Disposable hand-held device for collection of exhaled breath condensate

Abstract

A breath condensate collection apparatus comprising a central chamber, a breath input assembly, a plunger assembly and a breath condensate collection port. The central chamber has inner and outer side walls with a coolant material sealed in between. The breath input assembly is disposed on the side of the central chamber in fluid communication with the chamber interior. The plunger assembly has a piston, slidably disposed in the chamber, and a handle extending from a first end of the chamber. The collection port is disposed at the second end of the central chamber in fluid communication with the interior of the chamber. Obstructive structures may be arranged in the chamber interior for increasing the surface area on which condensate may form. The apparatus may also include an outlet assembly that may be removed and replaced with a sampling well into which the condensate may be washed with a buffer solution.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of collecting breath condensate, the method comprising:
 providing a double-walled central chamber having one or more obstructive structures arranged in the interior thereof and a coolant material sealed between the inner and outer side walls for cooling at least the inner walls of the central chamber;   lowering the temperature of the coolant material to chill at least the inner walls of the central chamber and the obstructive structures;   receiving, in the interior of the central chamber, exhaled breath from a patient;   condensing portions of the exhaled breath on the inner surfaces of the inner walls of the central chamber and on the obstructive structures; and   removing condensate, produced during the condensing step, from the central chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the removing step includes washing the condensate from the obstructive structures. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the washing step includes adding an amount of liquid to the central chamber, wherein the amount is selected to correspond to the amount of condensate present in the central chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the washing step includes adding an amount of liquid to the central chamber, wherein the amount is selected to correspond to the amount of condensate likely to be present in the central chamber after the patient exhales into the central chamber for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the washing step includes adding an amount of liquid to the central chamber, wherein the amount is selected to correspond to the amount of condensate likely to be present in the central chamber after the patient completes a predetermined number of exhalations into the central chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising the step of removing the obstructive structures from the central chamber before carrying out the washing step. 
     
     
         7 . A method of collecting breath condensate, the method comprising:
 providing a double-walled central chamber having a removable outlet assembly and a coolant material sealed between the inner and outer side walls for cooling at least the inner walls of the central chamber;   lowering the temperature of the coolant material to chill at least the inner walls of the central chamber;   receiving, in the interior of the central chamber, exhaled breath from a patient;   condensing portions of the exhaled breath on the inner surfaces of the inner walls of the central chamber;   removing the outlet assembly and replacing it with a sampling well; and   moving condensate, produced during the condensing step, from the central chamber to the sampling well.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the step of moving condensate includes washing condensate from the central chamber into the sampling well with a known liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the step of washing condensate includes:
 introducing a predetermined quantity of the known liquid into the central chamber;   mixing the predetermined quantity of the known liquid with the condensate; and   draining the known liquid and the condensate from the central chamber into the sampling well.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the step of removing the outlet assembly includes creating an opening into the central chamber, and wherein the step of introducing includes introducing the known liquid through the opening. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 before replacing the outlet assembly with the sampling well, storing the known liquid in the sampling well.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the known liquid is a buffer solution. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the buffer solution is distilled water. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the buffer solution includes an organic dye to indicate the pH of the solution. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 before replacing the outlet assembly with the sampling well, storing the known liquid in the sampling well.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 before replacing the outlet assembly with the sampling well, storing the known liquid in the sampling well.   
     
     
         17 . A method of collecting breath condensate, the method comprising:
 providing a double-walled central chamber having one or more obstructive structures arranged in the interior thereof and a coolant material sealed between the inner and outer side walls for cooling at least the inner walls of the central chamber;   calibrating the walls and coolant material of the double-walled central chamber such that, when beginning at a predetermined temperature, a chosen number of breaths, received from a typical patient, creates a sufficient amount of breath condensate to be collected on the inner surfaces of the inner walls of the central chamber;   lowering the temperature of the coolant material to the predetermined temperature to chill at least the inner walls of the central chamber;   receiving, in the interior of the central chamber, a plurality of exhalations from a particular patient, wherein the number of exhalations is within a predetermined range established on the basis of the chosen number of breaths;   condensing portions of the exhalations, received from the patient, on the inner surfaces of the inner walls of the central chamber; and   removing condensate, produced during the condensing step, from the central chamber.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined range is 10 to 25 breaths, inclusive. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the predetermined temperature is the temperature of a standard freezer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the predetermined temperature is 0° F.