Patent ID: 8739779

Claim:
A branching unit for delivering a respiratory gas comprising: a first limb connectable to an expiratory gas tube for delivering an expiratory gas during an expiratory phase; a second limb connectable to an inspiratory gas tube for delivering an inspiratory gas during an inspiratory phase; a third limb connected with said first limb and said second limb and connectable to an endotracheal tube for delivering both said expiratory gas and said inspiratory gas; at least one port for a medical appliance, said at least one port equipped with a shutter configured to close said at least one port but to allow if necessary said medical appliance to be inserted into or through said at least one port, said shutter being a membrane that is pierceable to enable insertion of said medical appliance into or through said at least one port without requiring removal of the shutter from said at least one port; and wherein each of said first limb, said second limb, said third limb, and at least one port of said at least one port defines an internal lumen and a corresponding longitudinal axis extending through said internal lumen, and all of said longitudinal axes intersect at a common point internal to said branching unit.