Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
  • A61B5/083—Measuring rate of metabolism by using breath test, e.g. measuring rate of oxygen consumption
  • A61B5/0836—Measuring rate of CO2 production
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B5/00—Measuring for diagnostic purposes; Identification of persons
  • A61B5/08—Detecting, measuring or recording devices for evaluating the respiratory organs
  • A61B5/097—Devices for facilitating collection of breath or for directing breath into or through measuring devices
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
  • G01N—INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
  • G01N33/00—Investigating or analysing materials by specific methods not covered by groups G01N1/00 - G01N31/00
  • G01N33/48—Biological material, e.g. blood, urine; Haemocytometers
  • G01N33/483—Physical analysis of biological material
  • G01N33/497—Physical analysis of biological material of gaseous biological material, e.g. breath

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for detecting one or more components in exhaled air, and particularly for detecting the presence of pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori in stomach and intestinal tracts of human beings.
• Gaseous components can be analyzed in various ways, such as by gas chromatography, flame photometry and spectrophotome- try, for instance. These methods, however, require the use of expensive equipment and are much too advanced in many cases. Simpler, alternative methods are those in which the gas is absorbed by a material and the presence or absence of a gaseous component indicated with the aid of a colour indicator. Examples in this respect are the blow tubes used to indicate the presence of alcohol in exhalation air. These devices have the drawback of not being constructed for separate measurements on the absorbent material.
• stomach ulcers are caused mainly by the pathogenic bacteria Helicobacter pylori.
• a method has been described for indicating the presence of this bacteria and has been applied in clinical research for a number of years. According to this method, patients are to swallow an isotope-labelled, preferably radioactive, urea preparation.
• Helicobacter pylori present in the gastric and intestinal tract will break the urea down to carbon dioxide, among other materials. This carbon dioxide is then transported to the lungs through the normal physiology of the body, where it is exhaled together with the carbon dioxide that has been formed in remaining body organs.
• the amount of carbon dioxide exhaled can be measured by causing the patient to blow the exhalation air through a tube and down into a liquid which absorbs carbon dioxide. This liquid is then examined with the aid of appropriate measuring instruments, for instance a scintillator counter, to indicate isotope labelled components in the exhaled carbon dioxide as a sign of the presence of Helicobacter pylori.
• the object of the present invention is to provide apparatus for use in detecting one or more components in exhalation air.
• the apparatus shall be producible at low costs and shall also satisfy requirements of long-term storability and reproducibility of test results.
• Another object is also to obviate the complex handling of liquids and the use of space- consuming analysis instruments.
• a device which consists of a tubular element, which may be rigid or soft as a plastic bag and through which air is conducted.
• a nozzle is formed on one end of the tube.
• the opposite end of the tube is fitted with a plate, which may either be an airtight plate or a porous membrane.
• the plate is attached to the tube in a manner which will enable it to be readily removed therefrom.
• the plate fitting may either have the form of a screw device or snap-coupling, or may simply comprise adhesive tape.
• a dry, absorbent material has been mounted on or incorporated in the plate. This absorbent material is adapted solely to absorb a specific amount of desired gaseous component.
• a colour indicator in the absorbent substance indicates when the maximum amount of gaseous component has been absorbed.
• the patient blows exhalation air through the nozzle and causes said air to flow across or through the plate.
• the plate can be separated from the tube when the plate becomes saturated.
• the plate is then analyzed in an appropriate measuring instrument, to indicate the presence or absence of components in question.
• the present invention is used to indicate the presence of isotope labelled carbon dioxide in exhalation air, and in particular to indicate the presence of radioactive carbon dioxide formed as a conversion product of the bacteria Helicobacter pylori.
• the plate has mounted thereon or incorporates a carbon dioxide absorb ⁇ ing material. A patient administered with radioactive labelled urea is asked to blow through the inventive device. Carbon dioxide, including radioactively labelled carbon dioxide, is absorbed on the plate. The plate is then removed from the device and analyzed with regard to radioactivity in an appropriate measuring device, to indicate the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori.
• the present invention thus provides a simple device for use in indicating the presence or absence of components in exhalation air.
• Figure 1 is a perspective view of an inventive device.
• Figure 2a is a view from above of a further embodiment of the inventive device.
• Figure 2b is a side view of the embodiment shown in Figure 2a.
• Figure 1 illustrates primarily the embodiment in which a porous membrane is used and the air shall be caused to flow through the plate.
• the device is comprised of a tubular element 1 provided with a nozzle 2 at one end.
• An absorbent plate 3 is fitted detachably to the opposite end.
• the outer edge of the plate will be perforated with holes 4, so as to enable air to flow through the device. These perforations are excluded when a porous membrane is used.
• FIGS 2a and 2b show two views of one embodiment of the device suitable when an airtight plate is used.
• the reference signs used in the Figures correspond to those used in Figure
• the exhalation air then passes through the tubular element 1, and flows through the plate 3, or across the plate 3, and out through the holes 4.
• the tube is constructed to ensure maximum contact between the air flow and the absorbent plate.
• the plate is detached from the tubular element and introduced in a measuring instrument for indication of a desired component.
• the whole of the upper part, including the plate is detached from the remainder of the device and introduced into the measuring instrument.
• the device may be made from any suitable material, preferably cardboard, paperboard or plastic of different kinds.
• plastics that can be used are polyethylene, polystyrene or PVC. It is appropriate that the device can be sterilized by radiation or heat.
• the absorbent material will vary in dependence on the component to be indicated. Examples of carbon dioxide absorbent materials are sodium hydroxide and soda lime.
• the colour reaction on the plate that signals when the plate is saturated can be achieved with the use of commercially available soda lime as a colour indicator.
• Part of the device beneath or above the absorbent material will preferably be transparent, so that the colour reaction can be observed.
• Components that are to be detected may, for instance, be labelled or marked by means of isotopes.
• the measuring instrument used to detect labelled components will vary in accordance with labelling.
• radioactively labelled components can be indicated with a Geiger ⁇ ller tube.
• the device will preferably be packed in an airtight bag in a durable environment, for instance in a nitrogen gas environment when a carbon dioxide absorbent material is used.
• the device may conveniently be adapted for one-time use only, for hygienic reasons.

