CURVATURE-ADJUSTABLE ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE

• US 20140041665A1
• Filed: 04/27/2012
• Published: 02/13/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yonsei University
• Original Assignee: Yonsei University
• Inventors: Hwang, Sung Oh
• Granted Patent: US 9,364,628 B2
• 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 16/0434 Cuffs

Abstract

Disclosed is a curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube includes: a hollow cylindrical tube body configured to maintain a patient'"'"'s airway; and a curvature-adjusting wire configured to allow an operator to freely adjust the curvature of the tube body to correspond to the curvature of the patient'"'"'s airway into which the tube body is inserted. Both ends of the curvature-adjusting wire are respectively fixed to a distal portion and a proximal portion of the tube body such that the distal portion is pulled and bent when the proximal portion is bent by the operator.

Claims

1. A curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube comprising:

a hollow cylindrical tube body configured to maintain a patient'"'"'s airway; and

a curvature-adjusting wire configured to allow an operator to freely adjust the curvature of the tube body to correspond to the curvature of the patient'"'"'s airway into which the tube body is inserted,

wherein both ends of the curvature-adjusting wire are respectively fixed to a distal portion and a proximal portion of the tube body such that the distal portion is pulled and bent when the proximal portion is bent by the operator.

2. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, wherein the curvature adjusting wire comprises:

a first joint fixed to a side of an inner circumferential surface of the distal portion;

a second joint fixed to a side of an inner circumferential surface of the proximal end to be diametrically opposite to the fixed position of the first joint; and

a connecting portion disposed slantly within a hollow portion of the tube body so as to interconnect the first joint and the second joint.

3. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, wherein the tube body comprises a first corrugated tube which is provided on a surface of the distal portion so as to allow the distal portion to be bent by being folded according to an operation of the curvature adjusting wire.

4. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, wherein the tube body includes a second corrugated tube which is provided on a surface of the proximal portion so as to allow the proximal portion to be bent by being folded according to an operation of the curvature adjusting wire.

5. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, further comprising:

a lever which is provided at an end of the curvature adjusting wire adjacent to the proximal portion so as to allow the operator to grip the lever by hand.

6. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 5, wherein the lever is formed in a ring shape so as to allow the operator to hook a finger into the lever to pull the curvature adjusting wire.

7. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, wherein the distal portion is processed such that one end of the distal portion is tapered to be easily inserted into the patient'"'"'s airway.

8. The curvature-adjustable endotracheal tube of claim 1, further comprising a balloon coupled to the distal portion and configured to fix the position of the tube body by being inflated after the distal portion is inserted into the patient'"'"'s airway.