Breathing device

A breathing device for tracheotomy patients, comprising a holder (12) detachably connected to the outer end of a tracheal cannula (11) or to a stoma in the patient's throat, the holder holding detachably a regenerative heat-moisture exchanger (14). The holder (12) is an air-proof receptacle having a first opening (12a) communicating with the outer end (11b) of the tracheal cannula (11) or with the stoma in the throat and a second opening (12b) situated opposite the first opening. The heat-moisture exchanger (14), which is provided with a filter body (16), sealingly engages with the edges of the second opening.

DESCRIPTION 
1. Technical field 
The present invention relates to a breathing device for tracheotomy 
patients. The device comprises a holder detachably connected to the outer 
end of a tracheal cannula or to the stoma made in the patient's throat, 
the holder holding detachably a regenerative heat-moisture exchanger. 
2. Background art 
The need for warming and moisturizing the inspiration air in connection 
with the upper air passages being cut off as a result of tracheotomy is 
well known and several devices intended to fill this need have been 
proposed. 
A known device of the above-mentioned kind is disclosed in SE-B 348 643 
wherein a hold is detachably mounted to the cannula, the holder holding 
detachably a tube in which a regenerative heat-moisture exchanger body is 
disposed. 
A disadvantage of the device according to the above-mentioned publication 
is that the device protrudes quite a bit from the patient's throat, which 
particularly to active people carrying the device poses a problem with 
respect to the risk of their accidentally touching the device, which might 
then be displaced of cause pain in the patient's throat, as well from the 
aesthetic point of view. Further disadvantages are the relatively 
complicated structure of the device and the insufficient tightness between 
the holder and the heat-moisture exchanger body. 
A further example of a known device of the above-mentioned kind is 
disclosed in SE-B 385 767 wherein a bandage containing, among others, a 
heat-moisture exchanger filter is applied directly around the stoma made 
in the patient's throat. 
A disadvantage of the last-mentioned device is that the bandage must be 
detached from the patient's throat every time the filter has to be 
changed, which sometimes has to be done several times a day. The change 
causes discomfort and often strain and harm to the skin, especially if 
this has previously been subject to radiation treatment. Furthermore, on 
each change not only the filter but also other parts of the bandage must 
be discarded, which is uneconomical. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of the present invention to eliminate the disadvantages of 
previously known devices of the above-mentioned kind and to provide a 
device which protrudes only a short distance from the patient's throat, is 
of simple construction, provides effective sealing between the patient's 
throat and the heat-moisture exchanger, allows the heat-moisture exchanger 
to be replaced without discomfort or harm to the patient and also without 
parts of the device other than the heat-moisture exchanger having to be 
discarded, and is formed in such a way as to allow the use of identical 
heat-moisture exchangers irrespectively of a tracheal cannula being 
inserted into the patient's throat or the device being connected directly 
to the stoma in the throat. 
This object is achieved by the device according to the invention having 
been given the features stated in the characterizing portions of the 
claims.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The breathing device shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 comprises a conventional 
tracheal cannula intended to be inserted through the stoma in the 
patient's throat for communication with the patient's windpipe, whereas 
the breathing device of FIG. 3 does not present such a cannula and is 
intended to be located over said stoma in the throat. 
The tracheal cannula depicted in FIG. 1 is provided with an outer end which 
is formed as a slightly conical tube surrounded by a flange 1a. A holder 2 
in the form of a funnel-shaped, air-proof receptacle has a slightly 
conical connection piece 2a which is insertable into the outer end of the 
cannula 1 into which it fits. Opposite the connection piece 2a the holder 
is provided with an opening 2b which is wider than the opening 2a of the 
connection piece, flexible holding means in the form of two claws 3 being 
attached to the edges of the opening 2b. The claws are integral with the 
holder 2 which is suitably made of a transparent plastic material. 
A regenerative heat-moisture exchanger 4 is detachably mounted to the 
holder 2. The heat-moisture exchanger 4 comprises a cap-shaped plastic 
cover 5 containing a cylindrical, flat filter body 6 made up of helically 
wound strips of corrugated mini cardboard suitably impregnated with a 
hygroscopical material for good heat and moisture absorption from the 
expiration air and good heat and moisture emission to the inspiration air. 
