Patent ID: 8408204
Filing Date: 2013-04-02
Classification: A61M,Y10S

Abstract:
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.