Medico-surgical tubes

• US 20020195110A1
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Smithgroup Companies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smithgroup Companies Incorporated
• Inventors: Watton, Joan Elizabeth
• Application Number:
  US10/142,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20020195110A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0418 with integrated means for changing the degree of curvature, e.g. for easy intubation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0486 Multi-lumen tracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0266 Shape memory materials

Abstract

An endotracheal tube has a shaft extruded of a plastics material with a lumen within its wall. A rod of a malleable metal extends along the lumen and is spaced from opposite ends of the tube. The tube can be bent to retain a desired bend where it emerges from the patient'"'"'s mouth.

Claims

1. A medico-surgical tube comprising:

a shaft of a first material; and

a separate member of a second, different material extending along a region of the length of said shaft, said second material being such that said tube can be bent by a user to a desired angle anywhere along said region with said tube retaining the angle of the bend.

2. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said second material is in the form of a rod of a malleable metal extending longitudinally along said region.

3. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said second material is a shape memory effect material.

4. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said region is spaced from a patient end of said tube.

5. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said region is spaced from a machine end of said tube.

6. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said first material is a plastics.

7. An endotracheal tube according to claim 1, wherein said region in use extends partly within and partly outside the body, and wherein said tube is bent at an angle where it emerges from the body such that a machine end of said tube extends substantially parallel with the patient'"'"'s anatomy.

8. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said tube is extruded with a lumen within its wall, and wherein said second material extends along said lumen.

9. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said tube is curved along its length, and wherein said second material extends along an inside of the curve of said tube.

10. A tube according to claim 1, wherein said tube is reinforced with a helical reinforcement member.

11. An endotracheal tube comprising:

a shaft of a plastics material; and

a separate member of a malleable metal extending within a wall of said shaft along a region of the length of said shaft, said region being spaced from a patient end of said tube and extending where said tube in use extends through the mouth of the patient such that the tube can be bent by a user to a desired angle in the region of the mouth and retains the bend during use.