Delivery of respiratory therapy with nasal interface
View Patent ↗A respiratory mask for continuous positive airway pressure treatment includes a cushion adapted to be positioned against the face of a patient. The cushion is configured in a gasket arrangement around an entrance to the airways of the patient. The cushion is constructed from a polyurethane foam and has a thickness of greater than about 5 mm.
1. A respiratory mask for continuous positive airway pressure treatment comprising:
a cushion adapted to be positioned against the face of a patient to deliver breathable gas to the patient,
the cushion being constructed from a polyurethane foam and being configured to form a gasket sealing arrangement around an entrance to the airways of the patient, the cushion including only one exit orifice formed therein to expel the breathable gas from the cushion to deliver the breathable gas to the patient's airways, the exit orifice being configured to be positioned externally of the patient's airways and in fluid communication therewith,
the cushion having a main body and two wings integral with the main body and extending respectively from opposite lateral sides of the main body,
wherein the cushion comprises a single continuous sealing surface extending across the main body, at least a portion of the sealing surface being arranged to, in use, seal with the underside of the patient's nose, the sealing surface having a saddle shape with curvature in two directions including a first direction and a second direction, the first direction being transverse to the second direction,
wherein the curvature in the first direction forms a concave shape, and the curvature in the second direction forms a convex shape structured to accommodate the naso-labial angle of a patient's nose.
2. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the cushion has a general chevron, delta, boomerang or circumflex shape and the two wings have unsupported ends.
3. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the foam has an exposed open cellular structure to contact the patient's skin.
4. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings form lateral stabilizing portions to provide lateral stability to the cushion when positioned against the patient's face.
5. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are configured to engage an underside of the patient's nose.
6. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are formed in one piece with the cushion.
7. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are constructed and arranged to engage the facial groove on each side of the patient's nose in use.
8. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are constructed and arranged to engage a crease formed between lower cheek and upper lip area on each side of the patient's face in use.
9. The mask of claim 1 , wherein an overall width of the cushion is approximately 6 cm to 9 cm, a height of the cushion is approximately 3 cm to 5 cm, and a thickness of the cushion is approximately 5-20mm.
10. The mask of claim 9 , wherein the overall width of the cushion is approximately 8cm, the height of the cushion is approximately 4 cm, and the thickness of the cushion is approximately 15 mm.
11. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the curvature in the first direction is structured to accommodate the anatomy that forms the alar angle of the patient's nose.
12. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the cushion is adapted to extend along a tip of the patient's nose.
13. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the main body is adapted to be located at a base of the patient's nose and the wings are adapted to extend laterally from the base.
14. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are adapted to extend along the lateral flanks of the patient's nose but not up to a nasal bridge of the patient's nose.
15. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are adapted to extend up and around sides of the patient's nose but not up to a nasal bridge of the patient's nose.
16. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the cushion does not include a flap-type seal.
17. The mask of claim 16 , wherein the foam has an exposed open cellular structure to contact the patient's skin.
18. The mask of claim 17 , wherein the main body is adapted to be located at a base of the patient's nose,
wherein the wings are configured to engage an underside of the patient's nose, and a thickness of the cushion is approximately 5-20mm.
19. The mask of claim 18 , wherein the cushion is constructed from cut, unskinned foam.
20. The mask of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure, wherein the cushion is attached to the support structure.
21. The mask of claim 20 , wherein the support structure imparts the curvature to the cushion.
22. The mask of claim 20 , wherein end portions of the wings overhang the support structure so as to be unsupported by the support structure thereby causing the end portions to be floppy to facilitate conformance to the patient's face, in use, the end portions being configured to, in use, contact facial grooves on both sides of the patient's nose to provide lateral stability to the respiratory mask.
23. The mask of claim 22 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing surface is configured to, in use, directly contact and seal against the anatomy that forms the naso-labial angle of the patient's nose.
24. The mask of claim 23 , wherein the curvature in the second direction forms a shape that corresponds to the naso-labial angle.
25. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the two wings are configured to, in use, wrap or hug at least a portion of the sides of the patient's nose.
26. The mask of claim 25 , wherein the wings are adapted to extend along the lateral flanks of the patient's nose but not up to a nasal bridge of the patient's nose.
27. The mask of claim 26 , wherein the cushion is constructed from a cut, unskinned foam and having a general chevron, delta, boomerang or circumflex shape.
28. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the cushion is greater than 5 mm.
29. The mask of claim 28 , wherein the at least a portion of the sealing surface that is arranged to seal with the underside of the patient's nose is constructed from the polyurethane foam.
30. The mask of claim 29 , wherein at least a portion of the sealing surface is configured to, in use, directly contact and seal against the anatomy that forms the naso-labial angle of the patient's nose.
31. The mask of claim 1 , further comprising a support structure, the cushion being attached to the support structure,
wherein end portions of the wings overhang the support structure so as to be unsupported by the support structure thereby causing the end portions to be floppy to facilitate conformance to the patients face, in use.
32. The mask of claim 31 , wherein the two wings are configured to, in use, wrap or hug at least a portion of the sides of the patient's nose.
33. The mask of claim 1 , wherein the wings are adapted to extend laterally beyond lateral flanks of the patient's nose and vertically above a base of the lateral flanks and to engage the lateral flanks to provide a wrapping or hugging effect around the lateral flanks of the patient's nose.
34. The mask of claim 33 , wherein the wings are arranged to extend vertically above a tip of the patient's nose.