Granted Patent B2

US 8,973,575 · App. 12/052,328 · Granted Mar 10, 2015

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. An anaesthesia machine arrangement comprising:

a gas dispenser; and

a patient circuit connected to the gas dispenser, the patient circuit comprising:

a monitor device having a gas pump and configured to detect a leak by correlating change in measured sampling gas concentration with change in patient circuit pressure,

a control device, and

an interface unit,

wherein the gas dispenser is configured to deliver a desired concentration of fresh gas to the patient circuit, the desired concentration being set by the interface unit,

wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor gas concentration in the patient circuit by drawing gas from the patient circuit through a sample line,

wherein the monitor device is configured to detect the leak when a change in the gas concentration is detected after a determined time delay following each of a plurality of inspirations, and

wherein the control device is configured to control the gas dispenser from the basis of data received from the monitor device to maintain a desired fresh gas concentration.

2. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor the sampling gas concentration changes at a monitor device end of the sample line.

3. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor inspired gas concentrations or/and expired gas concentrations.

4. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to monitor the sampling gas concentration changes at every inspiration.

5. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the patient circuit further comprises a CO2 absorber.

6. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to provide suction at the monitor end of the sample line.

7. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to provide a continuous supply of suction at the monitor end of the sample line.

8. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 7 , wherein the monitor device is configured to draw inspiration gas and expiration gas through the sample line.

9. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device indicates the leak when the monitor device detects the leak.

10. The anaesthesia machine arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the monitor device is configured to detect the leak at the monitor end of the sample line.

11. A method of controlling an anaesthesia machine arrangement, the method comprising:

monitoring a patient circuit for leaks using a monitor device coupled with the patient circuit by a sample line; and

indicating a change in a measured sampling gas concentration correlated with a change in a patient circuit pressure,

wherein the monitor device indicates a leak when a change in the measured sampling gas concentration is detected after a time delay following each of a plurality of inspirations.

12. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the monitoring the patient circuit for leaks further comprises:

measuring the concentration of a gas sample at the monitor device end of the sample line.

13. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the monitoring the patient circuit for leaks comprises:

monitoring one of inspired gas concentration and expired gas concentration.

14. The method according to claim 11 , wherein the monitoring the patient circuit for leaks comprises:

monitoring changes in the concentration of the gas sample at every inspiration.

15. The method according to claim 11 , further comprising:

absorbing CO2 from one of an inspired gas and an expired gas.

16. A method of controlling an anaesthesia machine arrangement, the method comprising:

setting a desired gas concentration with an interface unit;

monitoring a patient circuit through a sample line connecting the patient circuit to a monitor device;

controlling the fresh gas concentration on the basis of data received from the monitor device; and

monitoring for leaks at a monitor device end of the sample tube by indicating change in measured sampling gas concentration that correlates with change in the patient circuit pressure, wherein the monitor device indicates a leak when a change in the measured sampling gas concentration is detected after a time delay following each of a plurality of inspirations.

Assignments (11)