Patent ID: 7654146

Claim:
A method for monitoring a pressure of an individual's respiration, comprising: providing a respiratory conduit in fluid communication with an airway of an individual; positioning an airway adapter at a location along the respiratory conduit, wherein the airway adapter includes a flow resisting portion adapted to create a pressure change across the flow resisting portion, wherein the airway adapter comprises a housing having a first end, a second end, and a gas flow passage defined between the first end and the second end, and wherein positioning the airway adapter along the respiratory conduit includes attaching a first portion of the respiratory conduit to the first end and attaching a second portion of the respiratory conduit to the second end; providing a transducer comprising a housing and a pressure sensing system contained in the housing; assembling the transducer on the airway adapter; and measuring and outputting a signal indicative of the pressure change across the flow resisting portion via the pressure sensing system wherein the pressure sensing system measures the pressure change across the flow resisting portion by monotoring a mechanical displacement of a component of a differential pressure sensor having at least one side in fluid communication with the gas flow passage.