GB2134490A - Housings for endotracheal tubes - Google Patents

Abstract

An assembly for containing a range of different size endotracheal tubes (11 to 17) has a housing (1, 2) formed by moulding a tray of plastic material with recesses (41 to 47). Each recess is of a different size so that it closely conforms with the external surface of its respective tube and is of substantially the same length as its respective tube. The assembly may alternatively include locating members that engage opposite ends of the tubes. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Housings and assemblies for storing medical tubes This invention relates to housings and assemblies for storing medical tubes.

The invention is more particularly, but not exclusively concerned with housings for storing a range of sizes of endotracheal tubes for emergency use, and to assemblies comprising such housings and endotracheal tubes contained therein.

Endotracheal tubes are used to provide an airway to a patient's trachea during surgical anaesthesia or during resuscitation procedures. Such tubes are generally of a plastics material and can be provided with an inflatable cuff close to the patient end, the cuff being used to form a seal between the tube and the trachea so that gas flow is confined to within the bore of the tube. Endotracheal tubes are made in a range of different dia- meters so that the largest possible air passage is provided and so that the cuff produces the best seal without causing damage to the trachea. The lengths of different tubes do not vary significantly since these are usually cut to the desired length by the physician. The length and diameter of the tube is selected by the physician by consulting tables which take into account the age, sex and size of the patient.It is important to ensure that the correct size tube is used since otherwise damage to the patient's trachea, carina or lungs could be caused.

In an emergency, these tables may not be available. This is especially the case where the person using the tube is not familiar with the procedure, such as could be the case in ambulances, dental surgeries and so on. Even when such tables are available and a skilled practitioner is using the tube, significant time may be lost in selecting a tube of the correct diameter, removing it from its packaging, measuring and cutting it to its correct length, and fitting the connector.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement by which the abovementioned difficulties can be alleviated.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a housing for receiving a range of medico-surgical tubes of different sizes, said housing comprising a plurality of locations of different sizes, each said location being adapted to receive an individual one of said tubes.

The locations may include a locating member at each end that is adapted to engage the respective ends of each said tube. The housing may include individual recesses shaped to conform closely to the external surface of each tube along a major part of its length. The housing may be a unitary construction of plastics material and this may be formed by vacuum moulding. The locations may be arranged side-by-side in order of decreasing size.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a medico-surgical tube assembly comprising a housing and a plurality of medico-surgical tubes of different sizes, said housing having a plurality of locations of different sizes in which respective ones of said tubes are received.

The tubes may be endotracheal tubes.

Assemblies each comprising a housing containing medico-surgical tubes, in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembly; Figure 2 is a perspective view of an alternative assembly; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a further assembly.

With reference to Fig. 1, the assembly comprises a housing in the form of a tray 1 containing seven cuffed endotracheal tubes 11 to 17, of known form. The assembly also include three airways 21 to 23, a bendable metal stylet 30, a syringe 31, and a tube of lubricating jelly 32.

The tray 1 is of a vacuum-formed plastics material such as sheet PVC, styrene, polyester or polyethenealternatively, other materials such as foamed plastics or moulded pulp or paper could be used. The top surface 2 of the tray 1 is formed with a number of recesses shaped to receive the various different components in unique locations. The endotracheal tubes 11 to 17 are received in respective recesses 41 to 47, each tube being of different size and ranging from 1 Omm to 7mm internal diameter and correspondingly in length from 240mm to 200mm. The recesses 41 to 47 are positioned side-by-side and are curved so as to maintain each tube in its natural curved shape. Each tube 11 to 17 has a cuff 18 at its patient end, and a connector 19 at its rear end which adds an extra 25mm to the above lengths.The recess 41 has a width of about 1 Omm so that the longest tube 11 is a push fit within it, the other recesses 42 to 47 being arranged in order of decreasing width so as to receive the corresponding tubes 12 to 47. The size of each recess 41 to 47 is such that it closely conforms to the shape of its respective tube along that part of its length between the cuff 18 and the connector 19. At their ends, the recesses 41 to 47 are deepened and widened to take the increased diameter of the cuffs 18 and connectors 19. In the present embodiment, the larger end part of the recesses 41 to 47 are run into one another to form common lateral recesses 48 to 49 at opposite ends. The total length of each recess 41 to 47 is approximately equal to the total length of the respec tive tube 11 to 17 including its connector 19, and the tubes 11 to 17 may contact both ends of the recesses.In this way, it is ensured that only the correct tube is fitted in the correct recess, since a tube that is too long will not fit and one that is too short will be readily apparent by the space between the tube and the recess.

