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. A method of manufacturing an inflatable balloon cuff comprising:
providing an inflatable balloon cuff comprising: a tapered section along the length along an axis of the inflated balloon cuff, wherein at least a portion of the tapered section is configured 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, wherein the wrinkle-free sealing band is configured to prevent leakage of fluid past the wrinkle-free sealing band when inflated; 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.