 |
Description  |
|
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, in general, to emergency forced respiration
devices, and in particular, to esophageal, intubation respirators.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The value of artifical respiration in emergency situation has long been
recognized. Recent advances include the invention of Don Michael et al,
U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,908 which provides an esophageal tube having an
inflatable cuff for sealing the esophagus and air discharge ports for
providing air to the lungs. Also among the recent advances is the
modification of the Michael tube by Hewson, U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,361, which
provides ventilation to the lungs through a face mask without a special
duct. The Don Michael invention discloses no means for preventing the air
forced through the air discharge passages from exiting through nose or
mouth except mouth shield 14. The Hewson invention attempts to prevent air
escape by means of a mask covering nose and mouth. Problems inherent in
the current art include air leakage through the nose and mouth because of
an inadequate exterior seal on the face. Variations in facial size and
configuration complicate the problem.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a tube for esophageal insertion which has
an inner cuff for sealing the lower esopagus, an outer cuff for sealing
the upper respiratory tract, and means for ventilating the lungs through
air discharge ports located between the two cuffs. A gastric evacuation
tube and automatic cuff inflators are also provided.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an esophageal
airway having a pair of inflatable cuffs for preventing air excape either
into the stomach or into the atmosphere.
It is a more particular object to provide an esophageal airway having an
upper respiratory seal.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an upper
respiratory seal that requires no external manipulation.
Another object of the present invention is to provide artifical respiration
apparatus having esphageal and upper respiratory seals, an air passage,
and a gastric evacuation tube.
Other objects will become apparent and a more thorough and comprehensive
understanding may be had from the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, of one embodiment of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 1, including a gastric
evacuation tube.
FIG. 3 is a sectional perspective view of the exterior adapter of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Refering now to FIG. 1, one preferred embodiment of the respiration
apparatus 10, made according to the present invention is disclosed.
Respiration apparatus 10 includes elongated tube member 12 for insertion
into the esophagus, first expandable element 15, second expandable element
17, inflating tubes 16 and 18, air inlet 13 and air outlet ports 14.
Elongated tube member 12 is formed of synthetic plastic having a degree of
flexibility to permit insertion into the esophagus. Tube 12 has, at its
inner, a rounded tip portion 11 which facilitates insertion as well as
sealing tube 12 to prevent air inflow into the stomach. Tube 12 contains
at its outer end, adapter 20, a more rigid plastic tube than tube member
12, which, in operation, is connected to an air bag for lung ventilation.
Rigid adapter 20, in addition, serves as a bite-tube thereby preventing
accidental collapse or closing of tube member 12. Adapter 20 may also
contain apparatus for inflating expandable elements 15 and 17 as will
hereinafter be explained.
Adjacent the inner end of tube member 12, and around its outside, there is
provided first expandable element 15 which may be an inflatable balloon
formed of rubber, synthetic plastic, or like material. A small hole 3 in
tube member 12 connects balloon 15 to small bore tube 16 connected to the
interior wall of tube member 12. Small bore tube 16 emerges from tube 12
adjacent its outer end where tube 16 connects with inflatable pressure
indicator 6. Indicator 6 contains syringe adapter 7 which may be either
attached to a syringe, not shown, for inflation, or air tight blocking
element 5 preventing air flow from balloon 15. Blocking element 5 may
consist of a removable check valve.
Adjacent the outer end of tube member 12 and around its outside there is
provided second expandable element 17, which, like element 15, may be an
inflatable balloon. A small hole 4 connects balloon 17 to small bore tube
18 connected to the interior wall of tube 12. Small bore tube 18 emerges
from tube 12 adjacent its outer end where tube 18 connects with inflatable
pressure indicator 8. Indicator 8 contains syringe adapter 2 which may be
attached to a syringe or blocking element 1.
Tube 12, between balloons 15 and 17, is provided with a plurality of
apertures 14 along its length and around its peripheral walls. Apertures
14 extend into the interior of tube 12 and thereby provide fluid
communication with outlet 13 for lung ventilation.
