Endotracheal tube assembly and related method
First Claim
1. An endotracheal assembly comprising:
- an endotracheal tube;
a malleable obturator inside said tube for enabling a placement of a distal end of said tube into a patient'"'"'s trachea; and
pressure-sensitive detector means mounted to said obturator at a distal end thereof for detecting air or gas pressure above a predetermined threshold exerted against a distal end of said obturator upon placement of said tube with said obturator into the patient.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An endotracheal assembly comprises an endotracheal tube, a malleable obturator inside the tube for enabling a placement of a distal end of the tube into a patient'"'"'s trachea, and a pressure-sensitive detector mounted to the obturator at a distal end thereof for detecting air or gas pressure above a predetermined threshold exerted against a distal end of the obturator upon placement of the tube with the obturator into the patient. Upon an initial insertion of the tube and the obturator into a patient'"'"'s trachea and possible manipulation of the tube and the obturator to effectuate a placement of the tube, a compressive pressure is exerted externally on the patient'"'"'s chest. The compressive pressure forces air out of the patient'"'"'s lungs and, if the tube and obturator assembly is properly placed, effectuates a change in the condition of the pressure sensor. That change in condition indicates that pressure above a predetermined level was exerted against the detector element.
80 Citations
15 Claims
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1. An endotracheal assembly comprising:
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an endotracheal tube; a malleable obturator inside said tube for enabling a placement of a distal end of said tube into a patient'"'"'s trachea; and pressure-sensitive detector means mounted to said obturator at a distal end thereof for detecting air or gas pressure above a predetermined threshold exerted against a distal end of said obturator upon placement of said tube with said obturator into the patient. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A device for determining proper placement of an endotracheal tube, comprising:
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a malleable obturator insertable inside an endotracheal tube; and pressure-sensitive detector means mounted to said obturator at a distal end thereof for detecting air or gas pressure above a predetermined threshold exerted against a distal end of said obturator upon placement of an endotracheal tube, with said obturator disposed therein, into the patient. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for placing an endotracheal tube, comprising the steps of:
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initially inserting into a patient'"'"'s trachea an endotracheal tube longitudinally traversed at least partially by an obturator made of a malleable material; manipulating said tube and said obturator to effectuate a placement of said tube; upon a placement of said tube with said obturator, exerting compressive pressure externally on the patient'"'"'s chest; upon exertion of compressive pressure on the patient'"'"'s chest, withdrawing said obturator; and inspecting a pressure measurement element mounted to a distal end of said obturator to determine the whether said distal end of said obturator has been exposed to a gaseous pressure in excess of a predetermined level, thereby determining that a distal end of said tube is properly placed in the patient. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification