Anti-blocking suction device in neonatal airway

Abstract

The invention discloses an anti-blocking suction device in a neonatal airway. The anti-blocking suction device comprises a suction tube, a notch is formed in the circumferential surface of the front part of the suction tube along the length direction; the notch is correspondingly provided with a cambered surface elastic sheet; the cambered-surface elastic sheet is bent and embedded into the suction tube, and a gap is formed between the cambered-surface elastic sheet and the suction tube, so that the radial section of the gap is spiral; the device is specially designed for solving the problems that the neonatal airway is narrow and is prone to being hurt, through the innovative design and operation principle of the suction tube, the operation risk is effectively reduced, the cleaning efficiency is improved, and the device is an important supplement and improvement for the prior art. The invention aims to fill the technical blank in neonatal airway management and provide a safer and more effective emergency airway treatment scheme for the neonatal, so that the suffocation risk is reduced, and the neonatal rescue success rate is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of neonatal respiratory assistance, and in particular relates to a neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device. Background Art

[0002] In the field of neonatal intensive care, airway obstruction is a common and urgent medical condition that needs to be addressed immediately to avoid asphyxia and long-term brain damage. When a newborn is asphyxiated and gas exchange is greatly restricted, hypoxia causes pulmonary vasoconstriction, resulting in increased pulmonary circulation resistance. Reduced blood flow to lung tissue further aggravates hypoxia and acidosis. The pathophysiological changes after asphyxia are reversible within a certain period of time, and the earlier the resuscitation, the faster the reversibility. Brain damage begins after acute complete asphyxia lasts for more than 8 minutes, and there is little chance of success if resuscitation is delayed for more than 16 minutes. Brain damage begins after chronic incomplete hypoxia lasts for more than 25 minutes. Many cases of hypoxia begin in utero, so it is crucial to thoroughly clear the airway and quickly establish spontaneous breathing. The general catheter method for clearing the airway is limited to the mouth, nose, and throat. The airway of a newborn is extremely narrow, usually only 3 to 4 mm in diameter. Traditional airway clearing methods, including direct suction with a suction tube, face many limitations and risks. Especially for the special population of newborns, the narrowness and fragility of their airways make it difficult to use traditional suction tubes, which will cause great damage to the fragile airways of newborns.

[0003] Therefore, if a suction tube is to be used, the suction tube must be very thin, but a very thin suction tube is difficult to suck out the blockage, and a very large negative pressure must be applied. The application of high negative pressure can cause airway damage to the newborn, including rupture of the tracheal mucosa, collapse of the airway wall, or serious complications such as gas retention. For example, the situation in which the trachea of ​​a newborn is blocked by amniotic fluid contaminated with meconium (meconium) is usually related to a condition called meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). This is a situation that occurs before or during birth, when a newborn inhales amniotic fluid containing meconium into the lungs. Meconium is the first stool discharged by a newborn in the uterus. It is a green, viscous substance that can contain hair, bile, and digested amniotic fluid components; if the suction tube is thinner, it will only block the suction tube and be difficult to suck out.

[0004] Currently, the treatment of airway obstruction in newborns mainly relies on methods such as physical patting on the back, using a larger diameter suction tube or external suction equipment. However, these methods have disadvantages such as unstable effects, long operation time, additional pressure on the newborn and potential airway damage. Especially in emergency situations, it is necessary to quickly and effectively remove secretions or foreign objects in the airway to prevent suffocation, and existing technologies often cannot meet clinical needs; newborns are racing against time in a suffocating state, which is very likely to cause suffocation and death. If the suffocation time is too long, even if they are rescued, it will cause irreversible damage to the brain. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a suction device for preventing blockage in the airway of a newborn. The present invention is designed to solve the characteristics of narrow and vulnerable airways in newborns. Through innovative suction tube design and operation principle, the operation risk is effectively reduced and the cleaning efficiency is improved. It is an important supplement and improvement to the existing technology. The present invention is proposed to fill the technical gap in the airway management of newborns, provide newborns with a safer and more effective emergency airway treatment plan, reduce the risk of suffocation, and improve the success rate of newborn rescue.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows:

[0007] Solution 1: A suction device for preventing blockage in the airway of a newborn, comprising a suction tube; a notch is provided on the front peripheral surface of the suction tube along its length direction; an arc-shaped elastic sheet is arranged corresponding to the notch; the arc-shaped elastic sheet is bent and embedded in the suction tube, and has a gap with the suction tube, so that the radial cross-section at this location is spiral.

