Endotracheal tube inflatable cuff

An endotracheal tube arrangement comprising:

• a flexible hollow endotracheal tube defining a tube interior fully containing a ventilation passageway and an inflatable cuff lumen;
• a single inflatable cuff mounted on a distal region of the endotracheal tube, the inflatable cuff in fluid communication with the inflatable cuff lumen via a cuff lumen exit aperture that perforates the flexible hollow endotracheal tube in said distal region,
• wherein the inflatable cuff is configured to inflate to an inflated cuff by air flowing through the cuff lumen exit aperture, the inflated cull defines a longitudinal profile comprising a central cuff portion having a reduced radial dimension relative to a proximal cuff portion and a distal cuff portion, the inflatable cuff is configured to be positioned in a trachea with the central cuff portion positioned adjacent to vocal cords.

An endotracheal tube configuration comprising:

• a unitary flexible hollow tube having a constant outer diameter;
• a single inflatable cuff mounted on the tube in a distal region, wherein the inflatable cuff is inflatable to a smaller diameter radius between two larger diameter radii relative to the constant outer diameter,
• the inflatable cuff is adapted to extend across vocal cords at the smaller diameter radius while the two larger diameter radii are positioned above and below the vocal cords, the two larger diameter radii and configured to sealingly engage different diameter tracheas above and below the vocal cords.