The tray 1 also includes further recesses, namely three recesses 51 to 53 to retain the three airways 21 to 23, a longitudinal recess 54 to receive the stylet 30, a recess 55 to receive a syringe 31 that can be used to inflate the cuffs 18 of the tubes, and a recess 56 to receive the tube of lubricating jelly 32 used for inserting the tubes within the trachea. Various other recesses could be provided, as desired, such as for receiving nasopharangeal-airways or a laryngoscope.

The assembly is completed by means of a transparent plastics lid (not shown) which is a push fit over the tray 1. the lid serves to keep the contents clean whilst allowing them to be seen from outside; the contents need not be kept sterile.

The assembly of the present invention enables ready access to a range of different tubes which are ready cut to the correct size and fitted with a connector. This enables the appropriate tube to be selected rapidly by the physician, or other user, and to be inserted into the trachea without the need for any further cutting. By using the assembly, therefore, the time taken to intubate the patient can be considerably reduced.

Modern endotracheal tubes are generally only used once and then discarded. The absence of any tube from the assembly can be readily spotted and the correct size replacement inserted into the recess. The tray 1 will usually be marked in some way with the size of the tube shown adjacent the recess. The bottom surface of the recess, normally covered by the tube, may be conspicuously marked or coloured so that the absence of the tube from the assembly is more readily apparent.

Various alternative assemblies are possible.

A similar assembly including a tray 100 for holding a number of paediatric endotracheal tubes 101 to 108 is shown in Fig. 2. These tubes range from 25mm to 60mm internal diameter and in length from 105mm to 180mm (without a connector). Since paediatric endotracheal tubes do not generally have a cuff, the recesses 111 to 118 in the paediatric tray 100 do not need to be enlarged at the patient end to accommodate a cuff. The tray 100 may be marked adjacent each recess with the age of the patient for which the tube is suitable.

The assembly need not have tray formed with recesses to receive the tubes, instead, the tubes could be held by other means, such as by suitable mounting blocks at opposite ends. These mounting blocks can take many different forms. As shown in Fig. 3, the base block 200 is flat and provided with circular holes 201 to receive the connector 202 at the machine end of each tube 203. The upper block 210 has an inclined face 211, to accommodate the different lengths of the tubes 203, the patient end of each tube being received in a respective notch 212 in the inclined face. Alternatively, the upper block could be level and the base block stepped to accommodate the different lengths. The ends of the tubes could be secured by various different arrangements of combination of arrangements such as means of short pegs which extend within the bore of the tube.

Such mounting blocks can be secured directly to the wall of a room, or the side of a trolley, without any other base structures.

Claims (18)

1. A housing for receiving a range of medico-surgical tubes of differing sizes, said housing comprising a plurality of locations of different sizes, each said location being adapted to receive an individual one of said tubes.

2. A housing according to Claim 1, wherein said locations include a locating member at each end that is adapted to engage the respective ends of each said tube.

3. A housing according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said housing includes individual recesses shaped to conform closely to the external surface of each respective tube along a major part of its length.

4. A housing according to Claim 3, wherein the length of each recess is substantially the same as the length of the respective tube.

5. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said housing is unitary construction of plastics material.

6. A housing according to Claim 5, wherein said housing is formed by vacuum moulding.

7. A housing according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said locations are arranged side-by-side in order of decreasing size.

8. A housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

9. A housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A housing substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

11. A medico-surgical tube assembly including a housing according to any one of the preceding claims and a plurality of medicosurgical tubes- of different sizes in respective locations in said housing.

1 2. A medico-surgical tube assembly com prising a housing and a plurality of medicosurgical tubes of different sizes, wherein said housing has a plurality of locations of different sizes in which respective ones of said tubes are received.

13. An assembly according to Claim 11 or 12, wherein said tubes are endotracheal tubes.

14. An assembly according to Claim 13, wherein each said endotracheal tube includes a connector fitted at its machine end.

15. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings.

16. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.

17. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Any novel feature or combination of features as hereinbefore described.