Pressure or flow limiting adaptor
AssigneeCook Medical Technologies LLC
InventorsElizabeth M. Brown, Jeffry S. Melsheimer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An adapter for use in airway exchange procedure capable of being rapidly coupled and uncoupled to the catheter and being capable of regulating the flow of fluid delivered to the trachea of the patient. Oxygenation is received at the proximal end of the adapter and delivered to a catheter at the distal end. The adapter may include a relief valve to release excess fluid from the provided oxygenation. The adapter may also include a throttling valve to limit the flow of fluid within the valve, preventing excessive pressure or flow rate of breathable fluid to the catheter. During the procedure, the adapter and oxygenation source may be rapidly uncoupled and coupled to the catheter by a connector on the distal end of the adapter.
Claims20
An airway management system for oxygenating a patient, comprising:
- an endotracheal tube comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a passageway extending therethrough;
- a catheter comprising a proximal end and a distal end wherein the catheter is sized and configured to pass through the endotracheal tube;
- an adapter comprising a hollow main body having a plurality of openings into an interior region thereof, wherein a first opening is arranged on the distal end of the hollow main body for coupling to said catheter, and a second opening is coupled to an oxygenation source;
- and
- a valve coupled to the hollow main body of the adapter, wherein the valve is moveable from a first position to a second position to regulate a flow of a breathable fluid from the first opening to the second opening through the distal end of the hollow main body.
A method for oxygenating a patient during removal of an endotracheal tube, comprising:
- positioning a catheter having a distal end and a proximal end wherein the distal end of the catheter extends through an endotracheal tube and into a trachea of the patient;
- coupling an adapter to the proximal end of the catheter, wherein the adapter comprises a hollow main body having a plurality of openings into an interior region thereof, wherein a first opening is arranged on a distal end of the hollow main body and is reversibly coupled to the proximal end of the catheter, and a second opening is arranged on a proximal end of the hollow main body;
- receiving an oxygenation source to a second opening on the hollow main body of the adapter;
- and
- regulating air flowing through the interior region of the hollow main body by movement of a valve coupled to the hollow main body of the adapter.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.