Abstract: A system and apparatus are provided for connecting an anesthetic container (14) to a vaporizer. Indicia are provided on the container (14) or on a transfer tube (12) connected to the container (14) and the indicia can include mechanical keys, electrical keys and electronic keys. A transfer device is provided for mounting to the vaporizer and engaging the container (14) or transfer tube (12) connected to the container (14). The transfer device includes a sensing system such as a key or code reader system. A clamping mechanism is provided for clamping the container (14), or end pin (16) of a transfer tube (12) connected to the container (14), in a leak-tight engagement within the transfer device. The transfer device can accommodate movement between a fill position and a drain position. The internal fluid flow passages are blocked except when the transfer device is in the fill or drain position.

Abstract: There is provided a device to augment the delivery of medication to a patient in aerosolized or gaseous form. The device includes a means, such as a nebulizer, for supplying medication coupled to the mouthpiece of a telephone-shaped handle. The telephone-shaped handle has a gripping portion, an earpiece at one end and a mouthpiece at the other end. The earpiece may include means to generate music or the like. The delivery device is especially useful for use with small children and infants.

Abstract: A second stage scuba pressure regulator having a valve seat and a floating piston that is free to travel axially within adjustable limits in relationship to the valve seat. Upon pressurization, the piston is pneumatically actuated to make contact with a valve seat set to a pre-adjusted contact interference. Upon depressurization, the piston is free to retract away from the valve seat to a position of no or minimal contact which will prevent long term deformation of the contacting surfaces.

Abstract: A hypoxic room system for hypoxic training or therapy is provided which simulates oxygen-depleted mountain air. The system employs an oxygen content-reducing device (hypoxicator) which supplies oxygen-depleted air to a hypoxic training room communicating with the device and having ventilating openings for equalizing atmospheric pressure inside the hypoxic room. The system may be applied to interior space inside any structure. The hypoxicator may employ a membrane air-separation principle or a molecular sieve pressure-swing adsorption process.

Abstract: The avoiding of uncomfortable-to-the-touch ear loops and the like in the attaching insertion of oxygen-delivering inserts of a cannula into a patient's nose which uses a 0.25 inch diameter in a circular base of a U-shape of the cannula to provide a chord which in width wise size is smaller than the width wise size of a patient's typical columella which divides in two the nasal cavities, such that the size difference results in a "pinch" fit which holds the cannula in place during its use, and the referred to columella not being sensitive-to-touch thus does not contribute to patient discomfort.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for facilitating the respiration of a patient are disclosed which are particularly useful in treating mixed and obstructive sleep apnea and certain cardiovascular conditions, among others, by increasing nasal air pressure delivered to the patient's respiratory passages just prior to inhalation and by subsequently decreasing the pressure to ease exhalation effort. The preferred apparatus includes a patient-coupled gas delivery device for pressurizing the patient's nasal passages at a controllable pressure, and a controller coupled with the delivery device having a pressure transducer for monitoring the nasal pressure and a microcontroller for selectively controlling the nasal pressure. In operation, the controller determines a point in the patient breathing cycle just prior to inhalation and initiates an increase in nasal pressure at that point in order to stimulate normal inhalation, and subsequently lowers the nasal pressure to ease exhalation efforts.

Abstract: A system including methods and apparatus for treatment of Congestive Heart Failure. The system involves applying separate and independent gains to flow rates of pressurized gas delivered to a patient during inspiratory and expiratory phases of a respiratory cycle to deliver the pressurized gas in proportion to the respective gains during inspiration and expiration. A base pressure may be applied in addition to the gain-modified pressures and an elevated pressure profile may be employed to assist or control inspiration. The system may be fully automated responsive to feedback provided by a flow sensor that determines the estimated patient flow rate. A leak computer can be included to instantaneously calculate gas leakage from the system. The system may be utilized in connection with conventional continuous positive airway pressure (bi-level PAP) equipment to effect various beneficial treatment applications.