Landscapes

• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Molecular Biology (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Biomedical Technology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Biophysics (AREA)
• Pathology (AREA)
• Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Heart & Thoracic Surgery (AREA)
• Surgery (AREA)
• Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Physiology (AREA)
• Medical Informatics (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Urology & Nephrology (AREA)
• Obesity (AREA)
• Emergency Medicine (AREA)
• Medicinal Chemistry (AREA)
• Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
• Hematology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Immunology (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Biological Materials (AREA)
• Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analysing Materials By The Use Of Chemical Reactions (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analyzing Materials By The Use Of Fluid Adsorption Or Reactions (AREA)
• Investigating Or Analyzing Non-Biological Materials By The Use Of Chemical Means (AREA)
• Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20397933

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (13)

Families Citing this family (13)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1995
  • 1995-04-11 SE SE9501351A patent/SE505335C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1996
  • 1996-04-11 CN CN96193244A patent/CN1180997A/zh active Pending
  • 1996-04-11 CA CA002217883A patent/CA2217883C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 1996-04-11 KR KR1019970707095A patent/KR19980703695A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-04-11 JP JP8530960A patent/JPH11503527A/ja active Pending
  • 1996-04-11 HU HU9802039A patent/HU219755B/hu not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-04-11 WO PCT/SE1996/000474 patent/WO1996032062A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1996-04-11 AU AU53523/96A patent/AU693344B2/en not_active Ceased
  • 1996-04-11 RU RU97118330/14A patent/RU2143844C1/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-04-11 CZ CZ19973228A patent/CZ289458B6/cs not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1996-04-11 EP EP96910283A patent/EP0959764A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 1997
  • 1997-10-09 PL PL96322738A patent/PL185366B1/pl unknown
  • 1997-10-10 NO NO974692A patent/NO974692L/no not_active Application Discontinuation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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