The channels formed between the layers of corrugated cardboard run 
parallel to the central connecting line between the openings 2a and 2b. 
Instead of wound strips, the filter body 6 can be made up of cotton wool, 
foamed plastic or the like with substantially the same properties as the 
wound strips. In relation to its diameter, the filter body 6 has a low 
height. The filter body 6 suitably has a diameter of 24 mm and a height of 
8 mm. 
The heat-moisture exchanger 4 is attached to the holder 2 in one simple 
operation by pressing the cover 5 against the claws 3, which will then be 
displaced radially outwards and will snap over the flange 5a of the cover 
such that the latter will sealingly engage with the edges of the opening 
2b. The heat-moisture exchanger 4 is removed in one simple operation by 
pulling it away from the holder 2, th claws 3 springing outwards thereby 
releasing the flange 5a. 
FIG. 2 shows a tracheal cannula 11 the outer end of which is formed as a 
slightly conical tube 11b with a flange 11a attached to it. A holder 12 in 
the form of a funnel-shaped air-proof receptacle is provided with a 
slightly conical connection piece 12a, which fits onto the tube 11b of the 
cannula 11. On the holder 12, opposite the connection piece 12a, there is 
an opening 12b which is wider than the opening of the connection piece 
12a, the edges of the opening 12b being perpendicular to the longitudinal 
axis of the connection piece 12a. 
A regenerative heat-moisture exchanger 14 including filler body 16 is 
attached to the holder 12 and is identical to the heat-moisture exchanger 
4 shown in FIG. 1. The exchanger 14 is detachably mounted to the holder 12 
by adhesive means 13 between the edges of the opening 12b and the flange 
14a of the exchanger 14. The adhesive means 13 can consist of, for example 
a suitable glue or double adhesive tape. 
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatical view of a conventional speech valve 15 
detachably mounted to the end of the exchanger 14 turned away from the 
holder 12. Alternatively, such a speech valve could be mounted to the 
heat-moisture exchanger of the devices according to the other embodiments. 
FIG. 3 shows a holder 22 in the form of a funnel-shaped air-proof 
receptacle, said holder being provided with an opening surrounded by a 
circular flange 22a and a wider opening 22b opposite the first-mentioned 
opening and surrounded by edges parallel with the flange 22a. 
A regenerative heat-moisture exchanger 24 is mounted to the holder 22 and 
identical to the heat-moisture exchangers 4 and 14 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
The exchanger 24 is detachably mounted to the holder 22 by means of claws 
23 which are identical to the claws 3 of FIG. 1, as shown if FIG. 3, or by 
adhesive means of the kind shown and described above in connection with 
FIG. 2. 
At the end of the flange 22a turned away from the exchanger 24 there is 
attached an annular double adhesive tape 25. On removal of a protective 
sheet from the end of the tape 25 turned away from the exchanger 24, the 
device is attached in accordance with FIG. 3 around the stoma made in the 
patient's throat to the windpipe such that the central opening of the 
annular tape 25 will be right opposite the stoma in the throat and such 
that the tape will adhere around the stoma in the throat. Instead of the 
tape 25 it is possible to apply adhesive means of other suitable kind to 
the flange 22a. 
in the devices described above and depicted in the figures, the devices 
protrude a comparatively short distance from the throat of the person 
carrying the same. On the holders 2, 12 and 22 there is, on each of them, 
a short distance between the two openings of the holder which is shorter 
than the extension of the holder perpendicularly thereto and is suitably 
less than the thickness of the exchangers 4, 14 and 24 respectively. For 
all three holders 2, 12 and 22 identical heat-moisture exchangers 4, 14 
and 24 are used, which provides flexibility in use as well as cost 
savings. 
Although some embodiments of the device according to the invention have 
been described above and shown on the drawings, it should be understood 
that the invention is not limited to said embodiments but only by the 
statements of the claims.