Method and apparatus for protection of trachea during ventilation

• US 20110290246A1
• Filed: 04/27/2011
• Published: 12/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Airway Medix Spolka ZOO
• Original Assignee: Airway Medix Spolka ZOO
• Inventors: ZACHAR, Oron
• Application Number:
  US13/095,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20110290246A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 128/200.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 29/085 Macromolecular materials
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0445 Special cuff forms, e.g. undulated
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0479 above the cuff, e.g. giving access to the upper trachea
• 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 2205/0205 Materials having antiseptic or antimicrobial properties, e.g. silver compounds, rubber with sterilising agent
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/0238 the material being a coating or protective layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2209/06 Packaging for specific medical equipment

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for intubating a patient, comprising deploying a tracheal tube, a sleeve and a cuff into a human trachea such that after deployment, the tracheal tube passes through the sleeve within the trachea, the cuff contacts the outer surface of the tracheal tube and the inner surface of the sleeve and spaces the sleeve from the tube, and the outer surface of the sleeve contacts the trachea, so as to provide a seal, in the interstitial area between the wall of the trachea and the tube, between a proximal portion of the human trachea above the cuff and a distal portion of the human trachea below the cuff. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for tracheal intubating in a patient in need thereof, comprising aligning, in the trachea of said patient,

(a) a tracheal tube having a distal end which is inserted into the trachea and a proximal end which remains outside the trachea;

(b) a sleeve through which said tracheal tube passes, said sleeve having an inner surface which faces said tracheal tube and an outer surface and proximal and distal ends which correspond to the proximal and distal ends, respectively, of said tracheal tube, the sleeve being of a length less than the distance between the larynx and the carina; and

(c) a cuff which contacts at least a portion of the outer surface of said tracheal tube and at least a portion of said inner surface of said sleeve

in a manner which substantially creates a seal between the distal and proximal ends of the inner surface of said sleeve and the distal and proximal ends of the outer surface of said tracheal tube, whereby to radially space the tracheal tube from the sleeve.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of said sleeve sealingly contacts the wall of said trachea.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said tube is inserted into said trachea before the sleeve is inserted into the trachea.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said tube is inserted into said trachea after the sleeve is inserted into the trachea.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said sleeve and said tube are inserted concomitantly into the trachea.

6. A method of reducing the likelihood of fluids leaking from the trachea of a patient undergoing intubation into a lung theorof, the method comprising deploying a tracheal tube, a sleeve and a cuff into a human trachea such that after deployment, the tracheal tube passes through the sleeve within the trachea, the cuff contacts the outer surface of the tracheal tube and the inner surface of the sleeve and spaces the sleeve from the tube, and the outer surface of the sleeve contacts the trachea, so as to provide a seal, in the interstitial area between the wall of the trachea and the tube, between a proximal portion of the human trachea above the cuff and a distal portion of the human trachea below the cuff.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the cuff is an expandable cuff, the sleeve is longitudinally rigid and radially expandable along at least a portion thereof, and the deploying includes:

(a) simultaneously inserting the tracheal tube, the expandable cuff and the sleeve into the trachea; and

(b) after the inserting, inflating the inflatable cuff,

so as to cause radial expansion of the sleeve and create said seal by contacting the sleeve to an inner surface of the trachea and by sealingly contacting the inner surface of the sleeve and the outer surface of the tube.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the cuff is an expandable cuff, the sleeve is longitudinally rigid and radially expandable along at least a portion thereof, and the deploying includes:

(a) emplacing the sleeve in the trachea of the patient;

(b) thereafter inserting the tube and the cuff into trachea such that the tube passes through the sleeve with cuff positioned between the tube and sleeve; and

(c) thereafter expanding the cuff so that the outer surface of the sleeve contacts the wall of the trachea, the cuff contacts the inner surface of the sleeve and the outer surface of the tube and spaces the sleeve from the tube, whereby to provide said seal.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the cuff is an expandable cuff, the sleeve is longitudinally rigid and radially expandable along at least a portion thereof, and the deploying includes:

(a) inserting the tube and the cuff into trachea;

(b) emplacing the sleeve in the trachea of the patient such that the tube passes through the sleeve with cuff positioned between the tube and sleeve; and

(c) thereafter expanding the cuff so that the outer surface of the sleeve contacts the wall of the trachea, the cuff contacts the inner surface of the sleeve and the outer surface of the tube and spaces the sleeve from the tube, whereby to provide said seal.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the sleeve is sized and shaped to contact the tracheal wall.

11. A method according to according to claim 10 wherein the sleeve has a substantially circular cross-section.

12. A method according to according to claim 11, wherein the maximum diameter of the sleeve is not more than about 2.5 cm.

13. A method according to claim 10 wherein the sleeve has a non-circular cross section.

14. A method according to claim 10, wherein the sleeve is sized and shaped to contact the tracheal wall in a manner which substantially seals the lungs from the pharynx.

15. A method according to claim 10, wherein said sleeve is of a length that fits between the larynx and the carina.

16. A method according to claim 15, wherein said sleeve has a length of from 2 to 8 cm.

17. A method according to claim 16, wherein the distal end of the sleeve is positioned 2 to 6 cm above the carina.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the sleeve is substantially rigid in its axial direction along at least 50% of its length.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the sleeve is substantially rigid in its axial direction along at least 60% of its length.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the sleeve is substantially rigid in its axial direction along at least 70% of its length.

21-197. -197. (canceled)