Bronchial catheter

• US 4,716,896 A
• Filed: 08/01/1986
• Issued: 01/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 08/01/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ackrad Laboratories, Inc. (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ackrad Laboratories, Inc. (The Cooper Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Ackerman, Bernard
• Primary Examiner(s): Coven, Edward M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lacyk, J. P.
• Application Number:
  US06/892,792
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• Field of Search: 128/200.26, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.16, 128/207.17, 604/119
• US Class Current: 128/200.26
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 1/7411 by changing the size of a vent in combination with changing the cross-section of the line A61M1/7413
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0404 with means for selective or partial lung respiration
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections

Abstract

A system for positioning a catheter in the left bronchus of a patient, who is undergoing a medical procedure with an endotracheal tube to control the patient'"'"'s breathing. The catheter tube is shaped in a concave curve and is semi-rigid and capable of being biased. The endotracheal tube is shaped in a concave curve in a plane generally aligned in the left-right bisecting plane of the body of the patient. A bronchial curved portion of the catheter extends outwardly from the bottom area of the catheter tube at an angle from the bisecting plane toward the left bronchus. The curved catheter aligns with the curvature of the endotracheal tube during the insertion process and the bronchial curved portion automatically aligns with the left main-stem bronchus. Further insertion results in the final positioning of the distal end of the catheter in the left bronchus. The catheter can be used for either evacuation of mucous or for the injection of a fluid, such as a mucous thinner. The catheter may also be inserted into a curved tracheotomy tube used in a tracheotomy procedure.

Claims

1. A bronchial catheter system for insertion of a catherter through an endotracheal tube positioned in the main tracheal passage of a patient and then into the left bronchial passage, comprising, in combination,

a preformed endotracheal tube adapted to be positioned in the tracheal passage and having an open external end located outside the patient and an open internal end located in the trachea proximal to the left and right bronchial passages of the patient,

tube means adapted to be positioned in the endotracheal tube and in the bronchial passage, said tube means having a proximal end adapted to be located outside the patient and a distal end adapted to be located in the left bronchial passage of the patient, said tube means defining a first tube section extending from said proximal end to a first joining portion extending from said proximal end;

a second tube section joined to said first joining portion and extending to a second joining portion; and

a third tube section extending from said second joining portion to said distal end, said tube means being for passing fluids between the left bronchus and said proximal end, said distal end having aperture means for passing the fluids between the left bronchus and said tube means,

first positioning means associated with said first tube section for positioning said endotracheal tube in the trachea of the patient, said first tube section being precurved to extend from said proximal end to a first joining portion in a first plane, said first plane being aligned with the left-right bisecting plane of the body of the patient and having forward and rearward portions and upper and lower portions relative the body of the patient, said proximal end being positioned forwardly and upwardly and said joining portion being positioned at an area downwardly and generally between said forward and rearward portions, said first section forming a front to back tracheal curve between said proximal end and said first joining portion so as to accommodate to the tracheal curve of the treacheal passage of the body;

second positioning means associated with said second tube section for positioning said endotracheal tube in the left bronchus of the patient, said second tube portion being precurved to extend in a second plane oriented at a downward obtuse angle relative to said first plane extending from a transverse planar conjuction between said first and second planes so as to pass into the left tracheal passage upon insertion, said second tube section also simultaneously extending forwardly in said second plane so as to accommodate the bronchial curce of the bronchial passage, and

third positioning means associated with said tube means for pressing against the top inner surface of the bronchial wall during insertion of the catherer into the left bronchial passage of the patient, said third tube section being precurved to extend in a third plane generally parallel to said first plane and forwardly relative to said second joining area.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said third tube section extends forwardly from said second joining area to said distal end in a plane generally normal to said first plane.