Automatic dye dispersant for endotracheal tubes and catheters
First Claim
1. An endotracheal tube having a conduit with a main air flow passage, an inflation lumen formed in said conduit noncommunicable with said main air flow passage, a pilot balloon communicable with said inflation lumen, an expandable inflation cuff joined to said conduit for inflation by a liquid infused through said inflation lumen, and a preinstalled leak detection dye material provided in said pilot balloon in dry form adapted for dispersal in said cuff responsive to infusion of said liquid through said pilot balloon and into said cuff.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An indwelling device for passing fluids into or out of the body includes an inflatable cuff for lodging the device within a body passage. The inflatable cuff is inflated with a fluid such as saline. Prior to the inflation process a dye dispersant material such as methylene blue is incorporated in dry form within the inflation cuff and/or within an inflation lumen which leads to the inflation cuff and/or within a pilot balloon which is accessed by a source of saline fluid. Thus, as the cuff is inflated with saline, the methylene blue dissolves and disperses in the saline enabling the saline to take on the color of the methylene blue dye. A buffer is combined with the methylene blue to enhance the dispersal of the dye in the saline. Potential piercing of the expanded cuff after it is filled with methylene blue provides a blue stain or leak that is easily recognized as a sign of damage to the cuff. Correction steps can thus be taken to repair or replace the endotracheal tube as soon as the leak is recognized.
-
Citations
22 Claims
- 1. An endotracheal tube having a conduit with a main air flow passage, an inflation lumen formed in said conduit noncommunicable with said main air flow passage, a pilot balloon communicable with said inflation lumen, an expandable inflation cuff joined to said conduit for inflation by a liquid infused through said inflation lumen, and a preinstalled leak detection dye material provided in said pilot balloon in dry form adapted for dispersal in said cuff responsive to infusion of said liquid through said pilot balloon and into said cuff.
-
4. A method to facilitate detection of leakage from the cuff of an endotracheal tube or catheter having an inflation lumen including,
a. preinstalling a dry dye dispersant material to be dissolved in the cuff or inflation lumen of the endotracheal tube or catheter before inflating the cuff and, b. thereafter inflating the cuff with a liquid inflation material to dissolve the dye dispersant material such that the inflation fluid in the cuff takes on the color of the dye dispersant material.
- 10. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff including a dye dispersant material in powder form, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for us in inflating said cuff.
-
14. The combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff including a dye dispersant material in pellet form, said dye dispersant material being material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
-
15. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff having an inner surface and a dye dispersant material as a coating on said inner surface, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
- 16. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff including a porous material, a dye dispersant material, said dye dispersant material loaded in said porous material, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
-
19. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said inflation lumen having an inner surface and a dye dispersant material as a coating on said inner surface, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
-
20. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff including a pilot balloon, said pilot balloon having a dye dispersant material therein, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for infusing said pilot balloon and thereby inflating said cuff.
-
21. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff having an inflation lumen, said inflation lumen including a dye dispersant material therein in a form selected from the group consisting of powder, pellet, coating and an adsorbed constituent of a porous material, said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
-
22. In combination, a tube having opposite end portions and a fluid flow lumen for conducting the flow of fluid from one of the end portions to the other end portion, said tube being provided with an inflation lumen noncommunicable with said fluid flow lumen for passage of liquid inflation fluid, and a flexible inflatable cuff joined to a predetermined peripheral surface portion of said tube for fluid inflation from a substantially collapsed condition to a substantially expanded condition to lodge said cuff and said tube in a substantially fixed position in a body passage while said cuff is in said inflated condition, said cuff including a pilot balloon, said pilot balloon having a dye dispersant material therein, said dye dispersant material being in the form selected from the group consisting of powder, pellet, coating and an adsorbed constituent of a porous material said dye dispersant material being a material which dissolves in said liquid inflation fluid to form a liquid having a distinctive color for use in inflating said cuff.
Specification