Abstract: For monitoring respiration occurring through the respiratory tract or tracts of a patient, a sensor comprises two spaced-apart electrically conductive elements (2,3). Wires (8,9) extend from the elements to a measuring instrument. The transfer of an electrical charge between the elements is effected by means of charge carriers in an intermediate layer between the electrically conductive elements and responsive to moisture in respired air. The transfer provides an indication of respiration to a measuring instrument.

Abstract: The invention relates to an automatic identification method for the cuff of a sphygmomanometer. A positive pressure is utilized for triggering a pulse from a valve (2) to a pressure sensing element (12) followed by measuring the width of a detected pulse. The measured pulse width is compared with a predetermined pulse width threshold value and, on the basis of this comparison, a larger and a smaller cuff are distinguished from each other, as the measured pulse width indicates the presently used cuff size.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the determination of the content of one or a plurality of gas components, e.g. carbon dioxide, present in the respiratory gas of a patient, especially in small children whose respiration is characterized by a high respiration frequency and a small respiration volume. The method is based on sucking, e.g. by means of a pump (8), into a tube (5) samples of the respratory gas of a patient from the phase of a respiratory cycle that is considered appropriate. In the determination of carbon dioxide content, the sampling is preferably effected as of the instant at which a flow reversal detector (4) fitted in tube (2) detects that a patient is inhaling or when the corresponding reverasl of flow has been detected in a respirator (3). In the determination of carbon dioxide content, the sampling must be stopped before the boundary zone of fresh incoming gas and exhaled gas, in inhalation reaches the end of sampling tube (5).