Abstract: A resuscitation valve uses a pair of thin membrane valve elements that are spaced apart about an exhaust passage to provide increased reliability and simplify construction and fabrication. The resuscitation valve is of the nonrebreathing type and includes a valve housing that defines a chamber and an inlet port and patient port in communication therewith. The housing also defines an exhaust port. A center body is positioned in the housing and has a hollow interior communicating the chamber with the exhaust port. First, second, and third valve seats are located between the exhaust port and the center body, the inlet port and the chamber, and at one end of the center body, respectively.

Abstract: There is provided for a heated humidifier used in respiratory therapy a method of lowering the heating cost, reducing the waste of humidifier fluid, lowering the compliance volume and reducing the labor costs attending water level maintenance by placing a removable, space filling, volume reducing insert into the reservoir of existing heated humidifiers. The resulting modified humidifier may be used both for adult patients as well as pediatric and neonatal patients.

Abstract: The conditioned air from a ventilator enters one chamber in a manifold, which chamber has a connection to an inspiratory conduit through which the conditioned air is conducted to the patient. The expiratory conduit from the patient communicates in the manifold with a second chamber, positioned below the first chamber. A wall in the manifold at the lowermost part of the first chamber defines an orifice providing fluid communication between the two chambers. At the lower part of the second chamber is the expiratory valve which is pulsed by the ventilator. Adjacent the patient is a slanted "Y" and elbow which provide communication between the inspiratory conduit, the expiratory conduit, and the patient's single endotracheal or tracheostomy tube. Various ports are provided in the "Y" and elbow and are closed by caps. These ports provide connections suitable for various needs such as temperature measurement, ventilator temperature controller probe, etc.

Abstract: There is disclosed an anesthesia breathing system which is interconnected between a source of gas, such as an oxygen or an anesthesia administration system, or both, and a patient supported inhalation-exhalation means such as a face mask or the like, which includes concentrically oriented double tubular inhalation and exhalation lines having one of the tubes positioned interiorly of the other tube, spacer means for supporting and maintaining the concentrically oriented tubes and spaced in relatively fixed spacial relation, first uni-directional valve means carried adjacent one end of the tube system and positioned adjacent to the patient supported inhalation-exhalation means to control gas flow through the inhalation tube and second unidirectional valve means adjacent to the first unidirectional valve means to control gas flow through the exhalation tube, such that the double tubular inhalation-exhalation line functions as a heat exchanger to warm the gases as they travel to the patient while at the same time

Abstract: A positive pressure breathing circuit for operation in conjunction with a positive pressure ventilator including a concentrically oriented inhalation/exhalation circuit having an inner inhalation tube and an outer exhalation tube, the tubes being positioned in concentric and spaced orientation, the inhalation tube being further provided with an inhalation unidirectional valve means for providing unidirectional gas flow through the inhalation tube, the exhalation tube being provided with an exhalation unidirectional valve means associated therewith for providing unidirectional gas flow through the exhalation tube, and an inflatable occlusion means interposed between the inner and outer tubes in fluid communication with a source of pressurized fluid, such that the inflatable occlusion means is alternatively inflatable and deflatable in response to fluid pressure from the source thereof, the gas flow in the inhalation tube being countercurrent with respect to the gas flow in the exhalation tube, and the circuit