Positive pressure systems and methods for increasing blood pressure and circulation

Abstract

In one embodiment, the invention provides a medical method for treating a person and comprises repeatedly compressing the person's chest. While repeatedly compressing the person's chest, the method further includes repeatedly delivering a positive pressure breath to the person and extracting respiratory gases from the person's airway using a vacuum following the positive pressure breath to create an intrathoracic vacuum to lower pressures in the thorax and to enhance blood flow back to the heart.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A device for lowering a patient's intrathoracic pressures, the device comprising:
 a means external to the patient for repeatedly increasing and decreasing intrathoracic pressures by physically manipulating a body part of the patient;   a means to interface with the patient's airway;   a means to repeatedly extract respiratory gases from the patient's thorax to create and periodically maintain a negative intrathoracic pressure;   a means to repeatedly regulate the extraction of respiratory gases from within the patient's lungs and airway; and   a means to measure a physiological parameter of the patient, wherein the physiological parameter is used by the means to repeatedly regulate the extraction of respiratory gases.   
     
     
         21 . A device as in  claim 20 , further comprising a means to deliver a positive pressure breath, to intermittently provide inspiration of respiratory gases. 
     
     
         22 . A device as in  claim 20 , wherein the means external to the patient for repeatedly increasing and decreasing intrathoracic pressures is selected from a group consisting of a mechanical extrathoracic vest, a body cuirass, a compression piston, and a compression cup. 
     
     
         23 . A device as in  claim 20 , wherein the means to extract respiratory gases comprises vacuum source selected from a group consisting of a suction line, a push-pull resuscitator bag, or venturi device attached to an oxygen tank. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . A device as in  claim 21 , further comprising a switching mechanism to stop the extraction of respiratory gases during delivery of a positive pressure breath, wherein the switching mechanism is selected from a group consisting of mechanical devices, magnetic devices, and electronic devices. 
     
     
         26 . A device as in  claim 20 , wherein the means for extracting respiratory gases is selected from a group consisting of a mechanical ventilator, a vacuum with vacuum regulator, a phrenic nerve stimulator, an extrathoracic vest, an active chest compression decompression device, a ventilator bag, and an iron lung cuirass device. 
     
     
         27 . A device as in  claim 20 , wherein the means for regulating comprises a threshold valve that is in fluid communication with the person's airway. 
     
     
         28 . A device as in  claim 27 , wherein the threshold valve is configured to open when the person's negative intrathoracic pressure reaches about −3 cm H2O to about −20 cm H2O to permit respiratory gases to flow into the person's airway. 
     
     
         29 . A device as in  claim 21 , wherein the means for delivering a positive pressure breath is selected from a group consisting of a mechanical ventilator, a hand held bag valve resuscitator, mouth-to-mouth, or a means to provide intermittent positive pressure ventilation. 
     
     
         30 . A device for lowering a person's intrathoracic pressures, the device comprising:
 an external thoracic positive pressure source for repetitively compressing the person's chest;   a housing having an interface that is adapted to couple the housing to the person's airway;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the housing for repeatedly extracting respiratory gases from the person's lungs and airway to create and periodically maintain a negative intrathoracic pressure;   a vacuum regulator to regulate the extraction of respiratory gases from the patient's lungs and airway; and   a physiological sensor to measure at least one physiological parameter of the patient and that is used by the vacuum regulator to regulate the extraction of respiratory gases.   
     
     
         31 . A device for increasing and decreasing a person's intrathoracic pressures, the device comprising:
 an external thoracic positive pressure source for repetitively compressing the person's chest;   a housing having an interface that is adapted to couple the housing to the person's airway;   a vacuum source in fluid communication with the housing for repeatedly extracting respiratory gases from the person's lungs and airway to create and periodically maintain a negative intrathoracic pressure;   a vacuum regulator to regulate the vacuum source;   a physiological sensor to measure at least one physiological parameter of the patient and that is used by the vacuum regulator to regulate the extraction of respiratory gases.   a timer that is configured to provide information to the vacuum regulator to periodically inhibit the extraction of respiratory gases to allow for inspiration of respiratory gases when decreasing a person's intrathoracic pressures.   
     
     
         32 . A device as in  31 , further comprising a ventilation source for periodically delivering a positive pressure breath by a ventilation source. 
     
     
         33 . A device as in  claim 30 , further comprising a positive pressure source in fluid communication with the housing for intermittently supplying positive pressure breaths to the person. 
     
     
         34 - 40 . (canceled)