Cardiac monitor with endotracheal sensor

• US 4,967,759 A
• Filed: 08/18/1988
• Issued: 11/06/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Advanced Medical Concepts, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Leonides Y. Teves
• Inventors: Teves, Leonides Y.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Getzow, Scott M.
• Application Number:
  US07/233,629
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 128/715, 128/773, 128/642
• US Class Current: 600/528
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 7/023 for introduction into the body, e.g. into the oesophagus oesophageal ECG probes A61B5/285
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0486 Multi-lumen tracheal tubes
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2205/3368 Temperature

Abstract

An endotracheal tube and inflatable cuff assembly that allows medical instrumentation to be positioned in the trachea. The device remains securely placed in the trachea and allows the passage of gases to the lungs to be controlled. It also provides means for containing various medical instrumentation in a hermetically sealed environment. The device is used during surgery for placement of medical instrumentation, such as heart monitors and electrodes for atrial pacing, inside a hermetically sealed inflatable cuff such that the instrumentation can be appropriately positioned inside the trachea. In another embodiment, no instrumentation is employed so that the inherent limitations of instruments are avoided.

Claims

1. An endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus comprising:

a flexible endotracheal tube for insertion through the mouth of a patient, said tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

means defining a respiratory passage within the endotracheal tube for the control and monitoring of respiration during surgery;

an inflatable cuff disposed near the distal end of the endotracheal tube, said cuff having proximal and distal ends;

the proximal and distal ends of the cuff both being sealed to an outer surface of the endotracheal tube;

said inflatable cuff being of appropriate size when deflated to pass easily through the trachea, and of appropriate size when inflated to contact and conform intimately to the inner wall of the trachea;

at least one flexible lumen disposed lengthwise along the endotracheal tube from said proximal end thereof to the interior of said inflatable cuff;

said at least one lumen being disposed external to said endotracheal tube in contacting relation to said endotracheal tube; and

sound pressure level sensing means within the inflatable cuff for the purpose of sensing changes in the sound pressure level within the cuff, and for producing a signal in response to these changes;

wherein said sound pressure level sensing means includes transmission means for the purpose of transmitting said signal to a monitoring device external to said apparatus.

2. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sound pressure level sensing means is an electro-acoustic transducer.

3. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 2, wherein said transmission means includes at least a pair of conductive wires leading from said electro-acoustic transducer.

4. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 3, wherein there is a first lumen and a second lumen and wherein each of said first and second lumens having respective inner diameters no less than 1.0 mm.

5. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 3, wherein there is a first lumen and a second lumen.

6. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 4 or 5, wherein said first lumen permits inflation of said cuff, and said second lumen permits passage of said electrically conductive wires into said cuff.

7. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sound pressure level sensing means is fixedly installed within said inflatable cuff.

8. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said sound pressure level sensing means is removably installed within said inflatable cuff.

9. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one lumen permits fluid communication with the interior of said inflatable cuff.

10. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 9, wherein means associated with said at least one lumen substantially precludes fluid flow in an outward direction from said inflatable cuff.

11. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one lumen permits insertion of said sound pressure level sensing means into the interior of said inflatable cuff.

12. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 9, wherein said at least one lumen permits removal of said sound pressure level sensing means from the interior of said inflatable cuff.

13. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one lumen has an inner diameter of at least 1.0 mm.

14. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a self-contained radio frequency emitting device, and wherein said sound pressure level sensing means is used in conjunction with said self-contained radio frequency emitting device.

15. An endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus comprising:

an elongate, flexible endotracheal tube,

said tube having a proximal end and a distal end;

an inflatable cuff disposed near the distal end of said tube;

said cuff having a proximal end and a distal end;

the proximal end and distal end of said cuff being sealed to an outer surface of said tube;

at least one flexible lumen disposed in abutting relation to said tube from the proximal end of the tube to a location interior to said cuff;

said at least one flexible lumen being disposed external to said endotracheal tube;

fastening means for permanently maintaining said at least one lumen in abutting relation to said tube;

said lumen and said cuff being filled with a common gaseous fluid so that acoustical signals appearing in the interior of said cuff are transmitted to the proximal end of said flexible lumen where said signals may be heard.

16. The endotracheal heartbeat monitoring apparatus of claim 15, wherein said at least one lumen has an inner diameter of at least 1.0 mm.