Pulmonary expansion therapy (PXT) devices
A pulmonary expansion therapy (PXT) device may be a handheld device that covers specific lung fields and may generate negative pressure fields locally. The device also may provide vibratory/percussion therapy for airway clearance. The PXT may generate a localized negative pressure field non-invasively to the exterior of the chest wall, thereby increasing the functional residual capacity in underlying lung fields. As a result, increased ventilation and perfusion to the targeted internal lung field may be achieved by creating a decrease in the external barometric pressure relative to the more positive intrinsic airway pressures. The PXT device also may improve lung compliance by enabling a medical professional to grab and elevate the chest wall to compensate for the dysfunction of the respiratory musculature responsible for lifting the chest wall. In some embodiments, once a targeted functional residual capacity (FRC) has been established, vibration or percussion may be applied.
1. A medical device comprising:
a body including an outflow channel;
a motor operable to generate a force, the force being either a vibrational force, a percussive force, or both;
an adaptor coupled to the motor and the outflow channel; and
a shell operatively coupled to the outflow channel via the adaptor to create a negative pressure field within the shell via negative gas flow, the shell selectively couplable to the motor via the adaptor to transfer the force to a patient,
where the adaptor is movable between a first position in which the adaptor is operatively coupled to the motor to directly transfer the force from the motor to the shell and a second position in which the shell is substantially disengaged from the motor.
2. The medical device of claim 1 , where the shell is an anesthetic mask.
3. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism operable to lock the adaptor in the first position.
4. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising an activation mechanism movable between a first position in which ambient air is introduced into the outflow channel to interrupt negative gas flow into the shell and a second position in which the negative pressure field is generated within the shell via negative gas flow.
5. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a handle attached to the body.
6. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a manometer operatively coupled to the outflow channel.
7. The medical device of claim 1 , further comprising a negative pressure relief valve for regulating the negative pressure generated in the outflow channel.
8. A medical device comprising:
a body including an outflow channel;
a manometer operatively coupled to the outflow channel;
a motor operable to generate a force, the force being either a vibrational force, a percussive force, or both;
an adaptor coupled to the motor and the outflow channel;
an anesthetic mask operatively coupled to the outflow channel via the adaptor to create a negative pressure field within the shell via negative gas flow, the anesthetic mask selectively couplable to the motor via the adaptor to transfer the force to a patient; and
an activation mechanism movable between a first position in which ambient air is introduced into the outflow channel to interrupt negative gas flow into the anesthetic mask and a second position in which the negative pressure field is generated within the anesthetic mask via negative gas flow,
where the adaptor is movable between a first position in which the adaptor is operatively coupled to the motor to directly transfer the force from the motor to the anesthetic mask and a second position in which the anesthetic mask is substantially disengaged from the motor.
9. The medical device of claim 8 , further comprising a negative pressure relief valve for regulating the negative pressure generated in the outflow channel.
10. The medical device of claim 8 , further comprising a handle attached to the body.