Patent ID: 6390091
Filing Date: 2002-05-21
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A medical ventilator for providing pressure support ventilation to a patient, the medical ventilator in fluid communication with a gas source of one or ignore breathing gases and in flow communication with a functionally open ventilator flow conduit having a patient breathing attachment in fluid communication with the patient, the medical ventilator comprising:a) pressure sensing means disposed within the ventilator conduit for sensing the pressure of the gas within the ventilator conduit; b) flow rate measuring means disposed within the ventilator conduit for measuring the flow rate of the gas within the ventilator conduit; c) monitoring means, connected to the pressure sensing means and the flow rate measuring means, programmed for: a) monitoring a patient work of breathing, and b) determining a selected pressure support ventilation level to maintain the patient work of breathing within a predetermined work of breathing range; and d) gas delivery means for controlling a supply of the gas so that the gas is delivered to the patient at the selected pressure support ventilation level.