Tracheal tube devices

• US 6,062,223 A
• Filed: 09/01/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark George Anthony Palazzo, Neil Soni
• Original Assignee: Mark George Anthony Palazzo, Neil Soni
• Inventors: Palazzo, Mark George Anthony, Soni, Neil
• Primary Examiner(s): Lewis, Aaron J.
• Application Number:
  US09/144,465
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 604/101, 604/103
• US Class Current: 128/207.15
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0459 one cuff behind another
• 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: A61M 2025/1059 having different inflatable sections mainly depending on the response to the inflation pressure, e.g. due to different material properties with different compartments A61M2025/1072
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/1011 Multiple balloon catheters

Abstract

An endotracheal tube 10 has an inflatable bag 20 towards its patient end for sealing with the inside of the trachea 11. Additionally, the tube 10 has a second, longer bag 50 separately inflatable to a lower pressure than the first bag 20 and such as to extend along the tube 10 from the first bag 20 to and through the vocal chords and larynx 13 and occupy the space between the first bag and the vocal chords 13. The inflated second tube 50 can thus reduce passage of secretions and minimizes the space available for them. A suction line 48 extends along the tube, opening between, or at the interface between, the two bags 20 and 50 so that any body secretions that do pass the second bag can be removed.

Claims

1. A tracheal tube device for insertion into a patient'"'"'s trachea, the device comprising:

a main tube having a distal end and encompassed towards said distal end by a first bag;

an inflation line extending to the interior of said first bag by which the first bag can be inflated to seal with such a patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube; and

a second bag, slidable along the main tube after the main tube and the first bag have been inserted into such a patient'"'"'s trachea, said second bag encompassing said main tube when in use;

the device including a second inflation line by which the second bag can be inflated separately from the first bag to seal with said patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube at the same time that said first bag seals with such a patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube;

the second bag being dimensioned and arranged in use to occupy, when inflated, substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube from the first bag when inflated to at least such a patient'"'"'s vocal chords;

and the device including a suction line which extends from a proximal end of the device and opens on the main tube at a location between the first and second bags.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second bag extends through such a patient'"'"'s vocal chords when in use.

2. A tracheal tube device for insertion into a patient'"'"'s trachea, the device comprising:

a main tube having a distal end and encompassed towards said distal end by a first bag;

an inflation line extending to the interior of said first bag by which the first bag can be inflated to seal with such a patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube; and

a second bag which at least in use also encompasses said main tube;

the device including a second inflator line by which the second bag can be inflated separately from the first bag to seal with such a patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube at the same time that said first bag seals with such a patient'"'"'s trachea around said main tube;

the second bag being dimensioned and arranged in use to occupy, when inflated, substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube from the first bag when inflated to at least such a patient'"'"'s vocal chords;

the device including a suction line which extends from a proximal end of the device and opens on the main tube at a location between the first and second bags;

wherein the first bag, when inflated, presents an upper surface that forms a receptacle;

and wherein the second bag, when inflated, presents a lower surface that nestingly projects into said receptacle formed by the first bag.

4. A method of intubating into the trachea of an animal or human patient a tracheal tube device having a main tube encompassed towards its distal end by a first bag, a first inflation line extending to the interior of the first bag by which the first bag can be inflated to present an upper surface that forms a receptacle and to seal with the trachea around the tube, a second bag which at least in use, also encompasses the main tube, a second inflator line by which the second bag can be inflated separately from the first bag to seal with the trachea around the main tube at the same time that said first bag, when inflated, seals with the trachea, said second bag being dimensioned and arranged in use to present, when inflated, a lower surface that nestingly projects into said receptacle formed by the first bag, when inflated, and to occupy substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube between the first inflatable bag and at least the patient'"'"'s vocal chords, and a suction line extending from a proximal end of the device and opening on said main tube at a location between the first and second bags;

said method comprising the steps of;

inserting said main tube and first bag through the patient'"'"'s larynx into the trachea to dispose the first bag in spaced relation to the larynx;

inflating the first bag via said first inflation line to seal with the trachea around the main tube and form said receptacle;

positioning the second inflatable bag between the first bag and the larynx such that, when inflated, the second bag may contact or closely approach the first bag;

inflating the second bag to occupy substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube between the first bag and the larynx and to be in contact with or closely approaching the first bag and with a lower surface thereof nestingly projecting into said receptacle formed by the first bag; and

applying suction to said suction line to remove secretions from a location between the first and second bags.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the second inflatable bag is positioned to extend through the larynx.

6. A method according to claim 4 or claim 5, wherein the first bag is inflated to a first pressure, and the second bag is inflated to a second pressure lower than the first pressure.

7. A method of intubating into the trachea of an animal or human patient a tracheal tube device having a main tube encompassed towards its distal end by a first inflatable bag, a first inflation line extending to the interior of the first bag by which the first bag can be inflated to seal with the trachea around the tube, a second bag which at least in use, also encompasses the main tube, a second inflation line by which the second bag can be inflated separately from the first bag to seal with the trachea around the main tube at the same time that said first bag seals with the trachea, said second inflatable bag being dimensioned and arranged in use to occupy substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube between the first inflatable bag and at least the patient'"'"'s vocal chords, and a suction line extending from a proximal end of the device and opening on said main tube at a location between the first and second bags;

said method comprising the steps of;

inserting said main tube and first inflatable bag through the patient'"'"'s larynx into the trachea to dispose the first bag in spaced relation to the larynx;

inflating the first bag to a first pressure via said first inflation line to seal with the trachea around the main tube;

positioning the second inflatable bag between the first bag and the larynx such that, when inflated, the second bag may contact or closely approach the first bag;

inflating the second bag to a second pressure lower than said first pressure to occupy substantially the entire space around the outside of the main tube between the first bag and the larynx and to be in contact with or closely approaching the first bag and

applying suction to said suction line to remove secretions from a location between the first and second bags.