GB2218909A

GB2218909A - Improvements in and relating to endotracheal tubes

Info

Publication number: GB2218909A
Application number: GB8812465A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Harnedy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-05-26
Filing date: 1988-05-26
Publication date: 1989-11-29
Also published as: GB8812465D0

Abstract

An endotracheal tube of the kind having a balloon which may be inflated by introducing a suitable fluid through a capiilary bore running along the length of the tube is provided with a detachable connector which is adapted to connect the capillary bore in the wall of the tube with a source of fluid to inflate the balloon. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO ENDOTRACHEAL TUBES The invention relates to an endotracheal tube for insertion into the trachea to form an artificial airway.

Endotracheal tubes in their simplest form comprise a length of flexible tubing one end of which is inserted into the trachea via the nose or mouth and the other end of which is connected to a ventilation machine Commonly such tubes are also provided towards the insertion end, with a balloon surrounding the tube, the balloon being inflated with air after insertion into the trachea to hold the tube firmly in place while the patient is being ventilated The air is supplied to the balloon through a capillary bore running along the length of the wall of the flexible tube Such an endotracheal tube will hereinafter be referred to as an endotracheal tube of the type described In known endotracheal tubes of the kind described , fluid is supplied to the capillary bore and hence to the balloon through a side arm of the main endotracheal tube.The position of the side arm-depends upon whether the tube is to be inserted through the nose or the mouth. Once an endotracheal tube has been inserted into the trachea it is usual for the clinician to cut the end of the flexible tracheal tube so as to minimise the amount of tubing protruding from the mouth of the patient However the length of tubing which may be cut depends on the position of the side arm. Since this side arm cannot be cut because it is required to inflate the balloon the clinician cannot always reduce the amount of protruding tubing to the minimum level desired.

In accordance with the invention an endotracheal tube of the type described is provided with a detachable connector for connection to a ventilation machine wherein the connector is adapted to connect the capillary bore in the wall of the tube with a source of fluid to inflate the balloon.

Such an arrangement is advantageous over hitherto known tubes because the need for a side-arm is avoided, the balloon being inflated through the detachable connector. Thus the tube can be inserted into the trachea without the connector and any desired length cut from the protruding end The connector is then placed over the cut end so that the balloon can be inflated and a connection can be made with the ventilation machine In use, the capillary bore df;:jthe endotracheal tube is preferably connected to the source of air through a narrow passage formed in the connector body between the outer wall of the connector and the point of interface between the connector and the tube. The end of the passage at the outer wall of the connector may be fitted with a one-way valve.

Air may then be fed through the valve by a syringe or the like into the capillary bore The connector may be provided with indication means to inform the operator that the balloon is satisfactorily inflated. Preferably the connector is made from injection moulded plastic.

The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a broken vertical cross-section through an embodiment of an endotracheal tube and a connector in accordance with the invention Referring to Figure 1 an endotracheal tube which is of the type described, comprises a flexible tube 2 having a capillary bore 4 formed in the thickness of and running along the length of its wall. Towards the insertion end 5 a balloon 6 surrounds the tube 2, the balloon being inflated by the passage of a fluid through the bore 4 and out through a hole 8 in the wall of the tube 2 within the balloon The end 10 of the tube is detachably connected to a ventilation machine (not shown) by means of a tubular connector 12. The connector 12 is provided with a tapered circular recess 14 to receive a cut end 10 of the tube 2.The tapered shape ensures a tight fit between the side--walls of the recess 14 and the end of the tube 2. A good seal is essential so that air from the ventilation machine, or fluid passing through the connector to inflate the balloon, does not escape at this joint.

The connector 12 has a circular flange 16, to one point of which is fitted a one-way valve 18. The valve 18 connects with a narrow passage 20 which runs through the body of the connector 12 and emerges at the base of the tapered recess 14. A passage 22, branching from the passage 20, connects with an inflation indicator 24. The inlet 26 to the valve 18 is sized to receive the outlet end of a syringe.

To use the endotracheal tube as an artificial airway the end 5, of the tube 2 is inserted into the trachea of the patient to be ventilated, via the nose or the mouth. At this stage the end 10 of the tube 2 is free of the connector 12 so that any appropriate length of the tube 2 can be freely cut from the end 10.

Thereafter, the cut end 10 is fitted into the recess 14 of the connector 12. Fluid is delivered into the passage 20 through the one-way valve 18 from a loaded syringe the end of which is fitted into the inlet 26.

From the passage 20, the fluid passes in a circular route around the gap 30 between the bottom of the recess 14 and the bottom of the tube 10, up through the capillary bore 4 and into the balloon 6. With the balloon 6 thus inflated, the endotracheal tube 2 remains firmly wedged in the patient's trachea. The inflation pressure of the balloon 6 is indicated by inflation of the indicator 24 via the passage 22. The ventilation machine can then be connected via the end 32 of the connector 12, to the endotracheal tube 2.

It can be seen that incorporating means to inflate the balloon into the connector for connecting the endotracheal tube to the ventilation machine represents a considerable advantage over previous arrangements since the use of a side-arm is avoided and, therefore, the tube can be cut to any convenient length.

Claims

CLAIMS:

For use with an endotracheal tube of the type described, a detachable connector for connection to a ventilation machine wherein the connector is adapted to connect in use the capillary bore in the wall of the tube with a source of fluid to inflate the balloon.
2. A. connector according to claim 1, in which the connector, in use, connects the capillary bore to a source of fluid through a relatively narrow passage formed in the connector body between the outer wall of the connector and the point of interface between the connector and the tube.
3. A connector according to claim 2, in which the end of the passage at the outer wall of the connector is fitted with a one-way valve.
4. A connector according to any of the preceding claims, in which the connector is provided with indication means to inform the operator that the balloon is satisfactorily inflated.
5. In combination, an endotracheal tube of the type described, and a detachable connector according to any of the preceding claims.
6. An invention substantially as described herein with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.