Surface energy assisted fluid transport system

• US 20030145860A1
• Filed: 12/16/2002
• Published: 08/07/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Eidon, LLC
• Original Assignee: Eidon, LLC
• Inventors: Johnson, Roger N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,204,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0009 with sub-atmospheric pressure, e.g. during expiration
• 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 16/0459 one cuff behind another
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0479 above the cuff, e.g. giving access to the upper trachea
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0486 Multi-lumen tracheal tubes

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, systems, devices, and methods for using surface energy to assist in fluid transport or separation. One example includes removing mucus from a subject'"'"'s lungs during mechanical ventilation of the subject using a tracheal tube. At least one wicking fluid pickup port is located more distal than a sealing device between the tracheal tube and the trachea. Surface energy assists in introducing mucus into the port. A peristalsis or other pump is used to remove from the subject a substantially contiguous column of the wicked-in liquid. Ventilation of the subject is not impaired by the mucus removal. Safety venting reduces or avoids damage to tissue occluding the port. Other structures may assist in directing the mucus toward the port. Various illustrative examples include single lumen tracheal tubes, double lumen tracheal tubes, two-piece tracheal tubes (having outer and inner cannulas) and bronchial blockers. This document also discusses several other exemplary applications, such as oil/water separation, transportation of a lubricant to a drill bit tip, waste separation and/or solidification.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an elongated member, sized and shaped to be inserted within a subject'"'"'s trachea, the elongated member including proximal and distal ends;

a seal, extending around the elongated member at or near the distal end of the elongated member;

at least one wicking fluid pickup port, positioned at or near the distal end of the elongated member, the at least one wicking fluid pickup port located more distal than at least a portion of the seal; and

at least one lumen, coupled in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid pickup port and extending toward the proximal end of the elongated member.

2. The system of claim 1, in which the elongated member includes an airflow lumen extending longitudinally from at or near the distal end of the elongated member to or near the proximal end of the elongated member.

3. The system of claim 2, in which the airflow lumen is sized to provide adequate ventilation to at least one lung of a person when the airflow lumen is coupled, at or near the proximal end of the elongated member, to a mechanical ventilator.

4. The system of claim 1, in which the seal includes a cuff.

5. The system of claim 4, in which at least a portion of the cuff includes an inflatable bladder.

6. The system of claim 5, further comprising a cuff lumen, coupled in fluid communication with the inflatable bladder, the cuff lumen extending longitudinally to or near the proximal end of the elongated member.

7. The system of claim 6, in which the elongated member includes a hollow tube including a ventilation airflow lumen extending between the distal end of the elongated member and the proximal end of the elongated member, and in which at least a portion of the cuff lumen extends longitudinally through a sidewall portion of the hollow tube.

8. The system of claim 6, in which the elongated member includes a hollow tube including a ventilation airflow lumen extending between the distal end of the elongated member and the proximal end of the elongated member, and in which at least a portion of the cuff lumen extends longitudinally within the ventilation airflow center lumen.

9. The system of claim 6, further comprising a pump, coupled in fluid communication with the cuff lumen and configured to inflate the inflatable bladder portion of the cuff.

10. The system of claim 1, in which the at least one wicking fluid pickup port includes at least one of a size, shape, and material characteristic that obtains a surface energy capable of assisting in introducing mucus into the at least one wicking fluid pickup port.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one hollow prong located at or near the distal end of the elongated member.

12. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one prong located at or near the distal end of the elongated member, the prong located with respect to the at least one wicking fluid port such that it directs mucus toward the at least one wicking fluid port.

13. The system of claim 12, in which the at least one prong is sized or shaped to extend generally radially outward from the elongated member to contact an inner tracheal wall when the distal end of the elongated member is positioned within a trachea of a person.

14. The system of claim 12, in which the at least one prong includes at least one pair of prongs, the prongs located more closely to each other at locations nearer to the elongated member, and the prongs located farther from each other at locations farther from the elongated member.

15. The system of claim 1, in which the at least one wicking fluid port includes a first and second wicking fluid ports, located with respect to each other such that when the first wicking fluid port is pointed toward contact with a portion of an inner wall of the trachea, the second wicking fluid port is pointed away from contact with that portion of the inner wall of the trachea.

16. The system of claim 1, further including a pump coupled in fluid communication with the at least one lumen that is in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid pickup port.

