Dual suction tube
AssigneeGary Zhou
InventorGary Zhou
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A dual suction tube that includes a lower section, an upper section, and a transitional zone. The lower section includes at least one eyelet disposed at a distal end of the lower section. The upper section includes at least one port configured to be connected to a vacuum source. The transitional zone is between the lower section and the upper section, and has a first cross-sectional area at a proximal end of the transitional zone and a second cross-sectional area at a distal end of the transitional zone. The first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area.
Claims19
A dual suction tube, comprising:
- a lower section including at least one eyelet disposed at a distal end of the lower section, the at least one eyelet configured for gastric suction;
- an upper section including at least one port configured to be connected to a vacuum source;
- and
- a transitional zone between the lower section and the upper section, the transitional zone having a first cross-sectional area at a proximal end of the transitional zone and a second cross-sectional area at a distal end of the transitional zone, and the transitional zone including at least one eyelet configured for pharyngeal suction;
- wherein the lower section, the upper section, and the transitional zone define a single suction lumen extending from a distal end to a proximal end of the dual suction tube and configured to perform both the gastric suction and the pharyngeal suction;
- wherein the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area;
- and
- wherein the transitional zone is configured and dimensioned to be positioned in and engage a distal port of an ampulla or gastropharyngeal access channel of an airway device to stop advancement of the dual suction tube, and to block the at least one eyelet of the transitional zone with the distal port of the ampulla or the gastropharyngeal access channel allowing vacuum to reach the at least one eyelet of the lower section for the gastric suction.
A method of using a single lumen for gastric and pharyngeal suction, the method comprising:
- passing a lower section of a dual suction tube through an ampulla or gastropharyngeal access channel and into an esophagus and stomach of a patient, wherein the dual suction tube includes (i) the lower section including at least one eyelet disposed at a distal end of the lower section, the at least one eyelet configured for gastric suction, (ii) an upper section including at least one port configured to be connected to a vacuum source, and (iii) a transitional zone between the lower section and the upper section, the transitional zone having a first cross-sectional area at a proximal end of the transitional zone and a second cross-sectional area at a distal end of the transitional zone, the first cross-sectional area is greater than the second cross-sectional area, and the transitional zone includes at least one eyelet configured for pharyngeal suction, wherein the lower section, the upper section, and the transitional zone define a single suction lumen extending from a distal end to a proximal end of the dual suction tube and are configured to perform both the gastric suction and the pharyngeal suction;
- and
- positioning the transitional zone to engage a distal port of the ampulla or the gastropharyngeal access channel of an airway device to stop advancement of the dual suction tube through the ampulla, and to block the at least one eyelet of the transitional zone with the distal port of the ampulla or the gastropharyngeal access channel, allowing vacuum to reach the at least one eyelet of the lower section for the gastric suction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.