Arrangement for connecting a patient to a respirator, and the use of a moisture-heat-exchanger in the arrangement

Claim 1

An arrangement for dehumidifying air comprising a respirator having an inlet connected to a patient and an outlet including a moisture-heat-exchanger having one side connected to separate first and second conduits which are connected to said inlet and outlet, respectively, said moisture-heat-exchanger having another side adapted to be connected through separate third and fourth conduits to a patient such that inspired and expired gases are separated from each other between said other side and the patient, at least one of said third and fourth conduits containing a check valve connected to said moisture-heat-exchanger whereby gases are free to flow from the exchanger to the patient through the third conduit and to the exchanger from the patient through the fourth conduit, said moisture-heat-exchanger absorbing moisture from the expired gases before reaching the respirator inlet, and moisture from the moisture-heat-exchanger being at least partly emitted by means of the gases from the respirator outlet to the patient, and a humidifer located in the third conduit whereby the gases inspired by the patient will be humidified by the humidifier after having passed the moisture heat-exchanger.