Ultrasonic placement and monitoring of an endotracheal tube

• US 20060081255A1
• Filed: 03/31/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Plasiatek LLC
• Original Assignee: Plasiatek LLC
• Inventors: Miller, Michael, Hovland, Claire T.
• Application Number:
  US11/094,849
• Publication Number:
  US 20060081255A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/207.140
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0833 involving detecting or locating foreign bodies or organic structures
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/0841 for locating instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0411 with means for differentiating between oesophageal and tracheal intubation
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/042 with separate conduits for in-and expiration gas, e.g. for limited dead volume
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0438 Liquid-filled
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0484 at the distal end
• 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 2205/3375 Acoustical, e.g. ultrasonic, measuring means

Abstract

A system for ultrasonically placing and monitoring an endotracheal tube within a patient. The system includes an endotracheal tube having a proximal and a distal end and a ventilation lumen disposed there through. A vibration mechanism is coupled to the endotracheal tube. One ultrasonic transducer is located outside the patient'"'"'s body. An ultrasonic imaging apparatus is coupled to the ultrasonic transducer for digitalizing the endotracheal tube within the body.

Claims

1. (canceled)

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a ventilation hub connected to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube, said ventilation hub in fluid communication with the ventilation lumen and an external ventilation unit.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the endotracheal tube further includes an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable cuff.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration mechanism includes a piezoelectric actuator.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said piezoelectric actuator is a Macro Fiber Piezocomposite (MFP) actuator.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration mechanism is coupled to a vibration hub.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the vibration hub is secured to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the vibration mechanism is adapted to induce a transverse-mode vibration along the entire length of the endotracheal tube.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducers comprises an array of ultrasonic transducers.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said ultrasonic imaging means comprises an apparatus adapted to ultrasonically image the endotracheal tube within the patient'"'"'s airway using Doppler imaging.

2. A system for ultrasonically placing and monitoring an endotracheal tube within the airway of a patient, the system comprising:

an endotracheal tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and ventilation lumen disposed therethrough;

a vibration mechanism operatively coupled to the endotracheal tube;

at least one ultrasonic transducer located outside of the patient'"'"'s body; and

ultrasonic imaging means for visualizing the endotracheal tube within the body.

13. A system for ultrasonically placing and monitoring an endotracheal tube within the airway of a patient, the system comprising:

an endotracheal tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and ventilation lumen disposed therethrough;

a vibration mechanism operatively coupled to the endotracheal tube;

an extracorporeal ultrasonic apparatus including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers, said ultrasonic apparatus including a mandible having an upper section adapted to lie adjacent to the anterior surface of the patient'"'"'s neck, and a lower section adapted to lie adjacent to the anterior surface of the patient'"'"'s sternum; and

ultrasonic imaging means for visualizing the endotracheal tube within the body.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising a ventilation hub connected to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube, said ventilation hub in fluid communication with the ventilation lumen and an external ventilation unit.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the endotracheal tube further includes an inflation lumen in fluid communication with an inflatable cuff.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the vibration mechanism includes a piezoelectric actuator.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said piezoelectric actuator is a Macro Fiber Piezocomposite (MFP) actuator.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the vibration mechanism is coupled to a vibration hub.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the vibration hub is secured to the proximal end of the endotracheal tube.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the vibration mechanism is adapted to induce a transverse-mode vibration along the entire length of the endotracheal tube.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein said ultrasonic imaging means comprises an apparatus adapted to ultrasonically image the endotracheal tube within the patient'"'"'s airway using Doppler imaging.

22. The system of claim 13, wherein said plurality of ultrasonic transducers comprises:

a first ultrasonic transducer disposed on the upper section of the mandible; and

a second ultrasonic transducer disposed on the lower section of the mandible.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein said first ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein said first ultrasonic transducer comprises an array of ultrasonic transducer elements.

25. The system of claim 22, wherein said second ultrasonic transducer comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducer elements.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein said second ultrasonic transducer comprises an array of ultrasonic transducer elements.

27. The system of claim 13, wherein the mandible includes a bendable joint configured to permit movement of the upper section of the mandible relative to the lower section thereof.

28. The system of claim 13, wherein the upper section of the mandible has a concaved surface adapted to permit the mandible to least partially surround the anterior surface of the patient'"'"'s neck and sternum when attached thereto.

29. A method of ultrasonically placing and monitoring an endotracheal tube within the airway of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an endotracheal tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and ventilation lumen disposed therethrough;

providing an ultrasonic apparatus including a plurality of ultrasonic transducers and attaching the ultrasonic apparatus to the anterior portion of the patient'"'"'s neck and sternum;

inserting at least a portion of the endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s oral or nasal cavity and advancing the tube into the patient'"'"'s airway;

vibrating the endotracheal tube; and

ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube within the airway.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the endotracheal tube further includes an inflatable cuff in fluid communication with an inflation fluid source, and further comprising the step of expanding the inflatable cuff to provide an air seal within the airway.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising the step of ventilating the patient using an external ventilating unit operatively coupled to the ventilation lumen.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein said step of ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube within the airway comprises the steps of:

ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube at a first position within the airway using a first ultrasonic transducer; and

ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube at a second position within the airway using a second ultrasonic transducer.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein each of said first and second ultrasonic transducers comprises a plurality of ultrasonic transducers.

34. A method of ultrasonically placing an endotracheal tube within the airway of a patient, the method comprising the steps of:

providing an endotracheal tube having a proximal end, a distal end, and ventilation lumen disposed therethrough;

providing an ultrasonic apparatus including a mandible having plurality of ultrasonic transducers and attaching the mandible to the anterior portion of the patient'"'"'s neck and sternum;

inserting at least a portion of the endotracheal tube into the patient'"'"'s oral or nasal cavity and advancing the tube into the patient'"'"'s airway;

vibrating the endotracheal tube;

selectively activating a first ultrasonic transducer on an upper section of the mandible and ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube at a first position within the patient'"'"'s airway;

advancing the endotracheal tube to a second position within the airway; and

selectively activating a second ultrasonic transducer on a lower section of the mandible and ultrasonically visualizing the endotracheal tube at a second position within the patient'"'"'s airway.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the endotracheal tube further includes an inflatable cuff in fluid communication with an inflation fluid source, and further comprising the step of expanding the inflatable cuff to provide an air seal within the airway.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of ventilating the patient using an external ventilating unit operatively coupled to the ventilation lumen.