| 摘要 |
An improved double-cuffed endotracheal tube designed for insertion through the mouth of a patient to provide a passage for artificial respiration. The device includes an elongated flexible tube having proximal and distal end portions, the distal end portion designed for insertion into a patient and the proximal end portion capable of connection to an artificial respirator. The tube includes a lower inflatable-deflatable cuff located above the distal end portion and secured to and encircling the tube. When properly positioned and inflated, the lower cuff sealingly engages the inner wall of the trachea below the larynx and prevents secretions from traveling into the upper trachea or larynx. The tube also includes an upper inflatable-deflatable foam-filled cuff secured to and encircling the tube above the lower cuff. The upper cuff is located on the tube at a predetermined point for positioning in the larynx between the vocal cords and cricoarytenoid joint. When properly positioned, the upper cuff extends equal distances above and below the glottis, and upon expansion or inflation, engages the interior surfaces of the larynx, preventing contact of the tube with those surfaces. The upper foam-filled cuff is designed to provide a sufficiently large area of contact between the cuff and laryngeal tissues to evenly distribute the pressure exerted by the endotracheal tube throughout the cuff, and protects the laryngeal tissues from injuries commonly caused by prolonged intubation of conventional endotracheal tubes. |
