ENDOTRACHEAL CUFF AND TECHNIQUE FOR USING THE SAME

摘要

An inflatable balloon cuff may be adapted to seal a patient's trachea when associated with an endotracheal tube. Configurations of these cuffs that include tapered regions with certain characteristics, such as cuff wall diameter and thickness, may provide improved sealing of the trachea.

主权项

1. An inflatable balloon cuff comprising:
a tapered section of the inflatable balloon cuff, wherein at least a portion of the tapered section is adapted to form a seal against a tracheal wall of a patient, wherein the tapered section comprises:
a sealing portion, wherein the sealing portion is adapted to form a wrinkle-free band against a patient's tracheal wall when inflated, such that a portion of the tapered region is configured to form a seal against the patient's trachea and wherein the seal reduces microaspiration of fluids by an average of 90% relative to an inflatable balloon cuff having a barrel shape; anda wrinkled portion, wherein a largest diameter of the wrinkled portion is larger than a tracheal diameter such that the wrinkled portion forms a wrinkled band against a patient's tracheal wall when inflated and wherein the wrinkled band is longer than the wrinkle-free band.