DE202005008152U1 - Condensation prevention device for active breathing gas humidification has breathing gas humidifier controller with adjustable element for regulating heating unit for heating exhaling valve/sensing arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

The breathing equipment has a humidification unit and a heated breathing tube leading to the patient and a heated breathing tube leading from the patient to an exhaling valve/sensing arrangement. The controller of the breathing gas humidifier has an adjustable element for regulation of a heating unit for heating the exhaling valve/sensing arrangement.

Description

medical Gases should e.g. in the context of respiratory therapy and ventilation before the Entry into the body a temperature close to body temperature exhibit. For this purpose, it is often necessary, the supplied gas to warm up and moisten. This often happens far from the patient within a humidification unit. To the cooling of the gas under his Dew point and thus the formation of condensate in the gas-carrying hoses On the way to or from the patient to prevent the hoses are for this Applications often heatable.

at the artificial one Ventilation often becomes two gas hoses used, usually at their patient-side ends hose sleeves and possibly a Y-connector connected to the patient. One of the two hoses transports this Fresh gas to the patient while the other discharges the gas exhaled by the patient. The Exhaled gas from the patient may be due to an expiratory valve and optionally passed through sensors controlled by the ventilator or metrologically evaluated.

At the Use of heated hoses has the gas that reaches this valve or sensors, a dew point near the body core temperature of the patient, usually about 37 ° C. To In the prior art, the gas temperature at the end of the exhalation tube not measured.

To The prior art can in this application in particular to their beginning at this valve or at these sensors condensate formation occur, provided that the surfaces in contact with the gas a Have temperature below the gas dew point. This is especially true disadvantageous when the functions of the valve or sensors through the condensate is impaired and if necessary corresponding alarms are triggered.

A common Possibility, To circumvent this problem so far is the application of unheated Ausatemschläuchen with a water trap in front of the valve or the sensors. The disadvantages this solution exist inter alia in the handling effort for monitoring and emptying the water trap as well as in the hygienically disadvantageous condensate formation in the exhalation hose.

A better way consists in the active heating of the relevant components (valve and Sensors) through the ventilator. This is realized with different makes, but by no means at all.

task It is the object of the present invention to provide the o.g. Problem of condensation in ventilators without internal heating of valve area and sensors to simple Way to reduce.

This is characterized according to the invention Achieved that the gas in the exhalation tube via a measuring and control device can be adjusted to a specific target temperature, well above that Dew point of the gas is (e.g., 50 ° C), only after passing through from the valve or sensors to cool below the dew point.

There at the beginning of the application, the unheated components (valve or Sensors) surface temperatures below the gas dew point, it is further provided according to the invention, these surfaces first Preheat with warm dry gas until at least its temperature is in the range of expected during operation gas dew point. This For example, by the operation of the ventilator and of the humidifier with an artificial lung or similar happen. According to the invention for this Application an adjustable delay element provided e.g. as part of the electronic control in the form a timer, Aufsummierers o.ä. can be executed and the beginning the humidification by means of water heating and possibly water circulation etc. first suppressed.

• – Vermeidung von kondensatbedingten Sensor- und Ventil-Fehlfunktionen des Beatmungsgerätes
• – vereinfachtem Handling, da keine Wasserfallen mehr benötigt werden
• – geringerer Anfälligkeit für Anwender-Fehler beim Zusammenbau der Systeme, da ohne Wasserfalle weniger Trennstellen im System benötigt werden
• – hygienische Vorteile durch beheizte trockene Schläuche

Significant advantages over the prior art include, inter alia

• - Avoidance of condensate-related sensor and valve malfunctions of the ventilator
• - Simplified handling, as no more water traps are needed
• - Less susceptibility to user errors when assembling the systems, since fewer disconnects are needed in the system without waterfalls
• - hygienic advantages due to heated dry hoses

