Methods and devices to clear obstructions from medical tubes
First Claim
1. A medical-tube assembly comprising a medical tube, a clearance device adapted to couple with and dislodge debris accumulated within said medical tube, and a CO2 sensor provided in fluid communication with said medical tube to sense the presence of CO2 levels in said medical tube, wherein the medical tube at least partially defines a passageway comprising a sterile field for the passage of patient secretions from said medical tube out a proximal end of said passageway, wherein the clearance device comprises an elongate guide member disposed entirely within and extending in said passageway, said guide member being actuable from outside said medical tube without compromising said sterile field to correspondingly actuate a clearance member attached to or formed with said guide member in said medical tube, said clearance member being configured such that it presents a substantially unobstructed pathway for a flow of material from a location in said medical tube distal to said clearance member to a location in said medical tube proximal to said clearance member regardless whether said clearance member is being actuated or is at rest within said medical tube.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A device for clearing obstructions from a medical tube, such as a chest tube, is disclosed in various embodiments. The device features a clearance member in the form of a loop. The loop desirably has a diameter that substantially corresponds to the inner diameter of the medical tube. Also desirably, the loop presents a substantially unobstructed pathway therethrough for the flow of material from a location in the medical tube distal to the loop to a location in the medical tube proximal to the loop regardless whether the clearance member is being translated or is at rest in the medical tube. Methods of utilizing such a device are also disclosed.
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Citations
14 Claims
- 1. A medical-tube assembly comprising a medical tube, a clearance device adapted to couple with and dislodge debris accumulated within said medical tube, and a CO2 sensor provided in fluid communication with said medical tube to sense the presence of CO2 levels in said medical tube, wherein the medical tube at least partially defines a passageway comprising a sterile field for the passage of patient secretions from said medical tube out a proximal end of said passageway, wherein the clearance device comprises an elongate guide member disposed entirely within and extending in said passageway, said guide member being actuable from outside said medical tube without compromising said sterile field to correspondingly actuate a clearance member attached to or formed with said guide member in said medical tube, said clearance member being configured such that it presents a substantially unobstructed pathway for a flow of material from a location in said medical tube distal to said clearance member to a location in said medical tube proximal to said clearance member regardless whether said clearance member is being actuated or is at rest within said medical tube.
Specification