, further comprising the steps of preforming at least one of the following functions via each of the first and the second flow paths: a) supplying a treating gas to a nostril of the patient; b) allow sampling or withdrawal of an exit gas being exhausted by the patient; c) sampling end tidal CO2 in the exhaled gas of the patient; d) monitoring or detecting the breathing characteristic of the patient; e) monitoring and detecting respiratory air waves and air flow of the patient during breathing; and f) detecting changes in pressure within the nostril during breathing of the patient. 6. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: preforming a first function using the first compartment and a first flow path; and preforming a second function using the second compartment and a second flow path. 7. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 6, further comprising the steps of providing the nasal cannula with a second mouthpiece for communicating with a mouth of the patient, and the second mouthpiece communicates with the second compartment and the second nare. 8. The method of monitoring breathing of a patient with a nasal cannula according to claim 1, further comprising the step of coupling the nasal cannula to a detection device by first and second tubes, and providing a filter for preventing moisture from flowing along the first and the second tubes toward the detection device. 9. A nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient, the nasal cannula comprising an elongated hollow body for positioning adjacent a nose of the patient; the hollow body having an internal compartment being divided into separate first and second compartments; a first nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the first nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a first nasal passage of the nose, a second end of the first nare being connected to the first compartment of the nasal cannula, and the first nare having at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening spaced from the primary inlet/outlet opening and communicating with the first compartment; a second nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the second nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a second nasal passage of the nose, a second end of the second nare being connected to the second compartment of the nasal cannula, the second nare having at least one secondary inlet/outlet opening spaced from the primary inlet/outlet opening and communicating with the second compartment; and at least a first mouthpiece being connected to the nasal cannula and communicating with the first compartment and a mouth of the patient, whereby a detection device, coupled to both the first and the second compartments of the nasal cannula is able to monitor breathing characteristics of a patient while the patient is sleeping through at least one of the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the first nare, and through at least one of the primary and the secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare, in an event that the patient is nose breathing, or through the first mouthpiece in an event that the patient is mouth breathing, and in the event that a primary inlet/outlet opening of at least one of the first and second nares becomes at least partially occluded while the patient is sleeping, at least the secondary inlet/outlet opening of the partially occluded nare facilitates detection of the breathing characteristics of the patient. 10. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 9, further comprising a second mouthpiece, separated and spaced apart from the first mouthpiece, which communicates with the mouth of the patient and with the second compartment of the nasal cannula. 11. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 9, wherein: the first and second compartments of the nasal cannula respectively define first and second flow paths, and the first flow path includes the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the first nare communicating with first compartment, and the second flow path includes the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare communicating with second compartment, whereby a first function can be performed through the first compartment and the first flow path; and a second function, different from the first function, can be performed through the second compartment and the second flow path. 12. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 11, wherein: a second mouthpiece communicates with the primary and secondary inlet/outlet openings of the second nare and with the second compartment. 13. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 11, wherein the first and the second functions each comprise one of the following: a) sampling or withdrawing an exit gas being exhausted by the patient; b) sampling end tidal CO2 in the exhaled gas of the patient; c) monitoring or detecting the breathing characteristic of the patient; d) monitoring or detecting respiratory air waves and air flow of the patient during breathing; and e) detecting changes in pressure within the nostril during breathing of the patient. 14. A nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient, the nasal cannula comprising an elongated hollow body for positioning adjacent a nose of the patient; the hollow body having an internal compartment being divided into first and second separate compartments; a first nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the first nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a first nasal passage of the nose, and a second end of the first nare being connected to the first compartment of the nasal cannula; a second nare having a fixed length, a remote free first end of the second nare having a primary inlet/outlet opening therein and being sized to be received within a second nasal passage of the nose, and a second end of the second nare being connected to the second compartment of the nasal cannula at least a first mouthpiece being connected to the nasal cannula and communicating with the first compartment and a mouth of the patient, whereby a detection device, coupled to the first and second compartments of the nasal cannula, monitors breathing characteristics of a patient while the patient is sleeping through at least one of the primary inlet/outlet opening and the secondary inlet/output opening of at least one of the first and second nares, and wherein the nasal cannula is coupled to the detection device by first and second tubes; and a filter prevents moisture from flowing along the first and the second tubes toward the detection device. 15. The nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 14, wherein the detection device is electrically connected to polysomnography equipment for inputting measured respiratory air waves and respiratory air flow information, obtained during a sleep diagnostic session. 16. A nasal cannula for monitoring breathing of a patient, the nasal cannula comprising: an elongated hollow body for positioning adjacent a nose of the patient, the hollow body being divided into first and second compartments; a first nare being sized to be received within a first nasal passage of the nose, the first nare having a remote free first end having an inlet/outlet opening therein and a second end communicating with the first internal compartment; a second nare being sized to be received within a second nasal passage of the nose, the second nare having a remote free first end having an inlet/outlet opening therein and a second end communicating with the second internal compartment; at least one mouthpiece for communicating with a mouth of the patient to facilitate sensing one of a first or second desired breathing characteristic of a patient, the at least one mouthpiece communicating with one of the first and the second compartments; a first tube for coupling the first compartment of the nasal cannula to a first detection device for sensing the first desired breathing characteristic of the patient while the patient is sleeping, via the primary inlet/outlet opening of the first nare; and a second tube for coupling the second compartment of the nasal cannula to a second detection device for sensing the second desired breathing characteristic of the patient, while the patient is sleeping, via the primary inlet/outlet opening of the second nare. 17. The nasal cannular for monitoring breathing of a patient according to claim 16, wherein the first and second breathing characteristics of the patient each comprise one of the following functions: a) one of sampling and withdrawing an exit gas being exhausted by the patient; b) sampling end tidal CO2 in the exhaled gas of the patient; c) one of monitoring and detecting the breathing of the patient; d) one of monitoring and detecting respiratory air waves and air flow of the patient during breathing; and e) detecting changes in pressure within the nostril during breathing of the patient. 18. The nasal cannula for monitoring the detection device by first and second tubes, and a filter prevents moisture from flowing along the first and second tubes toward the detection device.