Sealing means for endotracheal tubes
AssigneeThe United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services
InventorTheodor Kolobow
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sealing element for a tubular member such as an endotracheal tube which includes a circular collar portion and a pliable flange or gill. One or more of the sealing elements are positioned on a tubular member such as an endotracheal tube. When the tubular member is inserted into a lumen such as a trachea, the pliable flange(s) or gill(s) forms a seal between the outer wall of the tubular member and the inner wall of the lumen. In the case of endotracheal tubes the sealing elements replace conventional inflatable cuffs and allow for tubes having diameters less than 5 mm.
Claims15
An endotracheal tube comprising a tubular member and a sealing means on said tubular member, said sealing means including a circular collar portion having a through hole centrally located therein and a pliable flange attached to an outer circumferential surface of said circular collar portion, said pliable flange being continuous along the entire circumferential surface of said circular collar portion and having a thickness of less than about 0.002 inches, said pliable flange providing a means to collect tracheal bronchial secretions and thereby assist in sealing said endotracheal tube in a tracheal when inserted therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.