Endotracheal tube combination

• US 4,840,173 A
• Filed: 02/22/1988
• Issued: 06/20/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: John W. Porter III
• Original Assignee: John W. Porter III
• Inventors: Porter, John W. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Burr, Edgar S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Asher, Kimberly L.
• Application Number:
  US07/158,634
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 128/911, 128/912, 128/205.19, 128/207.14, 128/205.12, 128/207.18, 128/207.15, 128/200.26, 604/35, 604/102, 604/128
• US Class Current: 128/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0479 above the cuff, e.g. giving access to the upper trachea
• 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

An endotracheal tube having dual passages provided by the merging of a ventilation tube and a suction tube. The ventilation tube is adapted to project into a patient'"'"'s trachea to the position of the carina anterior. An inflatable cuff surrounds the ventilation tube and prevents passage of fluids to and from the lungs. The suction passage terminates at the cuff with openings into the suction passage for suctioning secretions that pool around the cuff. The tubes as merged enable entry of the dual passages into the trachea past the vocal cords. As protruded from the patient'"'"'s mouth, the tubes are separated to be connected to the respective ventilation machine and secretion suction machine.

Claims

1. An endotracheal tube for ventilating the lungs of a patient comprising;

a ventilation tube adapted to extend from a gas source into and through the mouth of the patient, past the epiglottis into the trachea and past the vocal chords to end at a position above the carina, an inflatable cuff surrounding the tube inwardly of the extended end and when in position in the trachea, located between the carina and vocal cords, air injection means connected to the cuff for injecting air into the cuff to expand the cuff against the trachea wall for sealing off passage of air around the cuff, and a suction tube defining a suction passage, said suction tube independent of the ventilation tube at its exterior end and merging with the ventilation tube to form a near-circular configuration having independent dual passages and adaptable for passage through the epiglottis and vocal cords in the trachea, said suction passage being non-communicative with the ventilation passage, said suction tube terminating at an interior end juxtaposed to the inflated cuff to provide an open passage to the space immediately above the cuff, said suction tube end having multiple openings in communication with fluids that pool around the cuff so as not to be blocked by the cuff, said cuff has a section that is immediately adjacent to the suction tube end that is less flexible than the remainder of the inflatable cuff, said interior end of said suction tube having an end opening positioned adjacent said cuff and juxtaposed the inflated portion of said cuff whereby suction from the suction passage acting against said cuff section is inhibited from closing the openings thereof, and said suction tube having an opposite exterior end for projection out of the patient'"'"'s mouth and separated from the ventilation tube, and connection means for connecting the suction tube to a source of negative air pressure.

2. A process for ventilating the lungs of a patient which comprises;

providing a dual-passage endotracheal tube wherein the passages are separated at an exterior end and merged into one configuration for insertion into the trachea and past the patient'"'"'s vocal cords, said dual-passage endotracheal tube inserted into the trachea of a patient, projecting one of the passage ends to the carina and terminating the second passage end short of the first passage end and past the vocal cords, sealing around the tube with an inflatable flexible cuff at a position juxtaposed to the second passage end and between the two passage ends whereby air is prevented from backing up from the lungs around the tube and secretions are prevented from passing around the sealed area into the lungs, and ventilating the patient'"'"'s lungs through the one passage and suctioning substantially all the secretions that pool up due to the sealing, through the second passage end, and providing the inflatable cuff with a less flexible portion, that portion being juxtaposed the second passage end for preventing said second passage end from becoming blocked.

3. A process as defined in claim 2 wherein solutions including medication is inserted into the trachea through the second passage.