Medical components with microstructures for humidification and condensate management
New medical circuit components and methods for forming such components are disclosed. These components include microstructures for humidification and/or condensate management. The disclosed microstructures can be incorporated into a variety of components, including tubes (e.g., inspiratory breathing tubes and expiratory breathing tubes and other tubing between various elements of a breathing circuit, such as ventilators, humidifiers, filters, water traps, sample lines, connectors, gas analyzers, and the like), Y-connectors, catheter mounts, humidifiers, and patient interfaces (e.g., masks for covering the nose and face, nasal masks, cannulas, nasal pillows, etc.), floats, probes, and sensors in a variety of medical circuits.
1. A tube for use in transporting gases in a medical circuit, the tube comprising:
an inner wall of the tube;
wherein the inner wall of the tube comprises a microstructured surface adapted to evaporate liquid on at least a portion of the inner wall.
2. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the microstructured surface is configured to facilitate evaporation of condensate on at least a portion of the inner wall by spreading of the condensate on the microstructured surface.
3. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the microstructured surface forms at least a portion of the inner wall.
4. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the microstructured surface is disposed on an insert in an inner lumen of the tube.
5. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the microstructured surface is a metallic film.
6. The tube of claim 5 , wherein the metallic film is stamped to form the microstructured surface.
7. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises an additive material to increase surface energy, wherein the additive material is added to a polymer matrix or added as a surface treatment.
8. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube is an inspiratory tube or an expiratory tube of a breathing circuit.
9. The tube of claim 1 , wherein a wall of the tube is configured to communicate with a heat source.
10. The tube of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element.
11. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube is an extruded or helically wound tube.
12. The tube of claim 1 , wherein the tube comprises a bead.
13. A tube for use in transporting gases in a medical circuit, the tube comprising:
an inner wall of the tube,
wherein the inner wall of the tube comprises a microstructure,
wherein the microstructure is configured to facilitate evaporation of condensate on at least a portion of the inner wall by moving the condensate along the microstructure.
14. The tube of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure is oriented in a direction of the tube.
15. The tube of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure extends in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal length of the tube.
16. The tube of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure comprises a substrate having an equilibrium contact angle less than about π/2 radians.
17. The tube of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure comprise a continuous channel or a discrete microstructure.
18. The tube of claim 17 , wherein the continuous channel is at least one of one of sinusoidal, v-shaped, sharp trench, square shaped, or wedge shaped.
19. The tube of claim 17 , wherein the discrete microstructure is at least one of a cylindrical post, a pyramidal post, a cube shaped post, a cylindrical pillar, a pyramidal pillar, a cube shaped pillar, or a crystal having irregular shapes.
20. The tube of claim 13 , wherein the microstructure comprises a height to width aspect ratio that increases along a gradient.