Conduit with heating element

Abstract

A conduit for a breathing circuit includes a heater associated, at least in part, with a hydrophilic layer. The purpose of the heater is to evaporate any condensed liquid collecting in the conduit, which is first sucked up by the hydrophilic layer. The heated wick reduces the risk of collected water being passed to the patient and causing choking fits or discomfit. It is preferred that the heated wick lies freely in the conduit to settle at low points in the conduit where condensation may collect.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An expiratory limb for a breathing circuit comprising:
 a patient-end connector, configured to connect to a Y connector and receive a flow of respiratory gases expired by a patient from the Y connector, the flow of gases expired by the patient defining an expiratory gases flow;   a ventilator-end connector, configured to connect to a breathing conduit connection port, and configured to deliver the expiratory gases flow to a ventilator;   an enclosing outer wall defining a singular flexible gases passageway between the patient-end connector and the ventilator-end connector, such that, when in use, the expiratory gases flow passes through the patient-end connector, into the singular flexible gases passageway, and through the ventilator-end connector; and   an elongate heater wire within the singular flexible gases passageway,   wherein at least a region distributed along the length of the enclosing outer wall is of a semipermeable material that allows passage of water vapor without allowing passage of liquid water through the outer enclosing wall.