Method and devices for administration of therapeutic gases

Abstract

Methods for administering medical gases are disclosed including providing the medical gas in compressed gas cartridges containing an amount of the medical gas preferably corresponding substantially to a unit dose of the medical gas and providing a patient with means to access the medical gas from the gas cartridge upon need therefor. Apparatus for administering medical gases is also disclosed including a housing, a cassette associated with the housing containing at least one compressed gas cartridge preferably containing at least an amount of the medical gas substantially as required for a single dose and a patient supply interface to provide the medical gas to the patient.

1 . Apparatus for the administration of a medical gas to a patient comprises a housing including an upper portion and a lower portion, a removable cassette holding at least one compressed gas cartridge within said housing, said at least one compressed gas cartridge including a predetermined amount of said medical gas, patient supply means for providing said predetermined amount of said medical gas to said patient, connection means for sealingly connecting said upper portion of said housing to said lower portion of said housing with said cassette within said housing, said connecting means including first upper connecting means disposed at said lower end of said upper portion of said housing, second upper connecting means disposed above said first upper connecting means on said upper portion of said housing, first lower connecting means disposed at the upper end of said lower portion of said housing, second lower connecting means disposed below said first lower connecting means on said lower portion of said housing, said first upper connecting means adapted to cooperatively engage said second lower connecting means to provide an intermediate closed configuration for said housing, and said second upper connecting means adapted to cooperatively engage said first lower connecting means to provide a sealed configuration for said housing, the distances between said first and second upper connecting means and said first and second lower connecting means being adapted so that said first upper connecting means engages said second lower connecting means before said second upper connecting means engages said first lower connecting means. 
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said housing includes cassette mounting means for mounting said removable cassette within said housing, said cassette mounting means comprising first acceptance means and said cassette including second acceptance means whereby said cassette mounting means will only accept said cassette having second acceptance means which are compatible with said first acceptance means. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said first acceptance means comprises first key means including at least one member selected from the group consisting of a male member and a female member, and said second acceptance means comprises second key means including a member selected from the group consisting of the other of said male member and said female member. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3  wherein said first key means comprises a plurality of said first key means and said second key means comprises a corresponding plurality of said second key means. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein said compressed gas cartridge includes a puncturable sealing member for sealing said medical gas within said compressed gas cartridge, and further including compressed gas cartridge opening means for releasing said medical gas from said compressed gas cartridge, said compressed gas cartridge opening means comprising a puncturing member movable between a first position in which said puncturing member is displaced from said sealing member and a second position in which said puncturing member has punctured said sealing member. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said upper portion of said housing includes a contact surface for causing said puncturing member to move to said second position when said second upper contact member engages said first lower contact member to produce said sealed configuration for said housing. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein each of said first and second upper and lower contact members comprise threads. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said cooperative engagement of said first upper contact member with said second lower contact member comprises threadable engagement in a first direction of rotation and said cooperative engagement of said second upper contact member with said first lower contact member comprises threadable engagement in a second opposite rotational direction. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein said upper portion of said housing includes first alignment means and said lower portion of said housing includes second alignment means adapted to cooperate with said first alignment means in order to properly align said upper and lower portions of said housing. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said first alignment means comprises a raised extension and said second alignment means comprises a corresponding slot adapted to receive said raised extension. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 9  wherein said first alignment means comprises a slot and said second alignment means comprises a raised extension adapted to fittingly engage said slot. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 9  including a plurality of said first alignment means and a corresponding plurality of said second alignment means.