Abstract: A multi-gas blending system for a diving profile is provided with three separate tanks, each having a different gas mix contained therein. The first tank, the primary tank, has a mix that is designed to be O.sub.2 rich for descending from the surface to a predetermined diving depth. At the predetermined diving depth, a switch is made by the diver and the system detects this switch. Prior to the switch, breathing parameters are calculated based upon the gas mix in the primary tank. Once the switch is detected, the calculation is performed on the mix in the second tank. This calculation continues until a predetermined amount of time has elapsed while the diver is on the secondary tank and the diver has begun an ascent and has passed a predefined depth. Once these two conditions occur, this is defined as a switch to a third gas mix, at which time the dive computer begins calculating the breathing parameters based upon a gas mix in a third tank. This is a decompression mixture.

Abstract: An intrapulmonary delivery device is provided for delivery of a propellant driven medicament. The device has an indicating system with a sensor responsive to a selected range of ultrasound, a controller associated with the sensor for signalling the detected ultrasound, a differential pressure sensor and a display for the signals. The controller is associated with a microprocessor where the signal level the duration and time of actuation is stored in memory.

Abstract: A nasal device for sampling inhaled particulate matter in the nose of a person to allow identification of aeroallergens in the inhaled matter or to prevent disease states mediated by such aeroallergens. The nasal device has a body adapted to fit within a person's nostril and to resiliently engage its inside wall. A passage extends through the body to allow air to be inhaled by the person through the nasal device. The passage has a non-linear path and includes a sample collection zone placed in the passage so that, during inhalation, air is drawn firstly towards and then secondly around the collection zone so that a sample of any particulate matter in the inhaled air will be caused to impact against the collection zone due to the non-linearity of the passage and to be retained on the collection zone, the sample collection zone being removable from the nasal device to allow analysis of the matter impacted thereon.

Abstract: A demand valve resuscitator includes an inlet for connection to a pressurized source of breathable gas, such as oxygen, and an outlet for connection to a patient's airway. A normally-closed-pressure-actuated main valve is positioned between the inlet port and an inhalation chamber for controlling the demand mode of operation. A main valve controller operates the main valve in response to a reduced pressure in the inhalation chamber resulting from the commencement of spontaneous breathing by the patient. The manual operating mode, i.e., not dependent upon the patient breathing spontaneously, is controlled by a bypass valve which supplies gas to the patient independently of the main valve. A manually adjustable pressure relief valve sets the peak gas pressure. Another manual control permits the operator to preset the maximum opening of the bypass valve and therefore the flow rate of gas to the patient.

Abstract: In a process for monitoring patients with chronic congestive heart failure, a high frequency current is passed between electrodes applied to two limbs of a patient. The current, voltage and phase angle between the measured current and voltage are measured to enable the calculation of congestive heart failure (CHF) indicia values. The calculated CHF indicia values are then compared with baseline values established when the patient is in a known, stable condition. Intervention is initiated if the differences between the calculated CHF indicia values and the baseline values are outside of established tolerances. The CHF indicia values may include resistance, reactance, impedance, total body water and extracellular water. Moreover, the CHF indicia values may include a figure of merit indicative of the hydration status of the patient.

Abstract: A gas mixing pressure regulator for a closed circuit breathing apparatus comprises a first inlet to provide pressurized air to the breathing apparatus, a pressure responsive demand valve for opening and closing a first inlet, a second inlet for supplying carbon dioxide-free exhaled air from the breathing apparatus, and a mixing chamber for mixing the pressurized air and exhaled air for supplying breathable air to the breathing apparatus. The demand valve is isolated from the mixing chamber by a check valve injector nozzle to prevent contamination thereof and is responsive to pressure demands from the breathing apparatus to ensure reliability, stability and long life.

Abstract: A method for aerosolizing a powdered medicament comprises coupling a powder inlet end of a feed tube with a penetration in a receptacle containing the powder. Powder is drawn upward through the tube and dispersed in a high pressure gas stream flowing past a portion of the feed tube. Apparatus comprise the feed tube mounted within a base enclosure proximate a holder for one or more receptacles, which may be in the form of a cartridge containing a plurality of receptacles formed in a continuous web. The cartridge may be reciprocated relative to the feed tube and a separate piercing mechanism in order to sequentially piercing the receptacle and thereafter couple the feed tube through the resulting penetration for extracting the powder. Alternatively, penetration(s) through the receptacle may be formed as the feed tube is coupled, or some penetrations formed prior to coupling with other penetrations formed at the time of coupling.

