General

Q: What types of patients can I simulate?
A: Neonatal through adult, COPD, ARDS, pneumothorax, fibrosis, or almost any disease that effects pulmonary dynamics.

Q: Can I use the ASL 5000 on any ventilator?
A: Yes, the ASL 5000 can be used on ANY ventilator and the new RespiSim PVI option is able to retrieve data from most major ventilators.  

Q: Is the ASL 5000 Software compatible with Windows 7?
A: Yes, versions 3.0 or later will run on Windows 7.

Q: Is the ASL 5000 Software compatible with the Apple Mac OS?
A: Not directly, however it will work with "parallels"

  Technical

Q: What are the computer requirements for running the ASL 5000?

Q: How does the ASL 5000 interface with a ventilator?

A: The ASL 5000 can be connected to the ventilator using any standard tubing or breathing circuits via a 22mm ISO port on the front of the instrument.

Q: Can I use the ASL 5000 with humidified air or aerosol agents?

A: Yes. In such instances, you would need to add the IngMar Medical Auxiliary Gas Exchange Cylinder (AGEC) to the ASL 5000. The AGEC consists of a clear acrylic cylinder with openings at the top and bottom that allow it to act as a “bag-in-bottle” device. This will serve to protect the ASL’s cylinder from any incompatible substances.

Q: How do I calibrate the ASL 5000?

A: The only calibration necessary is that of the pressure sensor in the standard configuration. Instructions for the pressure sensor calibration procedure are included in the ASL 5000 Service Manual. The ASL 5000 can also be shipped to IngMar Medical for calibration. The Fast Oxygen Module can also be user calibrated, provided 100% oxygen is available.

Q: What is the volume resolution of the ASL 5000?
A: The volume resolution is determined by the area of the ASL cylinder, the pitch of the ball screw used, and the encoder resolution per revolution.

The area of the 7" ASL 5000 cylinder is 248.3 cm². The pitch of the ballscrew is either 2.5 mm (0.25cm), which used to be the standard for units with serial numbers < 0800, or 4mm (0.4cm), which is the new standard. The encoder used has 2000 lines, which, in quadrature count, yields 8000 counts per revolution.

With these numbers, the resulting volume resolution is:

0.2483 L x 0.4 / 8000 = 0.00001242 L = 12.2 µL (for a 4mm pitch ball screw) or

0.2483 L x 0.25 / 8000 = 0.0000078 L = 7.8 µL (for a 2.5mm pitch ball screw)

Q: When I am using the connection via RS-232, the software tells me that there is no communication with the simulator.
A: The host software assumes that you are operating using COM1 on your PC. That means that COM1 must be the port on your PC that you connect the RS-232 cable to directly (if your PC actually has a “native” RS-232 port). Otherwise, COM1 must be assigned to the serial port that is created from a USB port on the PC when you use a USB-to-Serial converter (you can confirm that by checking in the Windows Device Manager).

Q: A message is telling me that I cannot write a file when I try to run the ASL host software.
A: You need write access to the installation folder when running the ASL host software. Right-click on the folder to access the Security Properties and to change permissions. Apply write/read permissions to the main installation folder and all sub-folders and their content. NOTE: In Win Vista, you might have to first turn "User Account Control" off (in the Control Panel -> Security) to make the change of permissions "stick".

Q: Which ASL models can I upgrade to the latest software/firmware combination (3.3)?
A: All ASL 5000 with serial numbers >0800 may be upgraded without any hardware modifications. Older devices may be upgraded after a hardware upgrade, which involves a new CPU. Please contact IngMar Medical's Customer Care Manager, Holli Novelly, about cost and details of the procedure in this case (hnovelly@ingmarmed.com).

Q: I was unable to change Breath Rate and Insp Vt in the Interactive Control Panel. How can I change these values?
A: If you intend to change parameters from the Interactive Control Panel, please make sure that you have a model running that has spontaneous breathing assigned. For example, you could start out with the regular breathing of the segment1.vr3, starting the ASL from the Central Runtime Window and then, after opening the ICP, manipulate rate and Pmax. Please note that you don't directly control Vt in true patient models. It is a result of the respiratory mechanics settings and the programmed patient effort. If you want to program just flow or volume patterns, without the simulator responding to pressure changes via C and R, use pump models as a starting point.  

Q: Can my ASL 5000 be used with my manikin?
A: Yes, we have interface kits which allow for temporary lung replacement with the ASL. Please call us to discuss details of these options.