[0008] Preferably, the arc-surface elastic sheet is integrally formed with the suction tube, and is partially re-thermally molded after cutting, so that the arc-surface elastic sheet is bent into the suction tube in a static state and has a certain gap with the suction tube.

[0009] Preferably, the suction tube is made of medical grade silicone or polyurethane with high biocompatibility.

[0010] Wherein, the suction device also includes a control valve located at the rear end of the suction tube for adjusting the suction strength.

[0011] Preferably, the length of the arcuate elastic sheet is 4 to 5 centimeters, covering most of the airway length range of newborns.

[0012] Preferably, the diameter of the suction tube is less than 3 mm.

[0013] Solution 2: Based on Solution 1, further, the front end of the attraction rod is closed, and the closed portion is a rounded tip; the arc elastic sheet is arranged near the tip.

[0014] Solution 3: Based on Solution 1 or 2, further, a plurality of rounded tiny protrusions are evenly distributed on the outer surface of the arcuate elastic sheet close to the side embedded in the suction tube.

[0015] A method for suctioning the airway of a neonatal patient, using the suction device described in schemes 1 to 3, comprising:

[0016] Slowly insert the suction tube into the newborn's nasal cavity or oral cavity and push it along the airway to the predetermined position. Due to the small diameter of the suction tube, special attention should be paid to the gentleness and precision of the operation.

[0017] The negative pressure is turned on, so that the space enclosed between the suction tube and the curved elastic sheet forms a local negative pressure environment; this environment is not used to directly suck out the blockage, but allows the blockage to be sucked and accumulated in the enclosed space by the negative pressure; and as the blockage is squeezed, the curved elastic sheet gradually bends inward, so that the enclosed space is enlarged, the accumulation space and the effectiveness of negative pressure transmission are increased, and a structure with a large cavity and a small mouth is formed to prevent the blockage from being discharged again; in this process, the liquid is sucked out through the suction tube;

[0018] By gently rotating and / or slightly adjusting the position of the suction tube, the negative pressure distribution in the enclosed space is optimized to promote the accumulation of more obstruction;

[0019] When the blockage accumulates to a certain amount, observe through the suction tube that no liquid is sucked out to determine that it has been cleared or the density of the blockage has become very high; slowly withdraw the suction tube while maintaining negative pressure to bring the blockage in the enclosed space out of the newborn's airway together with the suction tube; after removing the blockage, determine whether suction is needed again based on the newborn's recovery status.

[0020] In summary, due to the adoption of the above technical solution, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0021] 1. The neonatal airway suction device of the present invention addresses the key challenges in neonatal airway management and provides a series of significant beneficial effects:

[0022] Minimize the risk of airway damage: By adopting a small suction tube and a rounded tip design, the present invention significantly reduces the risk of mechanical damage to the delicate airway of newborns during the suction process. At the same time, the introduction of the curved elastic sheet further optimizes the suction efficiency, while reducing the direct pressure on the airway wall, effectively avoiding the risk of airway mucosal damage and airway wall collapse.

[0023] Improve suction efficiency and safety: The present invention realizes the effective accumulation and removal of airway obstructions under low negative pressure conditions through innovative design, reducing the reliance on high negative pressure suction, thereby reducing the risk of airway damage and other potential complications caused by high negative pressure. Since the length of the curved elastic sheet covers the length of most newborns' trachea, it can not only disperse the scope of negative pressure action and avoid the damage to the tracheal mucosa caused by concentrated negative pressure, but also increase the suction storage space, so that most of the obstructions in the trachea of ​​newborns can be cleared quickly at one time.

