IMPROVED BALLOON CUFF TRACHEOSTOMY TUBE

摘要

There is provided a balloon cuffed tracheostomy tube (160) with a balloon (175) designed so as to enhance the tube's anchorability without sealing the tracheal stoma (210). The tracheostomy tube device includes a conventional curved hollow tube. The distal (165) end of the tube is adapted for insertion through a tracheal stoma and into the tracheal lumen (200) of a patient's throat. The device further includes an inflatable balloon enveloping a portion of the tube. The balloon has a distal portion (180) substantially centered about and attached to the distal end portion of the tube, and a proximal portion (185) attached to the bend region of the tube and positioned substantially off-center relative to the proximal portion of the tube and about the bend region below the proximal plane of the device. Upon inflation, this configuration provides for expansion of the balloon around the distal end portion of the tube and the proximal end portion of the tube below the proximal plane of the device to seal the trachea below the tracheal stoma and to avoid sealing the trachea above the tracheal stoma. This configuration of the balloon should allow secretions to exit the stoma so that they do not accumulate and become a possible source of ventilator acquired pneumonia.