Abstract: An oscillatory respiratory therapy device (100) has a rocker aim (105) that opens and closes a valve seat (106) by breathing through the device. The device (100) also includes a gas treatment arrangement including an HME (122) and filter (121) located such that both inhaled and exhaled gas passes through the HME and filter.

Abstract: An oscillatory PEP device has four valve openings (201) to (204) mounted on a support (205) beneath a rocker arm (106) supporting a valve closure (107). The support is rotatable to position a selected one of the valve openings beneath the valve closure and in line with a breathing path between an inlet (103). (104) and an outlet (111). The rocker arm (106) supports a soft-iron pin (108) at one end, which interacts with one of two permanent magnets (212) or (213) of different strengths on a turntable (211) to apply a force tending to pull the arm down and close the valve opening. The turntable (211) can be rotated to position the desired magnet (212) or (213) to interact with the soft-iron pin on the rocker arm.

Abstract: An HME device (2) for a tracheal tube (1) has an outer housing (21) with an HME element (20) spaced from the housing at its patient end by an annular recess (40). The HME element (20) is retained with the outer housing (21) by a clip fitting (29) and (30). The inside surface (26) of the housing (21) is tapered to fit on the outside of a connector (13) on the tube (1) so that the connector extends in the recess (40). The HME element (20) extends internally of the connector (13) and can be removed from the tube (1) by releasing the clip fitting with the outer housing (21).

Abstract: An HME device (1) has an outer housing (10) in two parts removably connected with one another by bayonet lugs (17) on one part (13) inserted in bayonet slots (48) on the other part (14) and twisted. An HME unit (50) has a tapered coupling at one end fitted on an internal port (45) in one part (14) so that it can be removed and replaced by separating the two parts of the housing. The outside of the HME unit (50) is spaced from the inside of the housing (10) by an annular bypass channel (55). A selector (31) has a rotatable plate that can be moved to cover either the passage through the HME unit or the bypass channel.

Abstract: A closed system suction catheter (3) is connected with a tracheal tube (1) by means of a Y-shape connector (2) having one port (202) connected with the tracheal tube, a second port (203) connected with a breathing tube (200) and a third port (204) connected with the closed system suction catheter. The third port of the connector includes a normally-closed flap valve (320) that is opened by insertion of the patient end fitting (306) of the closed system suction catheter and closes when the suction catheter is removed from the connector so that ventilation pressure is maintained and contamination is prevented.

Abstract: An HME device has a housing (10) containing an HME element (25). The device has a first gas-flow passage through the device via the HME element (25) and a second gas-flow passage that by-passes the HME element. Flow is switched between the first or second flow passage by a pivoted shutter (30) that can be displaced by a rotatable knob (32).

Abstract: An oscillatory respiratory therapy device 100 has an opening 8 to atmosphere through which air passes to the user. The device has a visual indicator 20 including a paper indicator 25 and a dye reservoir 29 mounted at the opening. Before use, the opening 8 is covered by a removable cover strip 21 that prevents air flowing through the opening. The cover strip 21 is attached to the dye reservoir 29 so that the reservoir is pulled against the paper indicator 25 when the cover strip is removed, thereby the device to be used. This causes dye to flow gradually from the reservoir 29 and spread outwardly across the paper indicator 25, which is marked to indicate duration of use.

Abstract: Apparatus (20) for fitting to the machine end of a tracheostomy tube (10) includes both an HME and a speaking valve (30). The HME includes two exchange elements (28, 29) at opposite ends of a housing (23) extending laterally of a coupling (25) for fitting on the tube. The speaking valve has a cylindrical sleeve (31) extending across the housing midway along its length and in line with the tube. The sleeve is rotatable about its axis and has two openings (36) on opposite sides that can be aligned with the exchange elements of the HME to allow gas to flow from the tube through the exchange elements, bypassing the speaking valve. When the patient wishes to speak, he twists and rotates the speaking valve to block flow to the exchange elements and instead to allow air to be inhaled via the valve.

Abstract: A paediatric closed system suction catheter assembly has a patient end fitting (20) through which a suction catheter (24) is advanced into the tracheal tube (1). The patient end fitting comprises two parts: a machine end portion (30) including a wiper seal (32) and a ventilation side port (37), and a patient end portion (31) with a tapered spigot (42) inserted directly into the machine end (12) of the tube (1) without any intervening connector. The machine end and patient end portions (30) and (31) are connected together by a rotatable joint (43) formed by part-spherical surfaces (39) and (41) on the two portions.

Abstract: A tracheostomy tube (1) has an inflatable sealing cuff (13) and an array of one or more RFID pressure sensors (120) around the cuff. A leakage unit (30) interrogates the sensors (120) to determine any regions around the cuff having incomplete contact with the tracheal wall indicative of potential leakage between the cuff and the wall of the trachea.

Abstract: An oscillatory therapy device has a nebulizer port (21) close to a patient inlet (12) and a first one way valve (31) between the nebulizer port and the oscillatory mechanism (20) arranged to allow expiratory flow from the patient inlet to the mechanism but to prevent flow in the opposite direction. The nebulizer port (21) includes a second one-way valve (32) arranged to open during inhalation but to close during exhalation so that nebulizer medication is not expelled during exhalation.