Abstract: A gas containment and supply apparatus is described consisting of a gas reservoir vessel (1) capable of pressurised gas containment fitted with a gas supply aperture (8) provided with supply means connectable to the gas supply aperture to provide for supply of the gas and control means to control the rate of supply of the gas, in which the gas reservoir is a toroidal pressure vessel comprising a metallic toroidal shell (2) having wound on its surface a tensile load bearing layer of high tensile strength non-metallic fiber (4), the fiber being aligned in a substantially meridional direction on the toroidal shell. Human portable breathing apparatus is described utilising the above.

Abstract: An endotracheal tube holder, comprising, in combination an elongated arching support having opposite end portions adapted to be attached to a patient's left and right facial cheek zones which are preauricular areas of the cheeks, the support also having a mid portion adapted to be positioned in outwardly spaced relation to a patient's mouth; and a platform connected to the support to project outwardly away from the support mid portion, for attachment to and for supporting the endotracheal tube projecting from the patient's mouth.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining the occurrence of an apnea, patency and/or partial obstruction of the airway are disclosed. Respiratory air flow from a patient is measured to give an air flow signal. The determination of an apnea is performed by calculating the variance of the air flow signal over a moving time window and comparing the variance with a threshold value. One determination of partial obstruction of the airway is performed by detecting the inspiratory part of the air flow signal, scaling it to unity duration and area and calculating an index value of the amplitude of the scaled signal over a mid-portion. Alternatively, the index value is a measure of the flatness of the air flow signal over the mid-portion.