Endobronchial tube with integrated image sensor and a cleaning nozzle arrangement

• US 10,406,309 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2013
• Issued: 09/10/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ambu A/S (AMBU)
• Original Assignee: Ambu A/S (AMBU)
• Inventors: Daher, Elias
• Primary Examiner(s): Kasztejna, Matthew J
• Application Number:
  US13/737,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20140031622A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,434 Days
• Field of Search: 600114-116, 600120, 600156-158, 604264, 604275-279, 604295, 12820026, 12820714, 12820715
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00018 using electrical cables
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00082 Balloons
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00091 Nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00094 Suction openings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00124 electrical, e.g. electrical plug-and-socket connection
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/012 characterised by internal passages or accessories therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/015 Control of fluid supply or evacuation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/05 characterised by the image sensor, e.g. camera, being in the distal end portion
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/051 Details of CCD assembly
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0676 at distal tip of an endoscope
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0684 using light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/07 using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/12 with cooling or rinsing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/126 provided with means for cleaning in-use
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/2676 Bronchoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/313 for introducing through surgical openings, e.g. laparoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 15/00 Inhalators drug delivery in endotracheal tubes A61M16/04
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0057 Pumps therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0404 with means for selective or partial lung respiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 : Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/044 : External cuff pressure control or supply, e.g. synchronisation with respiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0459 : one cuff behind another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0461 : Nasoendotracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 : combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0465 : Tracheostomy tubes; Devices for performing a tracheostomy; Accessories therefor, e.g. masks, filters
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0486 : Multi-lumen tracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0488 : Mouthpieces; Means for guiding, securing or introducing the tubes guiding or introducing with laryngoscopes A61B1/267; holding devices on the body A61M25/02
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0833 : T- or Y-type connectors, e.g. Y-piece
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/104 : specially adapted for anaesthetics A61M16/18 takes precedence

Abstract

An endobronchial tube which contains an integrated camera and light source and a cleaning nozzle arrangement disposed within dedicated peripheral lumen within the tube'"'"'s wall.

Claims

1. An endobronchial tube comprising:

a tube having a wall;

a first lumen having a longitudinal portion and an open distal end;

a first inflatable cuff located proximally of the open distal end of the first lumen;

a second lumen having an open distal end;

a second inflatable cuff located distally of the first lumen;

a dedicated image sensor lumen in the wall comprising a circular cross-section at its distal end;

an image sensor adjacent an illumination source, the image sensor and the illumination source disposed entirely within the dedicated image sensor lumen at the distal end thereof and having a cross-section that fits entirely within the circular cross-section of the distal end of the dedicated image sensor lumen, within the wall of the tube; and

a dedicated cleaning nozzle arrangement wholly embedded in the wall of the tube, the dedicated cleaning nozzle arrangement comprising a longitudinal cleaning lumen disposed parallel with the dedicated image sensor lumen and angled portions fluidly coupled to and extending from the longitudinal cleaning lumen, each of the angled portions defining a cleaning nozzle consisting of an elongate aperture in the wall of the tube, connecting to and extending from the longitudinal cleaning lumen to an opening on a surface across a thickness of the wall, the surface being distal of the image sensor and substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube, thus the cleaning nozzles are arranged distally from the image sensor, wherein the cleaning nozzles comprise a first cleaning nozzle and a second cleaning nozzle, and whereby the dedicated cleaning nozzle arrangement is configured to flush a fluid through the cleaning nozzles to clear a field of view of the image sensor.

2. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein a diameter of the first cleaning nozzle is larger than a diameter of the second cleaning nozzle.

3. The endobronchial tube of claim 2, wherein the diameter of the first cleaning nozzle is about 0.8 mm and the diameter of the second cleaning nozzle is about 0.6 mm.

4. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the first cleaning nozzle and the second cleaning nozzle each have a diameter from about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm.

5. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the second cleaning nozzle comprises a plurality of cleaning nozzles.

6. The endobronchial tube of claim 5, wherein the plurality of cleaning nozzles are positioned distally of the first cleaning nozzle.

7. The endobronchial tube of claim 6, wherein the plurality of cleaning nozzles are arranged in a linear fashion about a longitudinal axis of the cleaning lumen.

8. The endobronchial tube of claim 6, wherein the plurality of cleaning nozzles are arranged in an arc.

9. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the dedicated image sensor lumen is disposed within the wall of the tube between the first lumen and the second lumen.

10. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the second lumen comprises a second image sensor.

11. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the second inflatable cuff is located at a distal end of the endobronchial tube.

12. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the second inflatable cuff is angled toward the longitudinal cleaning lumen.

13. The endobronchial tube of claim 12, wherein the second inflatable cuff is dimensioned to be positioned in and to completely block either a right or left bronchus when inflated.

14. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the image sensor lumen is configured to provide an image of a tracheal bifurcation of a Tracheal Carina, an opening of a Left Bronchial branch, or an opening of a Right Bronchial branch.

15. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein the cleaning nozzles are aimed proximally toward the image sensor to clear the field of view of the image sensor.

16. The endobronchial tube of claim 1, wherein at least one of the angled portions of the dedicated cleaning lumen include an open end extending through a surface of a wall forming the image sensor lumen thereby defining its respective cleaning nozzle.