Humidifying respiratory gases

Abstract

Devices for humidifying respiratory gases are provided. The device includes a humidification component that holds a water volume and a humidification component controller coupled to the humidification component and configured to receive humidification target value information. The humidification component controller includes a humidification target value determiner that determines a humidification target value from at least two humidification target values based on the received humidification target value information. The determined humidification target value identifies a humidification level setting that corresponds to a patient. The device automatically selects an appropriate identified humidification level setting for the patient. A method of using the device is also provided.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for humidifying a respiratory gas, the device comprising:
 a humidification component configured for holding a water volume; and   a humidification component controller coupled to the humidification component and configured to receive humidification target value information,   wherein the humidification component controller comprises a humidification target value determiner configured to determine a humidification target value from at least two humidification target values based on the received humidification target value information, wherein the determined humidification target value identifies a humidification level setting that corresponds to a patient.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a humidification mode selection module coupled to the humidification component and configured to communicate that the humidification level setting is selected. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is configured to automatically select the humidification level setting as one of a high humidity setting for an invasive flow rate in which upper airways of the patient are bypassed and a low humidity setting for a non-invasive flow rate in which the upper airways of the patient are not bypassed. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the humidification component controller comprises a breathing circuit tubing size determiner configured to determine a size of a gas conduit based on breathing circuit tubing configuration information. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a humidification component monitoring unit coupled to the humidification component and configured to determine the humidification target value information. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the humidification component monitoring unit comprises a gas flow rate determiner configured to characterize a rate of a flow of a gas to breathing circuit tubing to provide a characterized rate of gas flow. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the humidification component monitoring unit comprises a breathing circuit tubing configuration information detector configured to determine breathing circuit tubing configuration information. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the humidification component monitoring unit comprises a tube heater wire detector configured to detect tube heater wire information. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the humidification component monitoring unit comprises a pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure relative to atmospheric pressure of the respiratory gas in a breathing circuit tubing to provide a determined pressure. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the humidification component monitoring unit comprises an optical sensing module configured to optically sense the humidification target value information. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas flow rate determiner disposed within one of the humidification component and an entrance to a patient breathing tube. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the humidification target value information comprises one or more of a pattern of breathing of a patient, a gas flow rate, a geometry of a portion of a breathing circuit tubing, a radio frequency identification (RFI) of the breathing circuit tubing, a wire resistance of a portion of the breathing circuit tubing, tube heater wire information and a determined pressure comprising a pressure relative to atmospheric pressure of gas in the breathing circuit tubing. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a gas delivery device coupled to the humidification component and configured to control a delivery of gas to the humidification component. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the gas delivery device is coupled to a humidification component monitoring unit, and wherein the gas delivery device is configured to provide one of a determined pressure and pattern of breathing information. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 13 , further comprising a communication module coupled to the gas delivery device and to the humidification component, the communications module configured to communicate information between the gas delivery device and the humidification component. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a gas delivery device controller coupled to the humidification component and configured to store the humidification target value information. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the gas delivery device controller is one of disposed within the gas delivery device and attached to the gas delivery device. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 15 , further comprising a graphical user interface coupled with the gas delivery device, the graphical user interface configured to communicate with the gas delivery device and the humidification component, and control all devices that are coupled to the gas delivery device and the humidification component, respectively. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the humidification component is disposed below the gas delivery device. 
     
     
         20 . A method for humidifying respiratory gases using the device of  claim 1 , the method comprising:
 providing a gas to the patient through a breathing circuit tubing;   receiving, by the humidification component controller, humidification target value information;   determining, by the humidification target value determiner, the humidification target value from the at least two humidification target values;   identifying the humidification level setting based on the determined humidification target value;   automatically selecting the identified humidification level setting; and   providing, by the humidification component, water vapor to the gas provided to the patient.