Long term oxygen therapy system
View Patent ↗A long term oxygen therapy system having an oxygen supply directly linked with a patient's lung or lungs may be utilized to more efficiently treat hypoxia caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. The system includes an oxygen source, one or more valves and fluid carrying conduits. The fluid carrying conduits link the oxygen source to diseased sites within the patient's lungs.
1. A long term oxygen therapy system comprising:
an oxygen supply;
at least one conduit having a first end connected to the oxygen supply and a second end being configured to pass directly through the thoracic wall and lung of a patient thereby establishing fluid communication between the oxygen supply and the inner volume of the lung, the second end of the conduit being positioned in the lung tissue; and
a sealing device connected to the at least one conduit, the sealing device configured to provide a fluid tight seal between the at least one conduit and the thoracic wall.
2. A long term oxygen therapy system comprising:
an oxygen supply;
a valve;
a first conduit having a first end connected to the oxygen supply and a second end connected to the valve;
at least one second conduit having a first end connected to the valve and a second end having multiple branches, one of the branches being configured to pass directly through the thoracic wall and lung of a patient thereby establishing fluid communication between the oxygen supply, and the inner volume of the lung, the one of the branches having an open end positioned in the lung tissue, another of the branches configured to pass through a bronchus thereby establishing fluid communication between the oxygen supply and the bronchus; and
sealing devices connected to the multiple branches, the sealing devices being configured to provide a fluid tight seal between the one of the branches passing through the thoracic wall and lung of the patient and the thoracic wall and a fluid tight seal between the other of the branches being configured to pass through a bronchus of the patient and the thoracic wall of the patient.