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Q: How can I test my students using the RespiTrainer?
A: The RespiTrainer software displays and captures individual student data such as breath rate, minute ventilation, tidal volume, and peak pressures on a breath by breath basis. This data can be used with our analysis tool for baseline performance evaluation and subsequent training.

Q: What is the RespiTrainer intended to teach?
A: With the RespiTrainer Advance, you can teach intubation, LMA insertion, bag-valve mask ventilation, and basic ventilator management of normal and disease states.

Q: I have a QuickLung. Do I need to buy another to use the RespiTrainer?
A: No. As long as your QuickLung has an auxiliary pressure port (visible on the bottom of the device) you will be able to use it with the RespiTrainer.

Q: My RespiTrainer will not communicate to my netbook.
A: Each RespiTrainer is specifically paired to a netbook by IngMar Medical prior to shipment to customers. As a first check, make sure the bluetooth dongle supplied with the RespiTrainer is plugged into the netbook. If this does not resolve the problem, the user can attempt to re-install the bluetooth software. All netbooks sold with RespiTrainers come with a bluetooth installation CD. Run the installer and follow the “Custom Mode” steps to pair the RespiTrainer using COM8 port. Each RespiTrainer is listed in the Bluetooth search as Respixxx (where xxx is the serial number of the unit). If this is not successful, contact IngMar Medical Technical Support.

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Q: What is the volume of the QuickLung?
A: 1.2 L

Q: Can I use two QuickLungs to simulate left and right lungs?
A: Yes. They can be T’d together in parallel to demonstrate compartmentalized lung problems (different compliance resistance leaks). See Dual QuickLung.

Q: How do I set resistance on the QuickLung?
A: The QuickLung uses orifice-type resistors which require a simple turn of the elbow connector to access one of three standard settings (5, 20, 50 cm H₂O /L/s).  Additional resistances can be created by adding the Parabolic Resistor Ring.

Q: Can I set inflection points on the QuickLung?
A: Yes. An upper inflection point can be set by using the enclosed velcro strap.

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Q:  Can I set a repeatable tidal volume and breath rate?
A: Yes.

Q: Can I set an I/E ratio?
A: Yes.

Q: In spontaneous breathing mode (SB2000 Option), the motor arm doesn’t drive the lungs to the expected volume.  What can I do to fix this?
A: You probably have PEEP in the lungs. In this case, you can define an offset for the controller. Set it in such a way that the lift arms just touch the lung plate at end expiration it. This way the volume will occur taking PEEP into account. However, the maximum spontaneous volume will be diminished when using PEEP.

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Q: In spontaneous breathing mode (SB2000 Option), the motor arm doesn’t drive the lungs to the expected volume.  What can I do to fix this?
A: You probably have PEEP in the lungs. In this case, you can define an offset for the controller. Set it in such a way that the lift arms just touch the lung plate at end expiration it. This way the volume will occur taking PEEP into account. However, the maximum spontaneous volume will be diminished when using PEEP.

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Q: Can I calibrate the resistor settings of the Parabolic Resistor Ring? 
A: It is possible to buy a PRR as a calibrated device, or to have a PRR calibrated at a later point. Please contact IngMar Medical's Customer Care Manager, Holli Novelly, about cost and details of the procedure (hnovelly@ingmarmedical.com).

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Q: How can I clean/disinfect a NeoLung?
A: The NeoLung would not get contaminated in normal use and would only need a wipe down with a damp cloth. However, you can bath-disinfect the NeoLung using any commercially available disinfectant that is rated compatible with the more sensitive plastic materials: Lexan, Acetal, Copolyester, Polycarbonate, Vinyl/Urethane Elastomer. Heat is not recommended (no autoclave)

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Q: Why is a smooth compliance curve important?
A: A smooth compliance curve allows to correlate volume and pressure in a very straightforward fashion. The human lung does not respond in a totally linear fashion (it is S-shaped at the bottom range of volumes as well as at the top, creating inflection points) and IngMar Medical's LTL (Linear Test Lung) also mimics that behavior. However, where the LTL differs from commonly available basic test lungs is that it maintains a smooth response to progressive inflation, without any "hiccups" due to bulging-out of the bag, a phenomenon that makes the behavior of many other test lungs unpredictable at slightly higher volume inflation points.

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Q: How do I place an order?
A: You may fax, mail or email your purchase order to IngMar Medical or call with your credit card information. IngMar Medical, Ltd. P.O. Box 10106 Pittsburgh, PA 15232
T: 412-441-8228, F: 412-441-8404, hnovelly@ingmarmed.com