GB2062477A - Resuscitation device - Google Patents

Abstract

A resuscitation device has a face mask (11) and a curved resuscitation tube (12) releasably linked to the mask in proper orientation with respect thereto by the use of a keying arrangement (40) to provide that orientation. The keying arrangement can be separate from a mating male/female resilient connection (34, 35, 36, 60) so as to permit interchange of non-keying components when desired. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Resuscitation device Emergency resuscitation devices have come into increasing popularity in recent years. One such device is described in United States Patent 3,683,908 which shows an apparatus for sealing the esophagus and providing artificial resuscitation.

Such devices are frequently used in emergency situations and often carried by ambulances and in the emergency rooms of hospitals. The devices comprise a face mask which has a connection to releasably interlock an esophageal tube thereto which acts as an airway to the respiratory passages.

An inflation cuff is used to seat the esophagus. In some cases, the end of the tube is opened to allow communication with the stomach while in other cases the tube end is closed and used only for emergency respiration purposes.

The tubes used are provided with a permanent set so that a curvature corresponding to the natural curvature of the passageway leading from the mouth to the esophagus is provided. Often the masks and tubes are used in emergency situations where speed is essential. In the prior art, the interlock between the tube and mask has been one which permits swivelling of the tube about the central axis of the tube when connected to the mask. This can complicate the rapid application of the device to a patient which can be extremely serious in emergency situations.

Prior art devices often contain face mask portions which are rigid and impenetrable. During the course of resuscitation, it is sometimes desirable to remove fluids that accumulate in the mouth of the victim. In the past, it has been necessary to remove the face mask, aspirate the fluids and then return the face mask with respiration interrupted during the procedure.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved resuscitation device for use in emergency ventilation of persons, which device incorporates means for proper alignment of components.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved connection means with keying means for proper orientation of a tube body with an attached face mask rapidly and efficiently.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a resuscitation device in accordance with the preceding objects which enables interchange of prior art face masks with improved respiration tubes of this invention and/or prior art respiration tubes with improved face mask portions of this invention.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a resuscitation device for ventilating patients having means for aspirating fluids from the mouth of an individual without interrupting ventilation.

According to the invention, resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs has a face mask and a resuscitation tube releasably linked to the mask in proper orientation and alignment therewith. The mask has a nose covering portion, a mouth covering portion and a sealing portion to form an air seal between the mask and the face of a user. The resuscitation tube has a tube body of organic polymeric material such as polyvinyl chloride with a proximal end and a distal end and a length such thatthe distal end can be inserted into the esophagus below the level of the carina. The resuscitation tube body carries an inflatable sealing element or cuff positioned to seal the esophagus below the level of the carina and also carries means for inflation and deflation of the ele mentthrough a proximal portion ofthetube body.

The tube body defines discharge means for passing air and gases to and from the respiratory passageways through the proximal end. The tube has a predetermined set curvature along its length to facilitate use and conform to the body passageway into which it is to be inserted. Connection means releasably link the tube body to the mask and the connection means comprise key means for orienting the tube body with said curvature causing said distal end to extend in a direction away from the nose covering portion of the mask.

Preferably, the mask mouth covering portion carries a female receptacle defining a passageway and the tube body proximal end carries a connector having a male prong means for location in said passageway and locking the tube body to the face mask.

In a preferred embodiment, an underside of the face mask portion carries a first keying element and the connector carries a mating second keying ele menttogether forming the key means. The key means are automatically engaged when the male and female portions are releasably engaged. In a preferred embodiment an aspirating means is incorporated in the face mask by providing an aperture therethrough preferably about the edge of the tube connection means. A resilient plug releasably opens or closes the aperture to permit aspiration of mucus.