17. The system of claim 16, in which the pump includes a peristalsis pump.

18. The system of claim 16, in which the pump is configured to provide a pressure that draws a substantially contiguous liquid column through the at least one lumen that is in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid port.

19. The system of claim 1, further including a holding receptacle coupled in fluid communication with the at least one lumen that is in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid port.

20. The system of claim 1, in which the seal includes a distal portion oriented toward the distal end of the elongated member, and in which the distal portion of the seal includes at least one wicking channel positioned, with respect to the at least one wicking fluid pickup port, to direct fluid toward the at least wicking fluid pickup port.

21. The system of claim 1, in which the elongated member includes a ventilation airflow lumen extending longitudinally between the distal end of the elongated member and the proximal end of the elongated member, further comprising at least one tube, sized and shaped to be inserted within the ventilation airflow lumen, the at least one tube carrying the at least one wicking fluid pickup port, the at least one tube providing the at least one lumen that is coupled in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid pickup port.

22. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one fluid pickup port, positioned near the distal end of the elongated member, the at least one fluid pickup port located more proximal than the seal; and

at least one lumen, in fluid communication with the at least one fluid pickup port located more proximal than the seal and extending toward the proximal end of the elongated member.

23. The system of claim 22, in which the at least one fluid pickup port located more proximal than the seal includes a wicking fluid pickup port.

24. The system of claim 1, in which the elongated member is sized and shaped to be inserted through an airflow passage of a tracheal tube assembly to a desired bronchial tube of the subject.

25. A system comprising:

elongated first and second tubes, each having distal and proximal ends, the first tube attached to the second tube, the first and second tubes sized and shaped to be inserted together within a subject'"'"'s trachea such that the distal end of the second tube is positioned in one of the subject'"'"'s bronchial tubes when the distal end of the first tube is positioned in the subject'"'"'s trachea;

a first seal, at or near the distal end of the first tube, the first seal extending around the first and second tubes;

a second seal, at or near the distal end of the second tube, the second seal extending around the second tube;

at least one wicking fluid pickup port, positioned, with respect to the first and second tubes, more distal than at least one of the first and second seals; and

at least one lumen, coupled in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid pickup port and extending toward the proximal end of at least one of the first and second tubes.

26. The system of claim 25, in which the first seal includes an inflatable first cuff, the second seal includes an inflatable second cuff.

27. The system of claim 26, further comprising a pump coupled in fluid communication with the at least one lumen, the pump configured to draw a substantially contiguous liquid column through the at least one lumen.

28. The system of claim 27, in which the pump includes a peristalsis pump.

29. A system for use with a tracheal tube having distal and proximal ends and a first lumen therebetween, the tracheal tube having an inflatable cuff located at or near the distal end of the tracheal tube, the system comprising:

an inner tube, having distal and proximal ends, the inner tube sized and shaped to be inserted into the first lumen of the tracheal tube, the inner tube including a second lumen between its distal and proximal ends, the second lumen sized and shaped to provide ventilation airflow when the proximal end of the inner tube is coupled to a mechanical ventilator;

at least one wicking fluid pickup port, located at or near the distal end of the inner tube such that, when the inner tube is inserted into the first lumen of the tracheal tube, the at least one wicking fluid pickup port is located at or near the distal end of the tracheal tube such that the at least one wicking fluid pickup port is more distal than the inflatable cuff; and

at least one third lumen, carried by the inner tube, the at least one third lumen coupled in fluid communication with the at least one wicking fluid pickup port and extending to or near the proximal end of the inner tube.

30. The system of claim 29, further comprising a pump coupled in fluid communication with the at least one third lumen, the pump configured to draw a substantially contiguous liquid column through the at least one third lumen.

31. The system of claim 30, in which the pump includes a peristalsis pump.

32. A method comprising:

inserting a tube into a subject'"'"'s trachea;

obstructing airflow at a first location outside of the tube and inside the trachea;

ventilating at least one of the subject'"'"'s lungs through the tube;

wicking fluid, at a location that is more distal than the first location; and

drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject.

33. The method of claim 32, in which the obstructing airflow includes inflating a cuff.

34. The method of claim 32, in which the drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject includes drawing a substantially contiguous liquid column through a lumen.

35. The method of claim 32, in which the drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject includes using a peristalsis pump to provide a pressure for drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject.