Referring now to FIG. 2, a modification of device 10 is disclosed. The
modification includes gastric tube 30. Tube 30 extends substantially
co-axially with tube 12 and has an inner end 32 extending through the
distal tip of tube 12, thereby replacing rounded tip portion 11 of FIG. 1.
Inner end 32 contains a blunted end 33 for closing the tip of gastric tube
30 and facilitating tube insertion. Inner end 32 contains a plurality of
apertures 34 along its length and extending through its peripheral walls
providing fluid communication to the interior of tube 30. At its opposite
and outer end 36 which exits adjacent adapter 20, tube 30 may contain a
syringe adapter 38 for syringe attachment. When inserted in place,
apertures 34 are disposed inside the stomach and provide ports through
which stomach contents, including any air which might leak from the
esophagus around air balloon 15, may be asperated.
Adapter 20, shown to advantage in FIG. 3 may include apparatus to fill
balloons 15 and 17 by means of air forced through inlet 13 rather than by
means of a syringe connected to adapters 2 and 7, best seen in FIG. 1.
This inflating apparatus includes a disc 22 having a main air supply port
24 communicating between air inlet 13 and the interior of tube 12 and thus
to apertures 14 and the lungs, and two ports 26 and 28 communicating
between air inlet 13 and tubes 16 and 18 extending to balloons 15 and 17
respectively. Disc 22 is secured to the interior of the side walls of
adapter 20, transversely to the duct. Means for connecting ports 26 and 28
to said tubes 16 and 18, respectively, include Y-connectors 27 and 29
provided as inserts into tubes 16 and 18. One-way check valves 23 and 25
prevent air leakage from balloons 15 and 17. Also included is port cover
42 which is rotatably secured by means of slot or otherwise to proximally
engage disc 22. Cover 42 is formed so as to selectively cover one or more
of ports 24, 26 or 28 at any one time, the purpose being to block air
passage to the lungs while forcing air into balloon inflating ports 26 and
28 and vica versa.
In operation, tube member 12 is inserted into the esophagus so that tip 32
of gastric tube 30 is located within the stomach. Balloons 15 and 17 are
then inflated in one of two ways. The balloons may be inflated by
connecting a syringe to each of the adapters 2 and 7 and forcefully
inserting air. Indicators 6 and 8 allow proper gauging of the amount of
air to be inserted. Alternately, where adapter 20 contains means for
inflating the balloons through inlet 13, as shown in FIG. 3, cover 42 is
rotated to cover port 24 going to the lungs and thereby uncover ports 26
and 28 going to the balloons. Air is forced through inlet 13 by means of
bellows, air bag, or otherwise through check valves 23 and 25, through the
Y-connectors and into the balloons. Check valves 5 prevent air escape
through indicators 6 and 8. When the balloons are sufficently inflated as
determined by the indicators, port cover 42 is rotated to cover port holes
26 and 28 and to open port hole 24 going to the lungs. In this manner,
balloons 15 and 17 are not further inflated. It will be seen then balloon
15 seals the esophagus from the stomach and balloon 17 seals the
pharyngeal cavity from the atmosphere so that artificial respiration can
then be performed by inflating and deflating the lungs through outlet 13
by breathing into the outlet, or attaching a respirator such as an air bag
or bellows. Gastric fluid may be extracted, at will, by means of a syringe
attachable to adapter 38, shown in FIG. 2. Device 10 is removed by
removing blocking element 5 permitting the balloons to deflate and then
withdrawing the tube.
Having thus described in detail a preferred embodiment of the present
invention, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled
in the art that many physical changes could be made in the apparatus
without altering the inventive concept and principle embodied therein. The
present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as
illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being
indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description,
and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of
the claims are therefore to be embraced therein.
* * * * *
|
|
 |
|
 |
Description |
|
