Clip-on nasal air humidifying and epistaxis-prevention device and methods for use with supplemental oxygen

Abstract

A disposable nasal air moisturizing device is removably attached to a nasal cannula to release a moisturizing liquid into a breathing gas and a patient's nasal airway. The intranasal sponges and moisturizing liquid prevents and treats both abrasions from the nasal cannula and excessive drying of the mucosa. This reduces the incidence of nosebleeds in patients using supplemental nasal oxygen.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A nasal air moisturizing device to be used with a nasal cannula having prongs for delivering gas to a patient's nostrils, said device comprising:
 a shell is configured to be removably attached to the nasal cannula; and   a moisture absorbent material carried within the shell and configured (a) to be positioned over nasal prongs of the nasal cannula when the shell is attached to the breathing tube and (b) to receive moisturizing liquid and release the moisturizing liquid into breathing gas being delivered through the prongs.