SELF-CLEANING ENDOTRACHEAL TUBE APPARATUS

摘要

An endotracheal tube apparatus (10) which can efficiently impart air to the lungs of a human or animal while preventing the harmful build up of mucus deposits on critical parts of the apparatus. This endotracheal tube apparatus features an endotracheal tube (12) and a catheter (14) which are together inserted into the trachea (16) of a human o r animal to a point slightly above the caring (28) of the lungs. Humidified air entrained with water or saline droplets from reservoir (56) i s pumped into and trough the catheter. The catheter features a reverse thrust catheter (RTC) tip (60, 62, 64, 80) at its distal end (24) which reveres the direction of humidified air flow away from the lungs. The RTC tip serves to protect the lungs from accumulation of water or saline droplets while the water or saline droplets continually clean both the catheter and endotracheal tube by dissolving and expelling an y mucus which might otherwise accumulate.