Surgery – Respiratory method or device – Respiratory gas supply means enters mouth or tracheotomy...
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-14
2001-05-29
Ruhl, Dennis (Department: 3761)
Surgery
Respiratory method or device
Respiratory gas supply means enters mouth or tracheotomy...
C128S203120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06237597
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The instant invention relates generally to endotracheal medication port adapters and, more specifically, to an endotracheal medication port adapter for the administration of medication via a respiratory pathway.
This invention further relates to an endotracheal medication port adapter used by paramedics, nurses, doctors, etc. to administer drugs and, more particularly, to devices for coupling endotracheal tubes to sources of life supporting gas such as air or oxygen and for allowing for the introduction of medicine while maintaining the supply of gas. This invention relates generally to the administration of medicine to the pulmonary vasculature for the pulmonary administration of pharmaceuticals via an endotracheal tube designed to allow metered administration of drugs without necessitating the interruption of mechanical pulmonary ventilation.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional systems for tracheal intubation are employed routinely by health care professionals in hospital settings. The function of tracheal intubation is to provide mechanical assistance to patients to secure air passage and respiration function. Such mechanical assistance is effected by an endotracheal tube extending from a patients lungs to the exterior of the patient where it is coupled to a ventilation source for the administration of oxygen, air or other gasses. In hospital settings, where environmental conditions are excellent, intravenous administration of life-saving drugs is preferred even when a patient is being assisted by an endotracheal tube.
In pre-hospital settings, endotracheal tubes are also employed by paramedics, etc. Generally, the patient is a victim of an accident or another life-threatening medical emergency event that requires the assistance of a mechanical respiration apparatus to supplement abnormal respiration function. As in hospital settings, the preferred method of injecting life-saving drugs in emergency life-threatening situations is intravenous. Unfortunately, the use of intravenous injection of medication in a pre-hospital setting is not always secured by IV therapy. Hence, the alternative of intratracheal drug administration in life-threatening situations is gaining acceptance.
Current endotracheal respiration systems allow for intratracheal drug injections only after disconnecting the life supporting ventilation apparatus supplied with oxygen. There is thus a need for an endotracheal medication port adapter that allows for the introduction of life saving drugs while continuing the flow of life-supporting gasses such as air or oxygen.
Hospitals and health care providers of pre-hospital medicine are increasingly utilizing sterile instruments on a use-once, discard basis. This trend is due to the desire to reduce the transmission of nosocomial infection from one patient to another. Endotracheal medication port adapters are in the use-once, discard category.
The conventional endotracheal respiration system usually comprises at least two separate parts: the tube and a connector for coupling to a ventilation apparatus. The parts are manufactured individually and then assembled, tested and finally packaged in a sterile container. Accordingly, the cost of the materials and labor for an endotracheal respiration system that is used only once is relatively high.
The need thus exists for an endotracheal respiration system, that is convenient, inexpensive and allows for the introduction of medication without interrupting the flow of life supporting gasses and that can be manufactured with few parts, assembled, tested and packaged in a sterile container for use in hospitals and pre-hospital settings on a use-once, discard basis.
Numerous endotracheal devices have been provided in prior art For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,584,998; 4,669,463; 4,723,543; 4,815,459; 4,953,547; 5,031,613; 5,143,062; 5,146,916; 5,181,508; 5,197,463 and 5,207,220 are all illustrative of such prior art. While these units may be suitable for the particular purpose to which they address, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,584,998
Inventor: Thomas W. McGrail
Issued: Apr. 29,1986
A multi-purpose tracheal tube for use with high frequency ventilation. The tube is an endotracheal tube including up to three lumens, in addition to the primary lumen, which serve various functions to provide versatility in the treatment of patients. In cuffed tubes one of the lumens is used for inflating the cuff once the tube has been placed in the desired position in the trachea of the patient. Another lumen, referred to as the “insufflation lumen”, is used to deliver oxygen or other gases by constant insufflation, intermittent jet ventilation or high frequency ventilation. The third lumen, when incorporated, is employed for monitoring and irrigation. The distal opening of the irrigation or monitoring lumen is located just inside the distal tip of the tube while the insufflation lumen opening is located rearwardly toward the proximal end of the tube relative to the irrigation or monitoring lumen opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,463
Inventor: Richard B. McConnell
Issued: Jun. 2, 1987
An improved endotracheal tube apparatus comprising an endotracheal tube unit and an injection site adjunct unit wherein the tube unit is provided with a primary endotracheal tube passageway in communication with a respirator, and a lumen side port formed in the wall of the primary tube passageway, wherein the lumen side port is in open fluid communication with the injection site adjunct unit and the interior of the passageway whereby liquid medicants may be introduced into the passageway.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,543 and 4,815,459
Inventor: Anthony V. Beran
Issued: Feb. 9, 1988 and Mar. 28, 1989
A connector for a respirator apparatus which is adapted to be inserted into the open stem of a respiratory Y-tube and connected to an endotracheal tube is provided. In one embodiment the connector is adapted to be used as a pressure measuring or gas sampling device and in another embodiment as a pneumotach for measuring the respiratory flow rate of a patient. The dead space commonly encountered in prior art connectors is substantially reduced and the likelihood of disconnection is reduced or eliminated. The connector permits gas measurement adjacent the patient and at a cross sectional flow are that approximate the inner diameter of the endotracheal tube.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,547
Inventor: Samuel E. Poole, Jr.
Issued: Sep. 4, 1990
An improved drug administering respiration endotracheal system which permits simultaneous multiple injection of life-saving medication into the lungs of the patient without interruption of the flow of life supporting gases. The system includes a connector with a linear axial passageway for gases and two separate medication injection ports adapted to receive a hypodermic needle and a medical syringe.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,613
Inventor: Roy D. Smith et al.
Issued: Jul. 16,1991
A nebulizing catheter and method for delivering a nebulized medication to a patient. The catheter includes an hour-glass shaped neck near its distal end and one or more perforations formed in the distal end. The fluid may be forced through the catheter by a syringe or other suitable means. The catheter is preferably used in conjunction with an endotracheal tube into which the catheter is inserted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,078,131
Inventor: Martin P. Foley
Issued: Jan. 7, 1992
Apparatus is provided for injecting medication into a ventilator circuit. An elbow connects an endotracheal tube to the external ventilator circuit. A port in the elbow is connected to a flexible sheath leading to an actuator receiving an MDI canister. A catheter extends from the actuator substantially through the sheath to a position adjacent the elbow. When it is desired to inject medication, the actuator is moved to a position adjacent the elbow, thus projecting the discharge end of the catheter to a position within the endotracheal tube, but short of the open end thereof.
U.S. P
Kroll Michael I.
Mitchell Teena
Ruhl Dennis
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