36. The method of claim 32, further comprising storing the wicked fluid drawn out of the subject in a holding receptacle external to the subject.

37. The method of claim 32, in which the drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject includes matching a flow rate at which the wicked fluid is drawn out of the subject to a mucus generation rate of the subject.

38. The method of claim 32, further comprising directing mucus toward at least one wicking fluid pickup port.

39. The method of claim 32, further comprising limiting a pressure buildup, at a wicking fluid pickup port occluded by tissue.

40. The method of claim 32, further comprising obstructing airflow at a second inside one of the subject'"'"'s bronchial tubes.

41. The method of claim 40, further comprising wicking fluid at a location that is more distal than the second location, and drawing out of the subject the fluid wicked at the location that is more distal than the second location.

42. The method of claim 32, further comprising collecting fluid at a third location that is more proximal than the first location, and drawing out of the subject the fluid collected at the third location.

43. A method comprising:

inserting an outer cannula of a two-piece inflatable cuff tracheal tube into a subject'"'"'s trachea;

inflating the cuff to obstruct airflow between the outer cannula and the trachea;

inserting an inner cannula of the two-piece inflatable cuff tracheal tube into the outer cannula;

ventilating at least one of the subject'"'"'s lungs through the inner cannula;

wicking fluid, using a wicking fluid pickup portal carried by the inner cannula, at a location that is more distal than the cuff; and

drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject.

44. The method of claim 43, in which the drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject includes drawing a substantially contiguous liquid column through a lumen using a peristalsis pump, and further comprising storing the wicked fluid drawn out of the subject in a holding receptacle external to the subject.

45. The method of claim 44, in which the drawing the wicked fluid out of the subject includes matching a flow rate at which the wicked fluid is drawn out of the subject to a mucus generation rate of the subject.

46. A system comprising:

a fluid transport conduit having first and second ends;

at least one wicking fluid pickup port, located at or near the first end of the fluid transport conduit, the at least one wicking fluid pickup port configured for wicking a fluid into the fluid transport conduit; and

a pump, located at or near the second end of the fluid transport conduit, the pump being in fluid communication with the fluid transport conduit, the pump configured for providing a pressure that transports the wicked-in fluid through the fluid transport conduit.

47. The system of claim 46, further including a holding receptacle coupled in fluid communication with the second end of the fluid transport conduit for receiving the fluid transported through the fluid transport conduit.

48. The system of claim 46, in which the at least one wicking fluid port is configured for promoting wicking of a first constituent component of the fluid and for avoiding wicking of a second constituent component of the fluid.

49. The system of claim 48, in which the fluid includes fuel and water, and the at least one wicking fluid port is configured for promoting wicking the fuel into the fluid transport conduit and for avoiding wicking the water into the fluid transport conduit.

50. The system of claim 46, in which the at least one wicking fluid pickup port is sized having an inner dimension that is selected to be less than or equal to r, wherein r is computed according to:

51. A method comprising:

wicking a fluid into a first end portion of a fluid transport conduit; and

applying, at or near a second end portion of the fluid transport conduit, a pressure at a pressure level that draws the wicked-in fluid through the fluid transport conduit toward the second end portion of the fluid transport lumen.

52. The method of claim 51, in which the wicking includes using at least one wicking fluid pickup port that is configured for promoting wicking of a first constituent component of the fluid and for avoiding wicking of a second constituent component of the fluid.

53. The method of claim 52, in which the fluid includes fuel and water, and in which the wicking includes using at least one wicking fluid port that is configured for promoting wicking the fuel into the fluid transport conduit and for avoiding wicking the water into the fluid transport conduit.

54. The method of claim 51, further including collecting the fluid drawn toward the second end of the fluid transport conduit.

55. The method of claim 51, further including draining a wound using the wicking and the applying the pressure.

56. The method of claim 51, further including solidifying a liquid/solid mixture using the wicking and the applying the pressure.

57. The method of claim 51, further including solidifying digestive wastes using the wicking and the applying the pressure.

58. A drill bit comprising:

an elongated body, including proximal and distal ends;

at least one cutting channel, extending approximately between the proximal and distal ends; and

at least one fluid transport channel, extending approximately between the proximal and distal ends, the at least one fluid transport channel configured to wick a lubricant toward the distal end.