Integrated Artificial Airway Cuff with Evacuation Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificial airways face challenges in forming a reliable seal around the glottic opening and preventing regurgitated material from entering the lungs, with complex assembly processes and separate components contributing to higher costs and potential tissue damage from negative pressure.
Innovation Solution
An artificial airway design featuring an inflatable cuff with a recess and support member that integrates with the airway tube, providing a sealing engagement with both the glottic and posterior pharyngeal walls, and an evacuation system vented to atmosphere to prevent tissue damage and regurgitation, using a single, integral cuff molded from silicon rubber.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If separate components are used for the cuff and airway tube, then assembly flexibility is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the airway tube and cuff into a single integrated device where the cuff is mounted directly on the distal end of the airway tube. The support member extending into the cuff is integral with the airway tube, creating a unified structure that simplifies assembly while maintaining functional flexibility. This merging eliminates the need for separate assembly steps between tube and cuff components.
2Reliability
If a seal is formed around the glottic opening, then anaesthetic gas delivery efficiency is improved, but risk of tissue damage from negative pressure increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary evacuation chamber positioned between the cuff and the patient's tissue. This chamber acts as a buffer that prevents direct negative pressure application to the tissue while maintaining the seal effectiveness. The evacuation chamber allows regurgitated material to be vented without creating harmful suction forces on the glottic opening and surrounding tissue.
Solution Approach 2:
The sealing function is segmented into two distinct sealing surfaces: an anterior sealing wall that seals around the glottic opening and a posterior wall that seals against the posterior pharyngeal wall. This segmentation distributes the sealing load and allows the evacuation chamber to be positioned between these sealing surfaces, protecting the tissue from negative pressure while maintaining reliable seals at both locations.
3Reliability
If an evacuation tube is provided to communicate with the oesophagus, then regurgitated material can be vented, but negative pressure may be applied to patient tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The evacuation chamber serves as an intermediary space between the cuff and the oesophagus. Regurgitated material is vented through this chamber rather than creating direct suction against the tissue. The chamber's volume and positioning allow material to be collected and redirected away from the patient without applying harmful negative pressure to the glottic opening or surrounding tissue structures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design achieves a superior seal, reducing the risk of regurgitated material entering the lungs and minimizing tissue damage, while simplifying assembly and reducing costs by eliminating separate components, thus enhancing patient safety and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
the posterior wall... being resiliently extended, on inflation of the cuff, to sealingly engage the posterior pharyngeal wall of the patient
Data Source
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AI summary
An artificial airway (2) including: an airway tube (6) having at least one airway conduit therein; an evacuation chamber (12) located at a distal end of the cuff, the chamber, in use, being in fluid communication with the oesophagus of a patient; an evacuation conduit (26) in fluid communication with the evacuation chamber; and a ventilation conduit (28) in fluid communication with the evacuation chamber, the arrangement being such that, in use, suction is applied to the evacuation conduit whereby regurgitated material entering the evacuation chamber is removed through evacuation conduit and wherein the ventilation conduit substantially prevents a negative pressure being applied to the tissue of the patient.