[0024] Strong adaptability and easy operation: Taking into account the physiological characteristics of the neonatal airway and the actual needs of the operating environment, the device design of the present invention can not only adapt to the airways of neonates of different sizes and conditions, but also simplify the operating process, making it easier for medical staff to operate quickly and accurately in emergency situations.

[0025] Reduce rescue time and improve success rate: The present invention can quickly and effectively clear the blockage in the airway at the critical moment, reduce the risk of neonatal suffocation, provide timely life support for the newborn, and significantly improve the rescue success rate and the quality of life of the newborn.

[0026] Improved neonatal comfort and recovery quality: By reducing discomfort and potential injuries during airway operations, the overall comfort of the newborn is improved, which is conducive to promoting rapid recovery of the newborn and reducing the occurrence of subsequent complications.

[0027] In summary, the present invention provides a suction device that is safe and effective in clearing the airway of newborns. Its design and operating principle are intended to solve key problems in the prior art and provide a higher quality emergency care solution for newborns.

[0028] 2. The neonatal airway suction device of the present invention realizes an innovative negative pressure application method through its unique structural design, which can significantly reduce the direct effect on the inner wall of the neonatal airway during the negative pressure suction process, thereby avoiding the damage to the inner wall of the trachea that may be caused by traditional suction technology:

[0029] Reducing the negative pressure directly acting on the inner wall of the trachea: By designing a special notch at the front end of the suction tube and a curved elastic sheet used in conjunction, the present invention forms a local negative pressure collection space. Since the inner wall of the trachea is blocked by the external suction tube, and the negative pressure space is mainly in the gap where the curved elastic sheet is located in the suction tube, in this space, the negative pressure is mainly used to attract and accumulate blockages, rather than being directly applied to the inner wall of the trachea. This design cleverly transfers the direct point of action of the negative pressure to the specific area enclosed by the suction tube and the curved elastic sheet, rather than the inner wall of the trachea.

[0030] Optimized negative pressure distribution: The design of the curved elastic sheet embedded in the suction tube and forming a specific gap with it not only helps to form a spiral radial section and increase the contact area between the blockage and the suction surface, but also optimizes the distribution of negative pressure in the suction area. This optimization ensures that the negative pressure is evenly distributed on the blockage to be sucked, and will not be concentrated on any point that may contact the inner wall of the trachea, reducing potential damage to the tracheal mucosa.

[0031] Threshold for automatically forming negative pressure: When the negative pressure is too large, the curved elastic sheet will be bent to touch the inner wall of the suction tube, thereby shielding the negative pressure and automatically blocking the negative pressure. Therefore, it can automatically avoid damage to the inner wall of the neonatal airway caused by excessive negative pressure.

[0032] In summary, the neonatal airway suction device of the present invention effectively avoids direct damage to the inner wall of the neonatal airway during negative pressure suction through its structural characteristics, aims to protect the airway health of the neonate to the greatest extent, while ensuring the efficiency and effectiveness of the suction process.

[0033] 3. The arc-shaped elastic sheet of the present invention can be pushed and deformed by the blockage during the negative pressure suction process. This unique design brings multiple beneficial effects and significantly improves the safety and effectiveness of the suction device. The following are the main beneficial effects brought about by the deformable characteristics of the arc-shaped elastic sheet:

[0034] Adaptive adjustment of negative pressure area: When the arc-shaped elastic sheet is pushed and deformed by the blockage, it can adaptively adjust the shape and size of the negative pressure action area according to the size and texture of the blockage. This adaptive adjustment makes the negative pressure more concentrated on the blockage, improves the suction efficiency, and ensures that even larger or more solid blockages can be effectively attracted and removed.

[0035] Reduce direct pressure on the tracheal wall: Since the arc-shaped elastic sheet will deform inward when pushed, this action increases the distance between it and the tracheal wall, thereby reducing the possibility of negative pressure directly acting on the tracheal wall. This feature significantly reduces the risk of tracheal mucosal damage, tracheal wall collapse or other related complications caused by negative pressure suction.

