Bag-valve resuscitation for treatment of hypotension, head trauma, and cardiac arrest

1. A method for enhancing venous return to the heart, the method comprising:

repetitively compressing and actively decompressing the patient's chest;

providing artificial inspiration to a person suffering from low blood pressure or head trauma;

using a vacuum source for actively extracting respiratory gases from the person's airway following the artificial inspiration to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart, wherein the intrathoracic vacuum lowers the person's intrathoracic pressure to about −1 mm Hg to about −20 mm Hg; and

repeating the steps of providing artificial inspiration and extracting respiratory gases.

2. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising interfacing an impedance threshold valve to the person's airway, wherein the threshold valve prevents airflow to the person's lungs when attempting to inspire until the threshold valve opens, thereby augmenting blood flow back to the heart.

3. A method as in claim 2 , wherein the threshold valve is configured to open when the negative intrathoracic pressure exceeds about −7 cm H2O.

4. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising interfacing a flow limiting valve to the patient's airway and regulating the pressure or the volume of the artificial inspiration with the flow limiting valve.

5. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising interfacing a pressure source and the vacuum source to the person to deliver the artificial inspiration and to extract the respiratory gases.

6. A method as in claim 5 , wherein the pressure source and the vacuum source comprise a compressible bag system.

7. A method as in claim 6 , further comprising reconfiguring the compressible bag system to operate only as a pressure source.

8. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the respiratory gases are extracted upon recoiling of the compressible bag system.

9. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising exhausting the extracted respiratory gases to the atmosphere.

10. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising varying the duration of the artificial inspiration or the extraction of the respiratory gases over time.

11. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising supplying supplemental oxygen to the person.

12. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising monitoring at least one physiological parameter of the person and varying the artificial inspiration or the extraction of respiratory gases based on the monitored parameter.

13. A method as in claim 12 , wherein the physiological parameters are selected from a group consisting of end tidal CO2, oxygen saturation, intrathoracic pressure, blood pressure and cardiac output.

14. A method as in claim 12 , further comprising varying the amplitude of the positive pressure breath or the rate of extraction of respiratory gases.

15. A method as in claim 12 , further comprising transmitting information on the physiological parameter to a remote receiver.

16. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the intrathoracic vacuum is in the range from about −2 mm Hg to about −60 mm Hg.

17. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising measuring the volume of the artificial inspiration.

18. A method for treating a person with low blood circulation or low circulation to the brain who needs assisted ventilation, the method comprising:

providing artificial inspiration for about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds to a person suffering from low blood pressure or head trauma;

using a vacuum source for actively extracting breath to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart wherein the intrathoracic vacuum lowers the person's intrathoracic pressure to about −1 mm Hg to about −20 mm Hg; and

repeating the steps of delivering artificial inspiration and extracting respiratory gases.

19. A method for enhancing venous return to the heart, the method comprising:

automatically providing artificial inspiration, as needed, for about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds to a person suffering from low blood pressure or head trauma;

using a vacuum source for actively and actively extracting respiratory gases from the person's airway following the artificial inspiration to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart, wherein the intrathoracic vacuum lowers the person's intrathoracic pressure to about −1 mm Hg to about −20 mm Hg; and

repeating the steps of providing artificial inspiration and extracting respiratory gases.

20. A method for enhancing venous return to the heart, the method comprising:

providing artificial inspiration for about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds to a person suffering from low blood pressure or head trauma;

using a vacuum source to actively extract respiratory gases from the person's airway following the artificial inspiration to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart, wherein the intrathoracic vacuum lowers the person's intrathoracic pressure to about −1 mm Hg to about −20 mm Hg; and

repeating the steps of providing artificial inspiration and exacting respiratory gases.

21. A method for enhancing venous return to the heart, the method comprising:

providing artificial inspiration for about 0.5 seconds to about 2 seconds to a person suffering from low blood pressure or head trauma;

using a vacuum source for actively extracting respiratory gases form the person's airway following the artificial inspiration to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart, wherein the intrathoracic vacuum lowers the person's intrathoracic pressure to about −1 mm Hg to about −20 mm Hg;

repeating the steps of providing artificial inspiration and extracting respiratory gases; and

using one or more physiological parameters to regulate the rate of extraction of respiratory gases from the person's airway following the artificial inspiration to create an intrathoracic vacuum to enhance venous return to the heart.