US 12,427,282 B2
Systems and methods for active humidification in ventilatory support
Donald J. Novkov, Encinitas, CA (US); Matthew J. Phillips, Carlsbad, CA (US); Vafa Jamali, Boulder, CO (US); Gabriel Sanchez, Valley Center, CA (US); and Stanley Kaus, Longmont, CO (US)
Assigned to Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed by Covidien LP, Mansfield, MA (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/465,517.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/075,953, filed on Sep. 9, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072263 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. A61M 16/16 (2006.01); A61M 16/00 (2006.01); A61M 16/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 16/161 (2014.02) [A61M 16/0003 (2014.02); A61M 16/0051 (2013.01); A61M 16/1075 (2013.01); A61M 2016/003 (2013.01); A61M 2205/583 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for humidifying ventilator delivered breathing gases, comprising:
receiving, from a thermometer, an internal temperature measurement for a patient;
based on internal temperature measurement, setting a target inhalation gas temperature;
receiving, from a flow sensor, inspiratory flow data about breathing gases upstream of an atomizer of a humidifier;
receiving, from a humidity sensor, humidity data for the breathing gases upstream of the atomizer;
calculating, based on the inspiratory flow data and the humidity data, an amount of water to add to the breathing gases to reach a target humidity;
delivering, via the humidifier, the amount of water in one or more bursts of atomized water directly into a flow path of the breathing gases;
based on the target inhalation gas temperature, controlling a temperature of at least one of a heating tube or a heating circuit;
vaporizing the atomized water upon contact of the water with the heating tube in the flow path downstream of the atomizer to form humidified breathing gases; and
delivering the humidified breathing gases to a ventilation tubing system for delivery to the patient being ventilated by the ventilator,
wherein setting the target inhalation gas temperature is further based on the target humidity to cause the delivered breathing gases to have a dew point lower than the internal temperature measurement for the patient.