Curved Endotracheal Tube Insertion Guide for Tracheal Placement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Orotracheal intubation is challenging due to the need for skilled personnel and specialized equipment to accurately insert an endotracheal tube (ETT) into the trachea without traumatically impacting surrounding tissues, and there is a risk of improper insertion into the esophagus, leading to complications such as pulmonary aspiration and anoxia, especially in medical emergencies.
Innovation Solution
An insertion guide with a radiused and angled portion at its distal end, made of a relatively rigid material, is designed to be inserted within the ETT to guide the tube past the epiglottis and into the trachea, reducing the difficulty and skill required for insertion and providing atraumatic placement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a straight ETT is used for intubation, then the insertion process is simpler, but it causes traumatic impact to the corniculate cartilage and surrounding tissue
Solution Approach 1:
The distal end of the ETT is formed with a curved configuration that mimics the natural curvature of the larynx and trachea. This curved distal end follows the anatomical path from the oral cavity through the vocal cords into the trachea, eliminating the need for manual manipulation and preventing traumatic impact to the corniculate cartilage and surrounding tissues.
2Reliability
If specialized equipment like laryngoscope or bronchoscope is used, then accurate tracheal insertion is achieved, but device complexity and skill requirement increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ETT is designed with self-guiding capabilities through its pre-formed curved distal end that automatically follows the anatomical curvature of the airway. The device performs its own guidance function without requiring external specialized equipment such as laryngoscopes or bronchoscopes, making it suitable for use by personnel with varying levels of training.
3Adaptability or versatility
If manual manipulation is used to guide ETT past epiglottis, then insertion flexibility is maintained, but skill requirement and difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The curved configuration of the distal end is pre-formed during manufacturing to match the anatomical curvature of the larynx and trachea. This preliminary shaping eliminates the need for manual manipulation during insertion, as the pre-formed curve automatically guides the ETT past the epiglottis and through the vocal cords, reducing skill requirements while maintaining insertion flexibility.
Data Source
AI summary
An insertion guide facilitates insertion of an endotracheal tube (ETT) into the trachea of a patient instead of the esophagus of the patient. The ETT includes an elongated, somewhat flexible, generally hollow tube and the insertion guide includes an elongated, solid and relatively rigid shaft that is configured to be positioned within the hollow tube of the ETT. The shaft is provided with a radiused portion and/or an angled portion adjacent a distal end of the insertion guide that protrudes outwardly beyond a distal end of the ETT. The radiused portion and/or the angled portion of the shaft facilitate insertion of the distal end of the ETT past the epiglottis and into the trachea of the patient instead of into the esophagus of the patient.