• 1. Der beheizte Ausatemschlauch ist mit einem Gastemperatursensor am Ende der Heizstrecke zu versehen. Hierfür eignen sich z.B. sämtliche Konstruktionen, die nach dem Stand der Technik für Einatemschläuche bekannt sind, d.h. sowohl separat einsteckbare oder integrierte Temperatursensoren.
• 2. Bei Bedarf ist der Ausatemschlauch am Ende der Heizstrecke mit einer verstärkten thermischen Isolation zu versehen (z.B. Schaumgummi, Aluminium- oder Kunststoff-Folie), um patientenfern eine Gastemperatur deutlich oberhalb des Taupunktes auch bei niedrigen Umgebungstemperaturen zu erreichen.
• 3. Die Zieltemperatur des Gases am Ende des Ausatemschlauches ist vorzugsweise einstellbar vorzusehen, um Anpassungsmöglichkeiten an verschiedene Umgebungsbedingungen und Beatmungsgeräte zu ermöglichen.
• 4. Während einer vorzugsweise einstellbaren Aufheizzeit zu Beginn der Anwendung wird die maximale Heizleistung an die Schläuche abgegeben bei gleichzeitig geringstmöglicher Gasfeuchte. Da Beatmungsgeräte vor dem Anschluss an einen Patienten üblicherweise zu Prüfzwecken kurzzeitig an einer „Kunstlunge" (eine Art spezieller Luftballon) betrieben werden, könnte mit dieser Funktion eine effektive Vorheizung der Ventile und Sensorik durch das warme trockene Gas aus dem Ausatemschlauch erreicht werden. Die Aufheizzeit ist abhängig vom Beatmungsgerät und von den Umgebungsbedingungen vorzugsweise so zu wählen, dass nach deren Ablauf die Oberflächentemperatur von Ventil und Sensorik möglichst oberhalb des Taupunktes des vom Patienten ausgeatmeten Gases liegt, üblicherweise oberhalb von 37°C.
• 5. Um die während der Aufheizzeit abgegebene Feuchte möglichst gering zu halten, kann bei üblichen Passover-Verdampfern erfindungsgemäß die Wasserheizung verzögert eingeschaltet werden, vorzugsweise erst nach Ablauf der Aufheizzeit (siehe 4.). Bei Befeuchtern, bei denen das Befeuchtungsmedium aktiv z.B. durch eine Pumpe bewegt wird, kann während dieser Zeit zusätzlich die Umwälzpumpe abgeschaltet werden, um die Gasfeuchte in dieser Aufheizphase noch weiter zu reduzieren.

One way to achieve the advantages according to the invention is shown below:

• 1. The heated exhalation hose is to be provided with a gas temperature sensor at the end of the heating section. Suitable for this example are all constructions that are known in the prior art for inhalation tubes, ie both separately pluggable or integrated temperature sensors.
• 2. If necessary, the exhalation tube at the end of the heating section with a reinforced thermal insulation to provide (eg foam rubber, aluminum or plastic film) to patient far away a gas temperature well above the dew point even at low ambient temperature to reach the doors.
• 3. The target temperature of the gas at the end of the exhalation tube should preferably be adjustable to allow for adaptation to different environmental conditions and ventilators.
• 4. During a preferably adjustable heating time at the beginning of the application, the maximum heating power is delivered to the hoses with the lowest possible gas humidity. Since ventilators are usually operated for a short time on a "Kunstlunge" (a type of special balloon) for connection to a patient, this function could be used to effectively pre-heat the valves and sensors with the warm dry gas from the exhalation tube depending on the ventilator and the environmental conditions, it is preferable to choose such that, after its expiry, the surface temperature of the valve and sensors is as high as possible above the dew point of the patient's exhaled gas, usually above 37 ° C.
• 5. In order to keep the moisture released during the heating time as low as possible, the water heater can be switched on delayed in conventional passover evaporators according to the invention, preferably only after the end of the heating time (see 4.). For humidifiers in which the humidifying medium is actively moved, for example, by a pump, the circulating pump can additionally be switched off during this time in order to further reduce the gas moisture in this heating phase.

By the o.g. The invention may be the disadvantageous condensation in valves and sensors are effectively prevented even at the beginning of the application on the patient become.

Claims (4)

Medical breathing gas humidifier for use with two-hose ventilators, consisting of a humidification unit and a heated breathing tube to the patient and from a heated breathing tube from the patient to the exhalation valve / -sensorik, characterized in that the control of Atemgasbefeuchters has an adjustable element for the control of a Heating-up time for heating exhalation valve / -sensorik. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the heated breathing tube from the patient to the exhalation valve a temperature measuring device and characterized in that that the breathing gas humidifier an adjustable control element for regulation the performance of the hose heating of the breathing tube from the patient to the exhalation valve. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that that the breathing tube to the exhalation valve at least partially with an additional thermal insulation across from the environment is provided. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that that these are equipped with an adjustable delay element is what the activation of the water heater and possibly the circulation pump while suppress the heating time can.