Patent Application
20240131285
Endotracheal tubes are commonly used in medical settings to establish and maintain an artificial airway and facilitate mechanical ventilation for patients with compromised respiratory function. An endotracheal tube is inserted into a patient's trachea, typically through the mouth or nose, and extends down into the patient's airway. Such an endotracheal tube is generally equipped with a connector or adapter inserted into a proximal end of the endotracheal tube that enables connection to a mechanical ventilator for delivering oxygen and assisting breathing.
While the current design and function of endotracheal tubes and their associated connectors or adapters have provided significant advancements in patient care, there are challenges and limitations related to their use. One particular concern arises when intubated patients require high levels of peak end respiratory pressure (PEEP), such as patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Maintaining adequate PEEP levels is essential for sustaining alveolar recruitment and improving oxygenation in such patients. When a mechanical ventilator is connected or disconnected to an endotracheal tube inserted into a patient's airway, a transient loss of positive pressure occurs, which may cause alveolar derecruitment and compromise the patient's respiratory status. Furthermore, patients at risk for alveolar derecruitment due to other conditions or factors may also face similar challenges during the connection or disconnection of a mechanical ventilator.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved solution that addresses the issues mentioned above associated with the current design of endotracheal tubes and their connectors.
The need for a solution that addresses the issues associated with the current design of endotracheal tubes and their connectors is solved by the endotracheal tube assembly disclosed herein. In one aspect, the present disclosure relates to an endotracheal tube assembly, comprising: a tubing body having a proximal end, a distal end, and a lumen extending through an entirety of the tubing body between the proximal end and the distal end; and a tubing adapter, comprising: an adapter body having a first connector portion defining a first connector flow passage having a first length and a second connector portion defining a second connector flow passage having a second length, the adapter body defining a valve chamber in fluid communication with the first connector flow passage and the second connector flow passage, the first connector flow passage being enclosed along an entirety of the first length, the first connector portion matingly engaged with the proximal end of the tubing body so the adapter body extends from the proximal end of the tubing body and the first connector flow passage is in fluid communication with the lumen of the tubing body; and a valve member having a flow passage extending therethrough, the valve member positioned in the valve chamber and movable between an open position, wherein the flow passage of the valve member is aligned with the first connector flow passage and the second connector flow passage to provide fluid communication between the first connector flow passage and the second connector flow passage, and a closed position, wherein the flow passage of the valve member is misaligned with the first connector flow passage and the second connector flow passage to fluidically seal the first connector flow passage from the second connector flow passage and thereby prevent fluid flow through the adapter body between the first connector flow passage and the second connector flow passage.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one or more implementations described herein and, together with the description, explain these implementations. The drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale, and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated, to scale, or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness. Not every component may be labeled in every drawing. Like reference numerals in the figures may represent and refer to the same or similar element or function. In the drawings:
Before explaining at least one embodiment of the inventive concept(s) in detail by way of exemplary language and results, it is to be understood that the inventive concept(s) is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description. The inventive concept(s) is capable of other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. As such, the language used herein is intended to be given the broadest possible scope and meaning; and the embodiments are meant to be exemplary—not exhaustive. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
Headings are provided for convenience only and are not to be construed to limit the invention in any manner. Embodiments illustrated under any heading or in any portion of the disclosure may be combined with embodiments illustrated under the same or any other heading or portion of the disclosure. Any combination of the elements described herein in all possible variations thereof is encompassed by the invention unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context.
Unless otherwise required by context, singular terms shall include pluralities, and plural terms shall include the singular, except that the term “plurality,” as used herein, does not include the singular.
All patents or published patent applications referenced in any portion of this application are herein expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety to the same extent as if each individual patent or publication was specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference.
All assemblies, systems, kits, and/or methods disclosed herein can be made and executed without undue experimentation in light of the present disclosure. Where a method claim does not explicitly state in the claims or description that the steps are to be limited to a specific order, it is in no way intended that an order be inferred in any respect. This holds for any possible non-express basis for interpretation, including matters of logic with respect to the arrangement of steps or operational flow, plain meaning derived from grammatical organization or punctuation, or the number or type of embodiments described in the specification.
As utilized in accordance with the present disclosure, the following terms, unless otherwise indicated, shall be understood to have the following meanings:
The use of the term “a” or “an” when used in conjunction with the term “comprising” in the claims and/or the specification may mean “one,” but it is also consistent with the meaning of “one or more,” “at least one,” and “one or more than one.” The term “plurality” refers to “two or more.”
The use of the term “at least one” will be understood to include one as well as any quantity of more than one. In addition, the use of the term “at least one of X, Y, and Z” will be understood to include X alone, Y alone, and Z alone, as well as any combination of X, Y, and Z.
The use of ordinal number terminology (i.e., “first,” “second,” “third,” “fourth,” etc.) is solely for the purpose of differentiating between two or more items and is not meant to imply any sequence or order or importance to one item over another or any order of addition, for example.
The term “or” in the claims means an inclusive “and/or” unless explicitly indicated to refer to alternatives only or unless the alternatives are mutually exclusive.
Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to
The tubing body 104 has a proximal end 112a, a distal end 112b, and a lumen 116 extending through an entirety of the tubing body 104 between the proximal end 112a and the distal end 112b, and the tubing adapter 108 is disposed at the proximal end 112a of the tubing body 104. The distal end 112b of the tubing body 104 may define a bevel 118 to facilitate insertion of the assembly 100 through the vocal cords of a patient and to improve visualization ahead of the distal end 112b of the tubing body 104.
As discussed further below, the tubing adapter 108 includes an adapter body 120 and a valve member 124. The adapter body 120 has a first connector portion 128a defining a first connector flow passage 132a (shown in
The adapter body 120 has a valve portion 136 disposed between the first connector portion 128a and the second connector portion 128b. The valve portion 136 defines a valve chamber 140 (shown in
As shown in
The fitting 156 may have a connector portion 160a and a balloon portion 160b. The connector portion 160a may be sized and dimensioned to be coupled to a syringe and configured only to allow airflow in one direction. In some implementations, the connector portion 160a is a female luer lock fitting. The balloon portion 160b may be biased to a first position (i.e., a deflated position), as shown in
The tubing body 104 may have an opening 164 (commonly referred to as a “Murphy eye”) adjacent to the distal end 112b of the tubing body 104. The opening 164 is in fluid communication with the lumen 116 of the tubing body 104. The tubing body 104 may be provided with a curvature to accommodate an upper airway of a patient. In some implementations, the curvature has a radius of 140 millimeters (mm)±20 mm; however, in other implementations, the curvature may have a radius more or less than 140 mm±20 mm.
Referring now to
In some implementations, as shown in
The valve member 124 has a first end 204a and a second end 204b opposite the first end 204a. Similarly, the valve portion 136 of the adapter body 120 has a first side 212a and a second side 212b opposite the first side 212a.
The valve member 124 may have one or more grip 208 (hereinafter the “grips 208”) extending outwardly from one or more of the first end 204a and the second end 204b. While the implementation of the valve member 124 shown in
Referring now to
As described further below, the adapter body 120 may have a protrusion 306 extending inwardly from the valve portion 136 into the valve chamber 140. The protrusion 306 is sized and dimensioned to engage a channel 308 (shown in
Referring now to
As shown in
The adapter body 120 may define a tapered chamber 404 between the second connector flow passage 132b and the second opening 300b with the tapered chamber 404 in fluid communication with the second connector flow passage 132b and the second opening 300b. The tapered chamber 404 may have a tapered wall 408 joining the second connector flow passage 132b with the second opening 300b.
In some implementations, the outer diameter d2 of the second connector portion 128b is 15 mm; however, in other implementations, the outer diameter d2 of the second connector portion 128b may be more or less than 15 mm.
As further shown in
In some implementations, the first connector flow passage 132a is axially aligned with the second connector flow passage 132b; however, in other implementations, the first connector flow passage 132a is not axially aligned with the second connector flow passage 132b.
Referring now to
As referenced above, the valve member 124 may have a channel 308 formed therein sized and dimensioned to engage the protrusion 306 of the adapter body 120 shown in
The valve member 124 may have a first locking mechanism 512a configured to secure the valve member 124 in the first position (i.e., the open position) and/or a second locking mechanism 512b configured to secure the valve member 124 in the second position (i.e., the closed position). In the implementation shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
In use, a user inserts the assembly 100 with the valve member 124 of the tubing adapter 108 in the first position (i.e., the open position) into a patient's trachea through the patient's mouth or nose so the assembly 100 extends into the patient's airway. The user inserts a syringe filled with air into the connector portion 160a of the fitting 156 (i.e., the pilot balloon) and depresses a plunger of the syringe to introduce the air into the pilot lumen 154 at the lock end 152b of the pilot line 148. The air travels through the pilot lumen 154 from the lock end 152b to the cuff end 152a and inflates the inflatable cuff 144, thereby forming an airtight seal within the patient's trachea. The user then connects the second connector portion 128b of the tubing adapter 108 to a connector of a mechanical ventilator so the mechanical ventilator may deliver oxygen to the patient and assist in the patient's breathing.
When the patient is to be disconnected from the mechanical ventilator, the user holds the grips 208 of the tubing adapter 108 and rotates the valve member 124 within the valve chamber 140 from the first position (i.e., the open position) to the second position (i.e., the closed position), thereby preventing a transient loss of positive pressure when disconnecting the mechanical ventilator. The user then disconnects the second connector portion 128b of the tubing adapter 108 from the connector of the mechanical ventilator and then repeats the process to connect the patient to a different mechanical ventilator, after which the valve member 124 is rotated within the valve chamber 140 from the second position (i.e., the closed position) to the first position (i.e., the open position), so the second mechanical ventilator may deliver oxygen to the patient and assist in the patient's breathing.
From the above description, it is clear that the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein are well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain the advantages mentioned herein, as well as those inherent in the invention. While exemplary embodiments of the inventive concepts have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are accomplished within the spirit of the inventive concepts disclosed and claimed herein.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/380,570, which was filed on Oct. 22, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63380570 | Oct 2022 | US |
