Positive pressure systems and methods for increasing blood pressure and circulation
View Patent ↗In one embodiment, the invention provides a medical method for treating a person and comprises repeatedly compressing the person's chest. While repeatedly compressing the person's chest, the method further includes repeatedly delivering a positive pressure breath to the person and extracting respiratory gases from the person's airway using a vacuum following the positive pressure breath to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax and to enhance blood flow back to the heart.
1. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:
interfacing a threshold valve with the person's airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to open when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure acting upon the threshold valve reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person's airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;
repetitively compressing the person's chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;
while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person's chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person's airway when a vacuum is generated by actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person's airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;
wherein the level of the negative intrathoracic pressure is repetitively lowered over at least two successive chest decompressions, and wherein use of the active chest compression/decompression device and the threshold valve generates an intrathoracic pressure that rapidly decreases as the person's chest is actively lifted; and
while compressing and lifting the person's chest, when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.
2. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.
3. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.
4. A method as in claim 1 , further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.
5. A method as in claim 1 , wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.
6. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:
interfacing a threshold valve with the person's airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to automatically open when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person's airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;
repetitively compressing the person's chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;
while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person's chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person's airway when a vacuum is generated when actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person's airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;
wherein the level of the negative intrathoracic pressure is repetitively lowered over at least two successive chest decompressions; and
while compressing and lifting the person's chest, when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.
7. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.
8. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.
9. A method as in claim 6 , further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.
10. A method as in claim 6 , wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.
11. A medical method for treating a person, the method comprising:
interfacing a threshold valve with the person's airway, wherein the threshold valve is configured to automatically open when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person's airway, wherein the negative intrathoracic pressure acting on the threshold valve directly causes the threshold valve to automatically open;
repetitively compressing the person's chest to provide a compression phase where the chest is compressed and a decompression phase where the chest is actively lifted using an active chest compression/decompression device;
while repeatedly compressing and lifting the person's chest, preventing respiratory gases from entering the person's airway when a vacuum is generated by actively lifting the chest with the active chest compression/decompression device while the threshold valve is interfaced with the person's airway to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax;
wherein use of the active chest compression/decompression device and the threshold valve generates an intrathoracic pressure that rapidly decreases as the person's chest is actively lifted; and
while compressing and lifting the person's chest, when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O, the threshold valve automatically opens to permit respiratory gases to enter the lungs.
12. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to lower intracranial pressures.
13. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the pressures are lowered in the thorax in order to enhance cerebral perfusion pressures.
14. A method as in claim 11 , further comprising at least periodically delivering a positive pressure breath to the person to provide ventilation.
15. A method as in claim 11 , wherein the person is suffering from ailments selected from a group consisting of elevated intracranial pressures, shock, low blood pressure, low blood circulation, low blood volume, cardiac arrest and heart failure.