[0036] Increase the space for the accumulation of blockages: The deformation of the arc-shaped elastic sheet not only adjusts the negative pressure action area, but also increases the accumulation space of blockages in the space enclosed between the suction tube and the arc-shaped elastic sheet as it deforms inward. This design optimizes the storage and processing capacity of blockages, making it unnecessary to frequently clean during continuous suction, and improving the continuity and efficiency of the operation.

[0037] Optimize negative pressure distribution: The deformation of the arc-shaped elastic sheet can be adjusted dynamically during the suction process, optimizing the negative pressure distribution inside the suction tube. Through dynamic adjustment, it can ensure that the negative pressure acts evenly on the blockage, avoiding tracheal damage or blockage breakage caused by local over-suction, thereby improving the safety and effectiveness of the suction process.

[0038] Enhanced efficiency in capturing blockages: When the arc-shaped elastic sheet is deformed, the tiny protrusions on its surface also adjust their positions and shapes accordingly, which helps to capture and separate blockages more effectively. This microscopic adjustment allows even sticky or difficult-to-move secretions to be effectively attracted, thereby improving the overall efficiency of clearing blockages in the airway.

[0039] Threshold for automatically forming negative pressure: When the negative pressure is too large, the curved elastic sheet will be bent to touch the inner wall of the suction tube, thereby shielding the negative pressure and automatically blocking the negative pressure. Therefore, it can automatically avoid damage to the inner wall of the neonatal airway caused by excessive negative pressure.

[0040] In summary, the deformable property of the arc-shaped elastic sheet provides significant operational flexibility and safety assurance for the neonatal airway suction device of the present invention, and is one of the key designs that enables the device to efficiently and safely solve the problem of neonatal airway obstruction. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] Figure 1 It is an overall schematic diagram of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the present invention without the pointed part;

[0043] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of adding tiny protrusions to the present invention;

[0044] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of a radial cross section of the curved elastic sheet of the present invention when it is just inserted into the airway of a newborn;

[0045] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of a radial cross section of the arc surface elastic sheet after the attraction starts in the present invention.

[0046] Markings in the figure: 1. Suction tube; 2. Curved elastic sheet; 3. Pointed tip; 4. Tiny protrusion; 5. Neonatal airway. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] In order to make the purpose, technical solution and advantages of the present invention more clearly understood, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are only used to explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0048] See also Figures 1 to 5 The invention relates to an intra-airway suction device specially designed for neonatal patients, the core of which includes a thin suction tube (suction tube 1), a specially designed notch is provided at the front end of the tube, and a curved elastic sheet (curved elastic sheet 2) is matched with the notch. The curved elastic sheet is cleverly designed to be bent and embedded in the suction tube, and maintain a specific gap with the suction tube to form a spiral radial section, so as to optimize the suction efficiency and reduce potential damage to the neonatal airway.

[0049] The end of the suction tube is designed to be closed and has a rounded tip (tip 3) so that it can gently enter the airway through the nasal cavity or oral cavity of the newborn while reducing irritation to the mucous membrane. The curved elastic sheet and the suction tube are manufactured by one-piece molding technology, and then after fine cutting and local thermoplastic treatment, the curved elastic sheet is precisely configured near the tip and naturally bends into the suction tube in a static state, forming a structure with a certain gap from the suction tube. For the preparation process of this method, this embodiment provides a simple method:

[0050] Integral molding: First, the suction tube 1 and the curved elastic sheet 2 are produced in an integrated manner by injection molding technology. In this step, the curved elastic sheet 2 is continuous with the suction tube 1 without pre-formed gaps or bends.

[0051] Precision cutting: After the integrally molded component cools and solidifies, a precision cutting technique (such as laser cutting or ultrasonic cutting) is used to cut the curved elastic sheet 2 along a specific contour line. This cutting process needs to be very precise to ensure that the cut curved elastic sheet can be bent into the suction tube in a suitable shape and size.

