Patent ID: 8353295

Claim:
A branching unit for delivering a respiratory gas of a subject, the branching unit comprising: a first limb configured to deliver an expiratory gas during an expiratory phase; a second limb configured to deliver an inspiratory gas during an inspiratory phase; a third limb configured to deliver both said expiratory gas and said inspiratory gas; a common branching point for said first limb, said second limb and said third limb; and an airway adapter defining a connector; wherein one limb of said first limb, second limb and third limb is connectable to the connector of the airway adapter to form a connection where the one limb and the connector overlap completely when connected to reduce dead volume in the connection, and wherein said first limb, said second limb and said third limb include a volume for said respiratory gas and which volume includes both an active volume with the gas exchanging between said inspiratory phase and said expiratory phase and a dead volume for the respiratory gas with insufficient gas exchange from said inspiratory phase to said expiratory phase and said dead volume being less than 1 ml.