It is an important feature of this invention that the alignment means prevents the mask from going on the face in a manner such that resuscitation and ventilation would be obstructed. The nose portion must always fit over the nose when the predetermined set is positioned correctly. In prior art devices, misalignment of the face mask with the curvature of the tube could cause problems in rapid application of the device to the patient. The handling of the resusci- tation device is surer, simpler and easier for emergency personnel. In the preferred embodiment, face masks of the old type without keying elements can be interchanged with the face mask of the inven- tion when used with the improved resuscitation tube and vice versa.This is important where new tubes may be used with prior existing masks since the masks are often reused while the tubes are considered to be disposable.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood from a viewing of the enclosed drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a resuscitation device in accordance with The drawing(s) originally filed was/were informal and the print here reproduced is taken from a later filed formal copy.

the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken through the center of a key means of a preferred embodiment; FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the preferred key means of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a view taken through line 4-4 of FIG. 3; FIG. 5 is a view taken through line 5-5 of FIG. 5; FIG. 6 is an exploded view of a key means in accordance with an alternate embodiment of this invention; FIG. 7 is an exploded view of another alternate embodiment of this invention; FIG. 8 is an exploded view of a still further alternate embodiment of this invention; and FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view through line 9-9 of FIG. 1.

With reference now to the drawings, a resuscitation device is illustrated generally at 10 for ventilating the respiratory passages of an individual. The device 10 has a face mask portion 11 and a resuscitation or ventilating tube 12 releasably linked together in proper orientation. A syringe or other inflation air pressure entrance means is illustrated at 13 for connection to a one-way check valve 14 to provide inflation air to an inflatable sealing element or cuff 15 through an airtube 17.

The resuscitation tube is of conventional design.

Such tubes may be formed of organic polymers such as polyvinyl chloride and preferably have hardness values of 85 r on the Shore A scale and can be set with a curvature as shown in FIG. 1 normally having a radius of curvature of about 14 centimeters at the inside of the curve. The tube bodies 12 preferably have lengths in the range of from 13 to 20 inches with inside diameters of from 5/16 inch to 1/2 inch and wall thicknesses of 0.050 t 20 thousandths of an inch.

Discharge openings such as 1/8 inch diameter apertures 20 are spaced around the tube wall. The apertures 20 are located about 6 inches from the proximal end 18 of the tube and provide for entrance of air down the body of the tube and passage to the lungs of an individual as well as removal of air through the apertures and thus ventilation of the individual. The cuff 15, at the distal end 16 (which is closed in the preferred embodiment), can be any conventional inflatable cuff such as a rubber band clamped by bands 23 and 24, as known in the art, on the tube body. This positioning of the cuff enables it to be expanded to seal the esophagus below the carina and thus prevent air forced into the discharge apertures 20 from passing to the stomach and unduly extending the stomach.It also prevents materials from the stomach passing to the lungs during aspiration and ventilation of the lungs.

The end 18 of the tube is connected to a tube adapter which is a circular connector 30 frictionally sealed to the tube at the joining surfaces shown at 32. The cylindrical adapter30 has a recess 33 within which is heat sealed or solvent sealed a connector piece 34.

The connector piece 34 has two upstanding prongs 35 and 36 with front and rear elongated slots 37 and 38. Protrusions 39 and 40' are at the ends of the prongs 35 and 36. The prongs 35 and 36 and the entire connector forms a male connector preferably of a plastic material such as polycarbonate or polypropylene having spring-like characteristics. When the prongs 35 and 36 are compressed toward each other they tend to spring back to their original position with a resilient holding action.

The connector 34 further carries an extension 40 which extends outwardly from a ring surface 41 of the connector, beyond the diameter of said stop ring surface, with an extension top 42 preferably extending above the surface 41.

The above described resuscitator tube is substantally the same as those known in the art except for the addition of the extension 40 which acts as a key means or keying element as will be described.

The mask 11 is of conventional design having a nose covering portion 50, a mouth covering portion 51, both adapted to the shape of the user with an air seal ring 52 of conventional design filled through an air inlet check valve 53 and held to the face mask by resilient extension pieces 54 as known in the art. The ring 52 acts as a seal member when clamped against the face of a victim to be resuscitated.

The face mask mouthpiece portion covering the mouth area of an individual as shown at 51 has a circular hole 55 in which is mounted a flanged ferrule 60. The flanged ferrule 60 of the preferred embodiment is provided with a cylindrical top portion 61, to which a mouthpiece tube 62 can be attached for aspiration, and has an outwardly extending stopping ring 63 sealed by heat or solvent to the plastic portion of the face mask 51 with a centering ring extension extending into the hole as shown at 64.