Abstract: A method of making a metal one-piece custom post member for non-parallel rooted teeth, including preparation of two root canals of the tooth by using a drill, making a funnel-shaped parallel fixing of entries in the root canals, inserting two posts made of burn-out plastic and sized to the root canals, into the canals, such that upper ends of the posts extend out therefrom, each plastic post having a body shaped as a partially flattened round stick, providing a flattened circle cross-section, one end thereof forming an enlarged cap shaped similarly to the body, treating upper ends of the posts that extend out of the canals with a self-curing resin to bind the posts together to form a plastic one-piece custom post member, removing the plastic one-piece custom post member from the tooth, casting a metal one-piece custom post member of the same size and dimensions from the plastic one-piece custom post member such that the metal one-piece custom post member has two metal posts extending therefrom, each being suf

Abstract: A combination of a first breathing connection of a gas mask with an insert which can be inserted into the breathing connection for connecting filters to the gas mask is to be improved in terms of the simple manufacture of country-specific variants of gas masks. The insert has a first marking field belonging to a first fastening means on a surface located outside the breathing connection.

Abstract: A self-contained underwater breathing loop apparatus for an oxygen rebreather includes a breathing bag formed to act as a compliant volume and a semipermeable membrane arranged to divide the breathing bag into a first chamber and a second chamber. A breathing hose is connected between a mouthpiece and the first chamber of the breathing bag to conduct exhaust breath from the diver thereto. The semipermeable membrane is formed to allow helium in the diver's exhaust breath to pass therethrough while preventing oxygen in the exhaust breath from being transported from the first chamber into the second chamber. A relief valve in the second chamber allows helium in the second chamber to be expelled into the water. A CO.sub.2 scrubber is in fluid communication with the first chamber of the breathing bag. A helium supply in fluid communication with the CO.sub.2 scrubber for supplying helium to the breathing loop through a metering valve.

Abstract: An anesthesia machine output monitor (AMOM) which performs the functions of measuring the flow and composition of anesthesia gases delivered by the anesthesia machine, measuring on-line the amount of inhaled anesthetic used during a procedure requiring an anesthetic agent, measuring on-line the cost of inhaled anesthetic used during a procedure requiring an anesthetic agent, and integrating with an automated anesthesia recorder (AAR) to allow the recording of anesthetic gas flow rates and composition during a procedure and the cumulative cost of the anesthetic gases used during the procedure. The anesthesia gas flow rates and composition are measured using a modified infrared anesthetic gas analyzer that measures anesthetic gas composition and a pitot tube that is inserted in the common gas outlet of the anesthesia machine in order to measure the composition and flow rates of gases as they exit the anesthesia machine.

Abstract: A metering device, for use in transferring a desired volumetric dose of a flowable substance from a storage chamber containing the flowable substance to a location outside the storage chamber, is disclosed. An outlet conduit is arranged between the storage chamber and the location to which the dose is to be transferred. The metering device is of such size and shape as to be able to pass through the outlet conduit and includes first and second end element which, when the metering device is located inside the outlet conduit, are in a sealing engagement with the inner walls of the outlet conduit. The shape of the metering device between the first and second end elements is such that a space of the desired dose volume is defined between the first and second end elements and the intervening section of the inner walls of the outlet conduit, in which space the flowable substance from the storage chamber may be enclosed. The metering device is of particular use in a dry powder inhaler.

Abstract: A respiratory protection apparatus has a breathing mask with a regulator and a fast donning harness having at least a pair of extensible strap whose ends are connected to the mask. Each strap has an element which is inflatable by the pressurized breathable gas for extending the strap until it has a sufficient size for enabling the user to quickly don the harness over the head and deflatable to permit the strap to tighten, to urge the mask against the face and to maintain the mask on the face. An ear piece is connected to the harness or mask and is applied against the ear when the harness straps are deflated.