US 5,546,935 AGranted

Endotracheal tube mounted pressure transducer

AssigneeMedAmicus, Inc.

InventorEugene J. Champeau

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

The present invention provides an endotracheal breathing tube useful in patient ventilation that has a distally mounted pressure sensor transducer. The endotracheal breathing tube of the present invention has distal and proximal ends with the distal end being configured for emplacement at a preselected area of a patient's trachea and further has multiple interior passages with a first passage useful for providing a flow path for ventilation therapy gas being provided to the ventilated patient and for providing a flow path for removal of exhalation gases. A second passage is utilized by a pair of optical fibers for optical signal transmission to and from a pressure transducer disposed within the second passage near the distal end of the breathing tube. The second passage and the first passage communicate through an opening between the two passages such that the pressure transducer is exposed to the pressure within the distal end of the endotracheal breathing tube, which in turn is substantially equal to the gas pressure outside the endotracheal tube and thus to the gas pressure at the bronchi of the patient. The gas pressure sensed by the pressure transducer and any changes therein are transmitted substantially instantaneously to a ventilator that calculates the instantaneous pressure and provides a real time sensing of the pressure in the patient's lungs and any subsequent changes therein.

Apparatus for providing improved ventilation of a patient, said apparatus comprising:

an endotracheal breathing tube comprising first and second passages, said breathing tube and said first and said second passages having distal and proximal ends, said distal end of said breathing tube being configured for disposition in the patient's trachea;
an airway tube for supply of at least one ventilation gas to said first passage and for removal of exhalation gases from the patient, said airway tube being connected at one end to a supply of at least one ventilation gas and at the other end to said proximal end of said first passage;
said first passage providing a flow path for the at least one ventilation gas between said airway tube and the patient;
ventilator means for controllably ventilating the patient with the at least one ventilation gas;
wherein said apparatus further includes a sensor for sensing pressure within the patient's trachea, said sensor being disposed on said distal end of said breathing tube and providing real-time sensing of the gas pressure within the patient's trachea, said sensor being in communication with said ventilator means;
said sensor comprising:
a pressure transducer;
and
an optical path extending longitudinally within said second passage of said breathing tube and defining a light transmitting circuit comprised of optical fiber lead means for transmitting light along said optical path from an external source to said pressure transducer and from said pressure transducer to said ventilator means, said path having a distal end and a proximal end;
and
wherein said pressure transducer is mounted at said distal end of said optical path and of said breathing tube such that it senses the pressure within the patient's trachea and comprises:
a housing disposed within said second passage and receiving and holding said distal end of said optical path in predetermined position in optical coupling relation with itself, said housing having an aperture disposed distally of said distal end of said optical path;
and
a flexible membrane on said housing disposed in covering relation to said aperture, said membrane having a pressure responsive segment extending over said aperture and exposed to the pressure inside of the patient's trachea on its outer surface and to pressure inside of said housing on its inner surface, said pressure responsive segment of said membrane being movable transversely across said aperture in response to changes in pressure inside said first passage to thereby change light transmission through said distal end of said optical path, and said membrane is a cylindrical sleeve embracing said housing in a snug fit therewith;
whereby said ventilator means controls the ventilation of the patient in response to the sensed gas pressure in said breathing tube.

12 more elements

Abstract

Claims17