Abstract: An aerosol delivery device for delivering an aerosol to a patient includes a nebulizer configured to generate an aerosol containing droplets of a liquid medicament, an inhalation conduit defining an inhalation passage, an exhalation conduit defining an exhalation passage, and a single-piece filter connected to the exhalation conduit configured to capture at least some of the droplets of the liquid medicament from a gaseous or fluid medium. The single-piece filter includes a continuous, single-piece filter body having a proximal portion and a distal portion, wherein the proximal portion of the filter body has a proximal end that defines an opening configured to connect to the exhalation conduit and the distal portion of the filter body has a closed distal end.

Abstract: The present invention provides a medical device such as an endotracheal tube or a tracheostomy tube having a distal inflation cuff and a high surface area structure disposed radially around the tube on a proximal side of the cuff. The high surface area structure includes an antimicrobial agent. The relatively higher surface area of the structure and radial extension thereof from the tube allows the antimicrobial agent to better extend into a secretion pool collected in the region around the intersection of the cuff and tube within a patient's trachea, so as to better prevent biofilms from forming and thereby prevent infections such as ventilator assisted pneumonia (VAP).

Abstract: A respiratory breathing circuit prevents heat loss and condensation in a flow of humidified air through a conduit from a humidification system to a patient interface, such as a nasal cannula. The circuit directly impedes heat loss or insulates the flow of a humidified gas therein, and provides a heating source inside the circuit along the length of the circuit to prevent net heat loss from the circuit tubing by providing thermal energy and/or insulation to impede convective, conductive, or radiative heat loss by the gas as it flows through the system. A temperature, humidity, or other flow quality measuring probe is disposed at the distal end of the circuit near the patient interface to actively measure a corresponding quality of the humidified gas flow to provide feedback to the system. A pressure relief valve is provided on the circuit to prevent a pressure build-up and/or structural failure.

Abstract: A heat and moisture exchange device for being selectively operated between HME mode and bypass mode comprises a rotatable valve and valve selector configured to be rotated without transferring rotational movement to tubing attached to the device.

Abstract: An adjustable ski carrier having a flexible rope with two snap locks on each end. A handle provided on the rope has inwardly extending slots on each end of the handle. A pair of spaced apart apertures made on the opposite side of the handle are adapted to receive the rope from within a handle and extended over the top of the handle on the outside of it. A distance between the apertures is smaller than the distance between the most inward ends of the slots. The length of the rope in relation to the snap locks can be adjusted by extending the loop created by the part of the rope lying atop of the handle so that the device can be used for carrying the skis up the slope or down the slope in a balanced manner, and with the handle being fixed in a certain position by means of the slots in combination with the apertures and the loop. A knot created atop of the handle from the loop can be used to further ensure a fixed distance between the handle and the snap locks on the ends of the rope.