Neonatal airway adaptor

• US 20050279362A1
• Filed: 05/09/2005
• Published: 12/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/08/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Oridion Medical 1987 Limited (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Levitsky, Gershon, Colman, Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,483 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/08 Bellows; Connecting tubes having means for taking samples G01N1/22; Water traps; Patient circuits
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/085 Gas sampling
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2230/43 Composition of exhalation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/911 Unilimb inhalation-exhalation breathing tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body

Abstract

This invention is a neonatal airway adapter (10) with a sliding internal passage (54), which virtually eliminates void volumes (112) within the bore (76) of the airways, such that mixing of the exhales pages with void gases is reduced, and the waveform of the breath is maintained without undue distortion. Furthermore, the virtual elimination of void volumes reduces the level of re-breathing. The neonatal airway adapter connects to endotracheal tube adapters is such a way as to nullify the effect of the differing internal diameters (20) and internal lengths which are used in ET adapters currently available. The cross section of the internal bore of the airway through which the breath flows from the ET adapter to the connector of the ventilator is maintained almost constant, especially in the region of the gas sampling point (66), to ensure that reasonable conditions of laminar flow, and accurate sampling are maintained.

Claims

1-22. -22. (canceled)

23. An airway adapter comprising:

a first end section for connecting to an endotracheal tube adapter and extending along a first axis, said first end section having disposed at least partially therein a passage having an internal diameter and extending along a second axis;

a second end section for connecting to a ventilating tube connector, said second end section being in fluid communication with said passage;

a breath sampling port in fluid communication with said passage; and

a generally tubular resiliently extendible passage extension which is coupled to said passage and is retractable axially along said second axis.

24. An airway adapter according to claim 23 and wherein said passage extension retracts axially along said second axis towards said second end section as said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

25. An airway adapter according to claim 23 and wherein said first and second axes are identical.

26. An airway adapter according to claim 23 and wherein:

said endotracheal tube adapter includes a relatively narrow breath passageway which terminates at a breath passageway opening in a wall; and

said

generally tubular resilient extendible passage extension establishes generally sealing engagement with said wall surrounding said breath passageway opening for providing breath communication between said passage and said breath passageway via said extendible passage extension when said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

27. An airway adapter comprising:

a first end section for connecting to an endotracheal tube adapter and extending along a first axis, said first end section having disposed partially therein a passage having an internal diameter;

a second end section for connecting to a ventilating tube connector, said second end section being in fluid communication with said passage; and

a breath sampling port in fluid communication with said passage, said passage extending axially along a second axis away from said second end section beyond said first end section.

28. An airway adapter according to claim 27 and wherein said first and second axes are identical.

29. An airway adapter according to claim 27 and wherein:

said endotracheal tube adapter includes a relatively narrow breath passageway which terminates at a breath passageway opening in a wall; and

said passage establishes generally sealing engagement with said wall surrounding said breath passageway opening for providing breath communication between said passage and said endotracheal tube adapter when said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

30. An airway adapter according to claim 27 and also including a generally tubular resiliently extendible passage extension coupled to said passage, axially retractable along said second axis towards said second end section as said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

31. An airway adapter comprising:

a first end section for connecting to an endotracheal tube adapter, said first end section having disposed partially therein a passage having an internal diameter;

a second end section for connecting to a ventilating tube connector, said second end section being in fluid communication with said passage; and

a breath sampling port in fluid communication with said passage, said passage extending away from said second end section beyond said first end section.

32. An airway adapter according to claim 31 and wherein:

said endotracheal tube adapter includes a relatively narrow breath passageway which terminates at a breath passageway opening in a wall; and

said passage establishes generally sealing engagement with said wall surrounding said breath passageway opening for providing breath communication between said passage and said endotracheal tube adapter when said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

33. An airway adapter according to claim 31 and also including a generally tubular resiliently extendible passage extension coupled to said passage, retractable towards said second end section as said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

34. An airway adapter comprising:

a first end section for connecting to an endotracheal tube adapter;

a second end section for connecting to a ventilating tube connector in fluid communication with said first end section; and

a breath sampling port in fluid communication with the interior of said endotracheal tube adapter at a location therein upstream of said first end section.

35. An airway adapter according to claim 34 and wherein said first end section defines a passage.

36. An airway adapter according to claim 35 and wherein said first end section extends along a first axis and said passage extends along a second axis.

37. An airway adapter according to claim 36 and wherein said first and said second axes are identical.

38. An airway adapter according to claim 36 and wherein said passage extends along said second axis away from said second end section beyond said first end section.

39. An airway adapter according to claim 35 and wherein said second end section is in fluid communication with said passage.

40. An airway adapter according to claim 35 and wherein said breath sampling port is in fluid communication with said passage.

41. An airway adapter according to claim 35 and also including a generally tubular resiliently extendible passage extension coupled to said passage, axially retractable towards said second end section as said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.

42. An airway adapter according to claim 35 and wherein:

said endotracheal tube adapter includes a relatively narrow breath passageway which terminates at a breath passageway opening in a wall; and

said passage establishes generally sealing engagement with said wall surrounding said breath passageway opening for providing breath communication between said passage and said endotracheal tube adapter when said airway adapter is pushed onto said endotracheal tube adapter.