Patent ID: 6581592
Filing Date: 2003-06-24
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
A nitric oxide delivery system for delivering a series of therapeutic doses of nitric oxide (NO) in pulse form for administration to a patient while eliminating or lessening exposure of the patient to toxic nitrogen dioxide (NO2) said system being connectable to a source of pressurized therapy gas containing NO, said system comprising;a conduit adapted to be connected at one end to the pressurized therapy gas source, the other end of said conduit discharging therapeutic gas doses for administration to a patient; a dosing valve in said conduit operable to repetitiously open and close to form the pulse doses of therapy gas containing NO; a user input device operable by a user of the system to an activation condition upon start up of the system to render the nitric oxide delivery system operable; control means responsive to the user input device being operated to the activation condition for automatically opening and thereafter closing said dosing valve to pass a quantity of therapy gas along said conduit to purge the conduit; a sensor for sensing whether a physical parameter of the gas in said conduit has been altered as a result of an operation of said dosing valve when the system is started up to determine whether said valve has been automatically opened on start up to purge the conduit; and an indicator responsive to said sensor determining that purging of the conduit has been carried out for providing an indication to the user that the system may safely thereafter be used to administer therapeutic doses of nitric oxide to a patient.