초록 ▼

An endotracheal tube apparatus (10) which can efficiently impart air to the lungs of a human or animal while preventing the harmful build up of mucus deposits on critical parts of the apparatus. This endotracheal tube apparatus features an endotracheal tube (12) and a catheter (14) which are togethe

An endotracheal tube apparatus (10) which can efficiently impart air to the lungs of a human or animal while preventing the harmful build up of mucus deposits on critical parts of the apparatus. This endotracheal tube apparatus features an endotracheal tube (12) and a catheter (14) which are together inserted into the trachea (16) of a human or animal to a point slightly above the carina (28) of the lungs. Humidified air entrained with water or saline droplets from reservoir (56) is pumped into and through the catheter. The catheter features a reverse thrust catheter (RTC) tip (60, 62, 64, 80) at its distal end (24) which reverses the direction of humidified air flow away from the lungs. The RTC tip serves to protect the lungs from accumulation of water or saline droplets while the water or saline droplets continually clean both the catheter and endotracheal tube by dissolving and expelling any mucus which might otherwise accumulate.

대표청구항 ▼

An apparatus for intratracheal ventilation of human or animal lungs comprising: an endotracheal tube for insertion into a human or animal trachea to a point above a human\s or animal\s lungs; a catheter positioned within said endotracheal tube, having proximal and distal ends; a source of humidified

An apparatus for intratracheal ventilation of human or animal lungs comprising: an endotracheal tube for insertion into a human or animal trachea to a point above a human\s or animal\s lungs; a catheter positioned within said endotracheal tube, having proximal and distal ends; a source of humidified air flow connected to the proximal end of said catheter to provide humidified air flow through said catheter; means to entrain liquid droplets to said humidified air flow so that the air flow in said catheter consists of humidified air with entrained liquid droplets, said liquid droplets being entrained in an amount sufficient to detectably dissolve mucus deposits on said catheter and within said endotracheal tube while not producing a significant accumulation of water in a human\s or animal\s lungs; and, a flow-reversing catheter tip affixed to the distal end of said catheter having an exit port directed away from a human\s or animal\s lungs.