Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the administration of a liquid medicament to a spontaneously breathing patient. The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows optimizing the dispensing said medicaments. In particular the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to preterm patients.

Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the delivery of liquid medicament to spontaneously breathing patient, including: —an elongated main body (101) shaped to follow the internal shape of the patient's upper airways, the elongated main body (101) being provided with guiding means (107) adapted to house a catheter; —a substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) adapted to engage the internal wall of the patient's retro-pharynx, the substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) being connected to the elongated main body (101) by means of at least one spoke (105), the substantially ring-shaped element (103) and the at least one spoke (105) creating a chamber where the medicament can be delivered through the catheter.

Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the delivery of liquid medicament to spontaneously breathing patient, including: —an elongated main body (101) shaped to follow the internal shape of the patient's upper airways, the elongated main body (101) being provided with guiding means (107) adapted to house a catheter; —a substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) adapted to engage the internal wall of the patient's retro-pharynx, the substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) being connected to the elongated main body (101) by means of at least one spoke (105), the substantially ring-shaped element (103) and the at least one spoke (105) creating a chamber where the medicament can be delivered through the catheter.

Abstract: The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows an effective delivery of aerosolized medicament (e.g., a surfactant) to the patient's lungs. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention provides an efficient delivery of the aerosol medicament (possibly breath synchronized). A glass vial in which medicaments are usually stored and shipped is used directly as a component of the system. Its function in the system is that of an intermittently pressurized chamber that can inject the surfactant into the catheter of the atomizer device. According to a preferred embodiment the delivery can be done in phase with the beginning of each inspiration. The main elements of the system are: a source of compressed gas, the already mentioned medicament vial, a catheter, and optionally means to detect the breathing pattern and a control unit.

Abstract: The system allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheter (101) conveys atomized surfactant directly to the retropharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). The catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations. The delivery of the atomized medicament is done by means of an air blasting technique.

Abstract: The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows an effective delivery of aerosolized medicament (e.g., a surfactant) to the patient's lungs. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention provides an efficient delivery of the aerosol medicament (possibly breath synchronized). A glass vial in which medicaments are usually stored and shipped is used directly as a component of the system. Its function in the system is that of an intermittently pressurized chamber that can inject the surfactant into the catheter of the atomizer device. According to a preferred embodiment the delivery can be done in phase with the beginning of each inspiration. The main elements of the system are: a source of compressed gas, the already mentioned medicament vial, a catheter, and optionally means to detect the breathing pattern and a control unit.

Abstract: A system for measuring the mechanical impedance of a patient's respiratory system during spontaneous respiratory activity, characterised by comprising a fan; a motor which operates said fan; said motor and said fan being positioned within a cavity; said cavity comprising an initial end and a final end, both providing access to the outside; said cavity presenting an impedance between said initial and said final end of less than 1 cm H2O/L/s; said fan withdrawing air from said final end and providing pressure variations of small amplitude and of frequency >2 Hz to said initial end; said initial end comprising air pressure and air flow measurement means and a connection directly connected to the airway opening.

Abstract: A method for the early identification of recurrences of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease comprising the following steps of; measuring, with a predefined time frequency, a plurality of parameters that define the pulmonary function of a patient by means of the forced oscillation technique (FOT); calculating the trend of said plurality of parameters in a predefined time period; identifying an impending recurrence by comparing the parameters describing said trend of said plurality of parameters with predefined thresholds; where the step of calculating the trend of said plurality of parameters is achieved by calculation of an N order polynomial regression model; and the step of identifying an impending recurrence by comparing said parameters describing said trend with predefined thresholds comprises the step of comparing at least one coefficient of the N order polynomial regression with predefined thresholds.

Abstract: A method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheter 101 conveys atomized surfactant directly to the retro-pharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations.

Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the administration of a liquid medicament to a spontaneously breathing patient. The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows optimizing the dispensing said medicaments. In particular the system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to preterm patients.

Abstract: The method and system according to preferred embodiments of the present invention allows an effective breath-synchronized delivery of atomized liquid medicament (e.g. a pulmonary surfactant) to the patient's lungs. According to a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention provides an efficient delivery of the aerosol medicament, controlling the behavior of the infusion pump to make the rising and falling time faster even though the intrinsic time constant of the system is long. Additionally, in an embodiment of the present invention, at the same time the information about the breathing activity contained either directly on the surfactant line or stored in the controller action can be used to extrapolate the breathing pattern.

Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the delivery of liquid medicament to spontaneously breathing patient, including: —an elongated main body (101) shaped to follow the internal shape of the patient's upper airways, the elongated main body (101) being provided with guiding means (107) adapted to house a catheter; —a substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) adapted to engage the internal wall of the patient's retro-pharynx, the substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) being connected to the elongated main body (101) by means of at least one spoke (105), the substantially ring-shaped element (103) and the at least one spoke (105) creating a chamber where the medicament can be delivered through the catheter.

Abstract: A device (100) for facilitating the positioning of a catheter for the delivery of liquid medicament to spontaneously breathing patient, including: —an elongated main body (101) shaped to follow the internal shape of the patient's upper airways, the elongated main body (101) being provided with guiding means (107) adapted to house a catheter; —a substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) adapted to engage the internal wall of the patient's retro-pharynx, the substantially ring-shaped terminal element (103) being connected to the elongated main body (101) by means of at least one spoke (105), the substantially ring-shaped element (103) and the at least one spoke (105) creating a chamber where the medicament can be delivered through the catheter.

Abstract: A system for automatically predicting acute airway events in patients, comprising: a device for measuring the respiratory impedance of a human subject during a plurality of respiratory cycles of said human subject; said respiratory impedance comprising a real part and an imaginary part; said device measuring said respiratory impedance two times per day to provide a plurality of measurements; means for calculating the relative variation of said plurality of measurements; means for evaluating the probability of respiratory pathology presence in the subject under examination when the value of the imaginary part of said impedance is greater than 35%; means for predicting a relapse in the patent under examination within an established future time window, once the presence of the pathology has been ascertained, if the variation coefficient of the real part of said impedance is greater than 0.4.

Abstract: The system allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheter (101) conveys atomized surfactant directly to the retropharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). The catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations. The delivery of the atomized medicament is done by means of an air blasting technique.

Abstract: Apparatus for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar recruitment/derecruitment provides air supply to a patient at a base pressure and an additional pressure which can be varied at a frequency of from 5 to 10 Hz and transducers applied to the conduits supplying air to the patient to send electric signals to a computer to obtain a variable positive end-expiratory pressure and a to obtain an end expiratory resistance at varying values of positive end expiratory pressure and defining the state of pulmonary recruitment as the value of the positive end-expiratory pressure which corresponds to a point of maximum expiratory resistance.

Abstract: There is described an apparatus (1) for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar derecruitment for patients suffering from respiratory failure. Such an apparatus (1) generally comprises a mechanical ventilator (3) for inspiration/expiration functions and means (15) allowing to impose an additional periodic pressure component (Pstim) having a higher frequency than the spectral content of the inspiration/expiration pressure component (Presp). There are provided computing means (12) to obtain the inspiratory average reactance (Xrs) of the respiratory system of the patient (2) as the positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) varies, in order to detect the presence of alveolar derecruitment. There is also described a procedure allowing to obtain an optimal positive end-expiratory pressure.

Abstract: A system for automatically predicting acute airway events in patients, comprising: a device for measuring the respiratory impedance of a human subject during a plurality of respiratory cycles of said human subject; said respiratory impedance comprising a real part and an imaginary part; said device measuring said respiratory impedance two times per day to provide a plurality of measurements; means for calculating the relative variation of said plurality of measurements; means for evaluating the probability of respiratory pathology presence in the subject under examination when the value of the imaginary part of said impedance is greater than 35%; means for predicting a relapse in the patent under examination within an established future time window, once the presence of the pathology has been ascertained, if the variation coefficient of the real part of said impedance is greater than 0.4.

Abstract: A system for measuring the mechanical impedance of a patient's respiratory system during spontaneous respiratory activity, characterised by comprising a fan; a motor which operates said fan; said motor and said fan being positioned within a cavity; said cavity comprising an initial end and a final end, both providing access to the outside; said cavity presenting an impedance between said initial and said final end of less than 1 cm H2O/L/s; said fan withdrawing air from said final end and providing pressure variations of small amplitude and of frequency >2 Hz to said initial end; said initial end comprising air pressure and air flow measurement means and a connection directly connected to the airway opening.

Abstract: Apparatus for respiratory support and non-invasive detection of alveolar recruitment/derecruitment provides air supply to a patient at a base pressure and an additional pressure which can be varied at a frequency of from 5 to 10 Hz and transducers applied to the conduits supplying air to the patient to send electric signals to a computer to obtain a variable positive end-expiratory pressure and a to obtain an end expiratory resistance at varying values of positive end expiratory pressure and defining the state of pulmonary recruitment as the value of the positive end-expiratory pressure which corresponds to a point of maximum expiratory resistance.