[0052] Local re-heating: After cutting, the curved elastic sheet 2 is locally heated to soften it. This step can be achieved by hot air, infrared heating or immersing the part in hot water. The key is to control the heating temperature and time to avoid overheating and damaging other parts of the material. After local heating, the curved elastic sheet becomes soft and can be shaped.

[0053] Shaping and cooling: After the curved elastic sheet 2 softens, it is immediately bent into a predetermined shape using a special tool or mold, and an appropriate gap is formed between it and the suction tube 1. Then, this bending state is maintained until the material cools and re-solidifies, thereby fixing its bending shape in the suction tube.

[0054] Quality inspection: Finally, the reshaped suction tube assembly is quality inspected to ensure that the shape, position and gap between the curved elastic sheet 2 and the suction tube 1 meet the design requirements. The inspection process may include visual inspection, dimensional measurement and functional testing.

[0055] Through the above process, the arcuate elastic sheet 2 can be bent into the suction tube 1 with a correct shape and gap in a static state.

[0056] On the outer surface of the curved elastic sheet, near the area where the suction tube is embedded, there are multiple rounded tiny protrusions (tiny protrusions 4) evenly distributed. The tiny protrusions distributed in this area will not directly contact the mucosa, so they will not affect the friction of the suction tube, and these protrusions help to increase the contact between the suction area and the obstruction, thereby improving the suction efficiency; and can also make the obstruction be squeezed and separated when passing through, thereby refining the obstruction. The material selected for the suction tube is medical grade silicone or polyurethane with high biocompatibility to ensure the maximum safety of the sensitive airway of the newborn. The molding of the tiny protrusion 4 can be injection molding or thermoplastic molding: When the injection molding uses a precision injection molding process to manufacture the curved elastic sheet 3, the shape and layout of the tiny protrusions are added to the mold design. In this way, when the material (such as medical grade silicone or polyurethane) is injected into the mold and solidified, the required tiny round protrusions can be directly formed. This method can achieve high precision and repeatability and is suitable for large-scale production. Thermoplastic molding can apply pressure to the material in a hot softened state to form tiny round protrusions. This method requires a specially designed stamp to form the exact shape of the protrusions.

[0057] The suction device also includes a control valve at the rear end of the suction tube, allowing medical staff to fine-tune the suction force according to clinical needs. Control valves are already common in the field of medical suction and will not be described in detail here. The curved elastic sheet is designed to be 4 to 5 cm long to cover most of the length of the neonatal airway, while the diameter of the suction tube is controlled to be less than 3 mm to ensure that it can adapt to the narrow airway space of the neonate and reduce the air pressure and friction on the neonatal airway.

[0058] The specific operation process includes:

[0059] Device preparation:

[0060] Make sure the suction device is clean, sterile, and suitable for use in newborns.

[0061] Operators are properly trained to ensure that they understand the working principle and operation method of the present invention, and how to use the device without causing harm to the newborn.

[0062] Assess the neonate's status:

[0063] Before starting suction, carefully assess the neonate's respiratory status and vital signs to determine the need for suction.

[0064] Choose the appropriate time for suction and avoid performing the operation when the newborn has difficulty breathing to reduce risks.

[0065] How to do it:

[0066] The suction tube 1 is slowly inserted into the nasal cavity or oral cavity of the newborn and pushed along the airway (neonate airway 5) to a predetermined position. Due to the small diameter of the suction tube, special attention should be paid to the gentleness and accuracy of the operation.

[0067] The negative pressure is turned on, so that the space enclosed between the suction tube 1 and the curved elastic sheet 2 forms a local negative pressure environment. This environment is not used to directly suck out the blockage, but to allow the blockage to be sucked and accumulated in the enclosed space by the negative pressure. And as the blockage is squeezed, the curved elastic sheet gradually bends inward, so that the enclosed space is enlarged, the accumulation space and the effectiveness of negative pressure transmission are increased, and a structure with a large cavity and a small mouth is formed to prevent the blockage from being discharged again; in this process, the liquid is sucked out through the suction tube.

[0068] By gently rotating and / or slightly adjusting the position of the suction tube 1, the negative pressure distribution in the enclosed space is optimized to promote the accumulation of more blockages.

