Method and system for intubation

• US 6,843,250 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2002
• Issued: 01/18/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hospitech Respiration Ltd
• Original Assignee: Hospitec Incorporated
• Inventors: Efrati, Shai
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, Henry
• Assistant Examiner(s): PATEL, NIHIR B
• Application Number:
  US10/471,777
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• Field of Search: 128/207.14, 128/207.15, 128/207.18, 128/200.26, 128/205.23, 128/205.28, 128/204.22, 128/204.23, 600/529, 600/531, 600/538
• US Class Current: 128/207.14
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/04 Tracheal tubes catheters in general A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/0434 Cuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 16/044 External cuff pressure control or supply, e.g. synchronisation with respiration
• 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 2016/0413 with detectors of CO2 in exhaled gases

Abstract

An intubation method and system including the insertion of an endotracheal tube into a patient airway, inflating an cuff associated with the endotracheal tube at a location in the patient airway below the vocal cords, monitoring carbon dioxide concentration in the patient airway at a carbon dioxide monitoring location between the cuff and the vocal cords and adjusting inflation of the cuff based at least in part on the monitoring in order that the cuff inflation generally prevents leakage of carbon dioxide past the cuff.

Claims

1. An intubation method comprising:

inserting an endotracheal tube into a patient airway;

inflating a cuff associated with the endotracheal tube at a location in the patient airway below the vocal cords;

monitoring carbon dioxide concentration in the patient airway at a carbon dioxide monitoring location in the patient airway above the cuff; and

adjusting inflation of the cuff based at least in part on said monitoring in order that the cuff inflation generally prevents leakage of carbon dioxide past the cuff.

2. An intubation method according to claim 1 and wherein inflation of the cuff is adjusted to provide a minimum inflation pressure which prevents leakage of carbon dioxide past the cuff.

3. An intubation method according to claim 1 and also comprising suctioning secretions at a suctioning location in the patient airway above the cuff.

4. An intubation method according to claim 3 and wherein said suctioning location is located between the cuff and the carbon dioxide monitoring location.

5. An intubation method according to claim 1 wherein said adjusting inflation is performed by medical personnel based on information received from said carbon dioxide monitoring.

6. An intubation method according to claim 1 wherein said adjusting inflation is performed automatically based on information received from said carbon dioxide monitoring.

7. An intubation method according to claim 1 and also comprising inserting into the patient airway a carbon dioxide monitoring conduit extending to said carbon dioxide monitoring location.

8. An intubation method according to claim 3 and also comprising inserting into the patient airway a suctioning conduit extending to said suctioning location.

9. An intubation method according to claim 7 and wherein said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit also serves as a suctioning conduit extending to a suctioning location.

10. An intubation method according to claim 1 and wherein said inserting an endotracheal tube into a patient airway includes inserting at least one of a carbon dioxide monitoring conduit and a suctioning conduit disposed therewithin.

11. An intubation system comprising:

an endotracheal tube adapted for insertion into a patient airway;

an inflatable cuff associated with the endotracheal tube and arranged to be located at a location in the patient airway below the vocal cords;

a carbon dioxide monitor operative to monitor carbon dioxide concentration in the patient airway at a carbon dioxide monitoring location in the patient airway above the cuff; and

an inflatable cuff inflator operative for enabling adjustment of inflation of the cuff based at least in part on an output from said carbon dioxide monitor in order that the cuff inflation generally prevents leakage of carbon dioxide past the cuff.

12. An intubation system according to claim 11 and wherein said inflator comprises an adaptive inflator which is operative to inflate said cuff to a minimum inflation pressure which prevents leakage of carbon dioxide past the cuff.

13. An intubation system according to claim 11 and also comprising a suctioner operative for suctioning secretions at a suctioning location in the patient airway above the cuff.

14. An intubation system according to claim 13 and wherein said suctioning location is located between the cuff and the carbon dioxide monitoring location.

15. An intubation system according to claim 11 and also comprising:

a carbon dioxide monitoring conduit coupled to said carbon dioxide monitor and extending therefrom to said carbon dioxide monitoring location.

16. An intubation system according to claim 15 and wherein said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit also serves as a suctioning conduit and also couples a suctioner operative for suctioning secretions to a suctioning location in the patient airway above the cuff.

17. An intubation system according to claim 15 and also comprising a suctioning conduit which couples a suctioner operative for suctioning secretions to a suctioning location in the patient airway above the cuff.

18. An intubation system according to claim 16 and wherein said suctioning location is located upstream of said carbon dioxide monitoring location.

19. An intubation system according to claim 17 and wherein at least one of said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit and said suctioning conduit are located internally of said endotracheal tube.

20. An intubation system according to claim 17 and wherein at least one of said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit and said suctioning conduit are located externally of said endotracheal tube.

21. An intubation system according to claim 17 and wherein both said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit and said suctioning conduit are located internally of said endotracheal tube.

22. An intubation system according to claim 17 and wherein both said carbon dioxide monitoring conduit and said suctioning conduit are located externally of said endotracheal tube.