Endotracheal tube apparatus

A method of monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles, comprising:

• providing an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface with electrodes formed thereon, wherein the endotracheal tube includes a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds, wherein the electrodes include a first electrode positioned substantially below the first location and a second electrode positioned substantially above the first location, and wherein the first and second electrodes are laterally and longitudinally offset from each other;
• sensing the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles with the electrodes when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient;
• and
• outputting the EMG signals sensed by the conductive ink electrodes to a processing apparatus.

An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles, comprising:

• an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface;
• at least one electrode formed on the exterior surface in an electrode region of the endotracheal tube, the at least one electrode configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient;
• and
• a second electrode formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location, wherein the first and second electrodes are laterally and longitudinally offset from each other and configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient;
• and
• at least one tube placement marking positioned in the electrode region and configured to facilitate positioning of the at least one electrode within a patient, wherein the at least one tube placement marking includes at least one band that substantially surrounds a circumference of the endotracheal tube, and a vertical line segment that extends in a longitudinal direction along the at least one band.