[0069] After the obstruction accumulates to a certain amount, it is observed that the outflow of liquid and obstruction is significantly reduced, and the suction tube 1 is slowly withdrawn while maintaining negative pressure to bring the obstruction in the enclosed space out of the neonatal airway together with the suction tube.

[0070] End and monitoring:

[0071] After completing the suction operation, observe the newborn immediately to assess changes in respiratory status and vital signs.

[0072] Clean and disinfect the suction device and prepare it for next use.

[0073] Record the operation process and the newborn's response to provide information for follow-up care.

[0074] Follow-up care:

[0075] Continue to monitor the neonate's breathing and general condition to ensure that the airway is open.

[0076] Provides necessary support and comfort measures to keep newborns safe and comfortable.

[0077] The suction device and method of the present invention utilizes negative pressure to accumulate blockages in the space enclosed by the suction tube and the arc-shaped elastic sheet, rather than directly sucking them out. This design allows the suction tube to be made thinner, reducing potential damage to the fragile airway of the newborn, while also ensuring and improving the efficiency and safety of clearing airway blockages.

[0078] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A suction device for preventing airway obstruction in newborns, characterized in that: The invention comprises a suction tube (1); a notch is provided on the front peripheral surface of the suction tube (1) along its length direction; an arc-shaped elastic sheet (2) is provided corresponding to the notch; the arc-shaped elastic sheet (2) is bent and embedded in the suction tube (1) and has a gap with the suction tube (1), so that the radial cross section at this location is spiral.

2. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The front end of the attraction rod (1) is closed, and the closed portion is a rounded tip (3); the arc-surface elastic sheet (2) is arranged near the tip (3).

3. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The arc-surface elastic sheet (2) is integrally formed with the suction tube (1), and is partially re-thermalized after cutting, so that the arc-surface elastic sheet (2) is bent into the suction tube (1) in a static state and has a certain gap with the suction tube (1).

4. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: A plurality of rounded tiny protrusions (4) are evenly distributed in an area on the outer surface of the arc-surface elastic sheet (2) close to the side embedded in the suction tube (1).

5. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The suction tube (1) is made of medical-grade silicone or polyurethane with high biocompatibility.

6. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The suction device also includes a control valve located at the rear end of the suction tube (1) for adjusting the suction strength.

7. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The length of the arcuate elastic sheet (2) is 4 to 5 centimeters, covering the length range of most neonatal airways.

8. A neonatal airway anti-blockage suction device as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that: The diameter of the suction tube (1) is less than 3 mm.

9. A method for suctioning the airway of a neonatal patient, using the suction device, comprising: Slowly insert the suction tube (1) into the nasal cavity or oral cavity of the newborn and push it along the airway to the desired position. As the diameter of the suction tube is small, special attention should be paid to gentleness and precision in the operation; The negative pressure is turned on, so that the space enclosed between the suction tube (1) and the arc-shaped elastic sheet (2) forms a local negative pressure environment; this environment is not used to directly suck out the blockage, but allows the blockage to be attracted and accumulated in the enclosed space by the negative pressure; and as the blockage is squeezed, the arc-shaped elastic sheet (2) gradually bends inward, so that the enclosed space is enlarged, the accumulation space and the effectiveness of negative pressure transmission are increased, and a structure with a large cavity and a small mouth is formed, so as to prevent the blockage from being discharged again; During this process, the liquid is sucked out through the suction tube (1); By gently rotating and / or slightly adjusting the position of the suction tube (1), the negative pressure distribution in the enclosed space is optimized to promote the accumulation of more blockages; When the blockage accumulates to a certain amount, it can be determined that the blockage has been cleared or the density of the blockage has become very high by observing that no more liquid is sucked out through the suction tube (1); the suction tube (1) is slowly withdrawn while maintaining negative pressure to remove the blockage in the enclosed space together with the suction tube from the airway of the newborn; after the blockage is removed, it can be determined whether suction is needed again based on the recovery status of the newborn.

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