Apparatus and method for improved assisted ventilation

#Intubation is the placement of a tube of an intubation device into an airway lumen of the body of a patient to provide assisted ventilation of the lungs to maintain a supply of oxygen to the blood in those cases where the patient is unable to breathe on his or her own. Intubation in cases of respiratory distress involves the placement of a tube into the trachea of the patient. Tracheal intubation also involves the positioning of an endotracheal tube into a patient's trachea through the vocal cords, so the caregiver must also be careful to avoid injuring the vocal cords. In many cases, care must be taken when intubating a patient since improper placement of the tube can result in additional harm to the patient. For example, many conventional intubation devices rely on an inflatable cuff that forms a seal against the lumen wall to maintain a position of the tube within the lumen. Over-inflation of the cuff, can cause internal bleeding in the patient. Another significant problem is that extreme care must be taken to avoid positioning the intubation tube within the esophagus rather than the trachea. In such cases, with conventional devices, the first responder or medical practitioner cannot properly ventilate the patient and the patient can suffer further injury.

#Even properly trained medical caregivers and first responders must proceed with caution during intubation to avoid misplacement of the intubation device or to avoid unwanted insertion errors and risk of injury. Delay and/or misplacement of the endotracheal tube, such as misplacement of the endotracheal tube into the esophagus, can potentially result in neurological damage or death. Improper positioning of the endotracheal tube also can compromise airway protection or result in inadequate ventilation. It is therefore imperative to intubate a patient quickly and position the endotracheal tube correctly when a medical condition arises.

#To reduce the risk of complications during intubation, the caregiver, whether a first responder, such as an emergency medical technician, paramedic, or a nurse or physician must proceed as quickly as possible yet with caution to avoid the potential complications. In addition, a first responder must often attempt to intubate the patient in a less than desirable location such as a bathroom, restaurant, or other area not conducive to providing proper medical treatment and care.

#The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features are arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. Also for purposes of clarity, certain features of the invention may not be depicted in some of the drawings. Included in the drawings are the following figures:

#FIG. 1 provides a partial view of a patient's oral cavity, tongue, pharynx as well as esophagus and trachea.

#FIG. 2 illustrates one example of a conventional device as used to intubate a patient.

#Before the devices, systems and methods of the present invention are described, it is to be understood that this invention is not limited to particular therapeutic applications and implant sites described, as such may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present invention will be limited only by the appended claims.

#Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The terms “proximal”, “distal”, “near” and “far” when used indicate positions or locations relative to the user where proximal refers to a position or location closer to the user and distal refers to a position or location farther away from the user.

#FIG. 3 illustrates various components of an example of an improved system according to the present disclosure. As shown, the ventilation device 100 includes a working end 102 that is inserted into a patient. The working end can include a distal tubing 104 that contains a first lumen (not shown), which extends through a distal opening 106 of the ventilation device 100 and is in fluid communication with a control unit (also called a ventilator) 150 and/or supply source 160 via one or more proximal tubes 118. The control unit 150 can also include an apparatus designed to provide suction as well as a collection canister. In operation, the control unit 150 directs suction or applies a vacuum through a first fluid path 122, which in turn causes a suction or negative pressure at the distal opening 106. The source 160 can comprise oxygen, air, or any other gas that is desired for ventilation of delivery into the lungs. The source 160 can be nested within physical construct of the controller 150. However, the source 160 can be optional so that the controller ventilates the patient only using ambient air.