Two part closed tracheal suction system

• US 5,775,325 A
• Filed: 08/01/1996
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ronald D. Russo
• Original Assignee: Ronald D. Russo
• Inventors: Russo, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): SRIVASTAVA, VIRENDRA KUMAR
• Application Number:
  US08/691,091
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 128/205.12, 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.16, 128/912, 128/202.27, 604/171, 604/167, 604/256
• US Class Current: 128/205.12
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0463 combined with suction tubes, catheters or the like; Outside connections
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0825 with ball-sockets
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 128/912 Connections and closures for tubes delivering fluids to or from the body

Abstract

A two part closed tracheal suction system comprising a first part connector for attachment to an endotracheal tube and a ventilator circuit wherein the connector includes a normally closed entrance seal directly manually accessible and preferably manually deformable to open up an access opening to the connector, and the entrance seal automatically returning to its normally closed position upon manual release of the seal.

Claims

1. A connector for use in a ventilator system including a conduit adapted for connection between a patient'"'"'s trachea via an endotracheal tube and a respirator, said connector having a body defining a first opening for connection to the endotracheal tube and a second opening for connection to the respirator;

the improvement comprising said body defining a third opening generally oriented opposite said first opening and wherein said third opening is normally biased closed by an entrance seal valve positioned in said body, said valve including a structural portion located on the outside of said body and operable by depressing directly manually from the outside of said body during operation of the ventilator system so as to move and maintain said valve to and in an open position by the continual and direct application of external force to said valve structural portion, said valve automatically adapted to return to its normally closed position when said force application is removed, said valve permitting entrance and removal of a suction tube into and through said third opening when said valve is opened.

2. The connector of claim 1, said valve structural portion being deformable by the manual application of force thereto.

3. The connector of claim 2, said connector body having opposed sides and said manual force application structural portions externally positioned on said opposite sides of said body whereby said manual force application is created by one handed force application to said force application structural portions.

4. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the manually deformable valve is of duck bill configuration with a pre-slit opening therethrough for opening and closing said valve.

5. The assembly of claim 2 wherein the valve includes walls having an internal pre-slit opening which is normally biased closed, said walls deformable to open said opening by said continual and direct manual application of force to said structural portion.

6. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector is part of a normally closed to atmosphere tracheal suction system.

7. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector has at least one swivel opening.

8. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the connector includes an administration port for delivery of fluid.

9. The assembly of claim 1 wherein the suction tube is a flexible suction catheter.

25. The connector of claim 1, said valve preventing the entrance therethrough of an implement when said valve is in the closed position.

10. The method of endotracheal suctioning of a breathing patient who is connected to an endotracheal tube and a gaseous respirator circuit including a connector conduit that maintains positive end expiratory pressure within the lungs of the patient, comprising the steps of:

providing an opening in said conduit near the endotracheal tube which is normally substantially closed off by an entrance seal with an opening biased to normally maintain the opening closed;

opening the seal by the application of external force to a structural portion located on the outside of the conduit so as to permit the entrance of a suction tube therethrough;

thereafter

passing the suction tube through said opening and thence into a patient'"'"'s lungs through the endotracheal tube by continuing to advance the suction tube into the patient'"'"'s lungs while maintaining the seal to its open position by the continual application of said external force; and

thereafter suctioning the lungs of the patient to remove fluid therefrom through the suctioning tube, and removing the suctioning tube from said conduit through said seal once suctioning is completed, whereby the opening closes once the suctioning tube is removed, and the valve is no longer maintained in its open position so as to maintain positive end expiratory pressure within the circuit.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said seal is opened by the manual application of force.

21. The method of claim 10 wherein said seal is deformable to its open position.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein said seal includes deformable walls having an internal preslit opening therein, said walls deformable to open said opening by direct application of manual force to said body conduit.

12. A closed tracheal suction system having at least two separable parts, comprising a first part frontal connector having a body including a first opening connected to a patient'"'"'s endotracheal tube, a second opening connected to a respirator for delivery of ventilation into the endotracheal tube, and a third opening including a normally biased closed entrance seal which includes a means for attachment of a second part suction catheter assembly, said seal having structural portions located on the outside of said body on directly manually operable from the outside of said body to move and maintain said seal to and in an open position by the application of external force to said structural portions to permit advancement of the suction catheter into the first opening and on into the patient'"'"'s endotracheal tube for suctioning, said seal returning to its normally biased closed position upon retraction of the suction catheter and release of the external force on said entrance seal.

13. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the connector has at least one swivel.

14. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the connector remains connected to the respirator while the catheter assembly can be removed and replaced.

15. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the connector maintains positive end expiratory pressure.

16. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the connector includes a port for delivery of fluid for bronchial lavage.

17. The assembly of claim 12 wherein the catheter assembly includes means for flushing the catheter without having to disconnect the assembly from the connector.

23. The closed tracheal suction system of claim 12 wherein said seal is deformable to its open position.

24. The closed tracheal suction system of claim 23, wherein said seal includes deformable walls having an internal pre-slit opening therein, said walls deformable to open said opening by direct application of manual force to said body conduit.

18. In combination with a medical device which is capable of applying suction to a patient by the operation of said device which in turn includes a connector assembly for attachment to the patient and having a first opening adapted for receipt of a patient'"'"'s endotracheal tube, a second opening adapted for receipt of a respirator for delivery of positive pressure ventilation into the endotracheal tube and a third opening adapted for receipt of a suction catheter assembly in turn including a catheter adapted for advancement into and through said connector assembly and into said endotracheal tube, said connector including a one-piece molded body-including an internal conduit defining a passageway between said first and third openings and said connector body having wall portions located on the outside of said body and directly manually operable by the direct manual application of force thereto and a deformable integral valve portion extending across said passageway and normally closing said passageway deformable to an open valve position by the direct manual application of force to said wall portions and wherein said conduit includes means for detachably receiving said suction catheter assembly.

19. The connector assembly of claim 18, said conduit including front and rear ends and wherein said conduit front end operatively positioned at said third opening and wherein said conduit rear end includes said means for detachably receiving said catheter assembly.

20. The assembly of claim 18, said connector including a fluid installation port permitting installation of fluid into said passageway.