The face mask construction thus described is as known in the art. The face mask at a portion thereof facing the mouth of a user has a downwardly depending keying element in the form of a ring acting as a locating ring illustrated at 70 in FIG. 3. The diameter of the locating ring 70 is greater than the diameter of the stop ring surface 41. A locating notch 71 is provided in the ring and designed to mate with the extension 40. The notch 71 has a wide or enlarged mouth portion 72 to facilitate guiding of the extension into the notch and positive location of the resuscitator tube. Extension 40 has a slightly raised cylindrical top 42.

When the extension 40 is in the locating ring notch 71, the main resuscitator tube is positively located in its correct position with its distal end 16 extending away from the nose covering portion 50 of the face mask ready for immediate use in correct position in a victim as shown in FIG. 1.

Mating of the male and female portions of the connector and ferrule 60 is accomplished by forcing the connector 34 into the tubular section of the ferrule 60 until the protrusions 39,40 snap into place against the top surface of the ferrule by resilient action as best shown in FIG. 2. This will happen only when the extension 40 is in the key slot. Otherwise, the ring prevents the connector from having its protrusions engage the upper portion of the ferrule due to the dimensioning of the parts, i.e., the length of the ferrule is too short for protrusions 39,40 to snap into place if extension is stopped by the lower edge of locating ring 72, rather than allowed to pass into notch 7. The keying means provide for positive loca tion of the parts in their proper orientation.

It should be understood that because the locking means formed by the ring 71 is outside of the normal diameter of the connector 34, when a connector 34 not having the improvement of this invention in the form of extension 40 is used, it will properly engage the face mask except that the orientation will not be provided. Similarly, when a face mask is provided of the old type not having the locating ring 71, it will properly engage either a prior art connector 34 without the extension 40 or the connector 34 with the extension 40. This complete interchangeability is desirable.

It should be understood that while the ferrule 60 provides the female connector and the prongs are provided on part of the male connector, the male and female functions can be reversed in the attachments. Thus, the end of the resuscitator tube can be in the form of a female receptable while the face mask carries a male prong portion.

In the embodiment of FIG. 6, all elements and portions described above are the same except that the lower locating ring portion 64 of the ferrule 60 has a notch 70 provided therein with a corresponding protrusion 71 on stop surface 41 of a connector 34 where the extension 40 is eliminated. The notch 70 and extension 71 act to provide positive locking of the resuscitatortube in the position shown in FIG. 1.

However, this embodiment is not as desirable in that the parts are not interchangeable completely in that key 71 will prevent the connector 34 from engagement with face masks not having the notch 70 or of the type shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 7 illustrates a reversal of parts in an alternate embodiment to that shown in FIG. 6. In this embodiment ferrule 60 has a key downwardly depending extension 7lAto mate with a recess 70A in stop surface 40 of an adapter 34.

FIG. 8 shows still another locating means useful to orient the resuscitator tube in the position shown in FIG. 1.

In FIG. 8, a conventional resuscitator tube 12 is shown with a conventional connector34 not having an extension 40 as previously described and with all other elements being the same. In this case, the ferrule 60 is provided with an extension 80 extending axially therein and adapted to mate with the slot 38 so as to prevent rotation of the tube from its position as shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the extension 80, in the form of a rectangular integral molded boss, acts as a key element. Slots 37 and 38 are sized differently so that extension 80 has a circumferential length longer than the circumferential length of slot 37 but slightly smaller than that of slot 38. Thus, only slot 38 can be engaged with the extension so that only the desired orientation of the tube 12 can be obtained.

FIG. 9 illustrates the aspirating means in the form of an aperture 90 preferably spaced within an inch or two ofthetube passagethroughthe mask. Asilicone or other elastomeric bung or plug 93 is resiliently mounted to close the aperture 90. Finger grip portion 94 enables ease of removing the plug to aspirate the mouth or area under the mask as to remove mucus.

Preferably, an integral tie strip and plug 95 and 92 respectively are resiliently mounted in hole 91. The tie prevents the plug 93 from being misplaced in use and thus is particularly suitable for use. Other closure opening and closing means can be used if desired but preferably form air-tight seals quickly and simply as does the resilient plug 93.

While specific embodiments of this invention have been shown and described, many variations are possible. For example, the tube end 16 is preferably closed as shown. In some cases, however, the end can be opened and a gastro-intestinal tube positioned within the body to aspirate the stomach as known in the art and as for example described in U.S. Patent 3,683,908.

Claims (19)

1. A resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs comprising a face mask and a resuscitation tube releasably linked to said mask in proper orientation with respect thereto, said mask comprising a nose covering portion, mouth covering portion and a sealing portion to form an air seal between said mask and the face of a user, said resuscitation tube comprising a tube body of organic polymeric material having a proximal end and a distal end with said distal end designed to be inserted into the esophagus below the level of the carina, said resuscitation tube body carrying an inflatable sealing element positioned to seal the esophagus below the level of the carina and carrying means for inflation and deflation of said element through a proximal portion of said body, said tube body defining discharge means for passing air and gases to and from the respiratory passages through said proximal end, said tube having a predetermined set curvature along its length to facilitate use, and connection means for releasably linking said tube body to said mask, said connection means comprising key means for orienting said tube body with said curvature causing said distal end of said tube to extend in a direction away from said nose covering portion of said mask.

2. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 1 wherein said connection means comprises one of said mask mouth covering portion and tube body proximal end, carrying a female receptable defining a passageway and the other of said tube body and mask mouth covering portion defining a connector having a male prong means for locating in said passageway and releasably locking said tube body to said face mask.

3. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 2 wherein said mask mouth covering portion has an underside carrying a first keying element and said connector carries a mating second keying ele menttogetherforming said key means.

4. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first keying element is a downwardly depending ring spaced outwardly from said passageway and defining a locating notch and said second keying element is an upwardly extending extension spaced outwardly from said prong and aligned with said notch so as to permit interchangeability of said mask with other tubes and said tube with other masks.

5. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first keying element is a notch and said connector carries a mating prong.

6. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 3 wherein said first keying element is an extension and said connector carries a mating recession.

7. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 1 and further comprising said mask mouth covering portion carrying a female receptable defining a passageway therein, said tube body proximal end carrying a connector having male prong means defining a slottherebetween for resiliently locking said tube body to said face mask, said female receptable carrying an outwardly extending locating projection dimensioned to be positioned within said slot to positively locate said tube body and act as said key means.

8. In a resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs and comprising a face mask and a resuscitation tube releasably linked to said mask in proper orientation with respect thereto, said mask comprising a nose covering portion, mouth covering portion and a sealing portion to form an air seal between said mask and the face of a user, said resuscitation tube comprising a tube body of organic polymeric material having a proximal end and a distal end with said distal end designed to be inserted into the esophagus below the level of the carina, said resuscitation tube body carrying a inflatable sealing element positioned to seal the esophagus below the level of the carina and carrying means for inflation and deflation of said element through a proximal portion of said body, said tube body defining discharge means for passing air and gases to and from said respiratory passages through said proximal end, said tube having a predetermined set curvature along its length to facilitate use, the improvement comprising connection means for releasably linking said tube body to said mask, said connection means comprising key means for orienting said tube body with said curvature causing said distal end to extend in a direction away from said nose covering portion of said mask.

9. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said distal end is closed.

10. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said distal end comprises means for permitting passage of fluids to and from the stomach below said inflatable sealing element.

11. A resuscitation device in accordance with claim 8 and further comprising an aspirating means positioned in said face mask for permitting aspirating of the area under said mask.

12. A face mask for use in a resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs, said face mask comprising, a nose covering portion, a mouth covering portion and a sealing portion to form an air seal between said mask and the face of a user, said mask further comprising a connection means for use in connection with a curved resuscitation tube, said connection means comprising a keying element for assuring desired orientation of a resuscitation tube with which said mask is used.

13. A resuscitation tube for use in connection with a face mask as a resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs, said tube having a set in a curve adapted to substantially conform to the passageway to the esophagus from the mouth of an individual, connection means at a proximal end of said tube for releasably connecting said tube with a face mask, said connection means carrying key means for orienting said tube in a desired position when connected to said mask.

14. In a face mask for use with a resuscitation tube for resuscitating an individual, the improvement comprising an aspirating means located in said mask to permit aspirating an area under said mask and sealing said area when closed.

15. The improvement of claim 14 wherein said means comprises a resilient plug and face mask aperture sized to be sealed by said plug.

16. The improvement of claim 15 and further comprising a tie means for maintaining said plug attached to said mask when said plug is open or closed.

17. A resuscitation device substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

18. A face mask for use in a resuscitation device substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

19. A resuscitation tube for use in connection with a face mask as a resuscitation device for ventilating the lungs substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.