Endotracheal Tube Tip Structure for Stylet Alignment and Flexibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional endotracheal tubes face challenges such as insufficient bending flexibility, risk of collapse upon cuff inflation, obscuration of the field of view during intubation, and difficulty in ensuring correct alignment with stylets, particularly with pivot-end or articulated stylets, posing risks to patient safety.

Innovation Solution

The endotracheal tube features internal projections that are tapered and radially inward, providing improved alignment with stylets, reducing the risk of collapse, and allowing the use of softer materials to minimize tissue trauma, while maintaining flexibility and visibility.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If conventional endotracheal tubes are made from semi-rigid polymer to maintain structural integrity, then the tube can provide sufficient rigidity for insertion, but the tube lacks bending flexibility to align with patient airways and may collapse upon cuff inflation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural integrityVSAvoidbending flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating a distal tip portion with different material properties than the main body. The distal tip uses a softer polymer with higher elongation at break (≥400%) compared to the main body, allowing localized flexibility where needed while maintaining overall structural integrity. This resolves the contradiction by making the tube flexible at the critical distal end for navigation while keeping the proximal portion rigid for handling and insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If video laryngoscopes are used to improve visualization of the airway, then the field of view is enhanced, but the distal end of the blade and the ET tube itself obstruct the view of the vocal cords and trachea

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvefield of viewVSAvoidobscuration of view

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the endotracheal tube into distinct portions with different functions. The curved portion is separated from the straight portion, allowing the curved tip to navigate anatomy while the straight portion remains outside the field of view. This segmentation eliminates the obscuration problem by ensuring only the necessary curved portion enters the airway, while the bulk of the tube remains external and non-obstructive to visualization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Strength

If stylets are inserted into the ET tube to provide rigidity and shape, then the tube can be shaped to aid insertion, but the shape must be set before intubation causing delays when the shape is not appropriate for patient anatomy

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproverigidityVSAvoidintubation procedure time

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the endotracheal tube dynamically adaptable by using elastic memory polymer material that can be deformed during insertion and then automatically returns to its original shape. This eliminates the need for pre-set stylets, as the tube itself adapts to patient anatomy in real-time during the procedure, reducing preparation time while maintaining the ability to achieve appropriate shaping.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Object-affected harmful factors

If the ET tube material is made softer to minimize tissue trauma, then patient safety is improved, but the tube becomes prone to collapse upon cuff inflation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetissue traumaVSAvoidresistance to collapse

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

5Adaptability or versatility

If conventional ET tubes are used with pivot-end stylets, then the stylet can be articulated to match patient anatomy, but the ET tube lacks sufficient bending flexibility and may collapse when the stylet is engaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearticulation capabilityVSAvoidstability during engagement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS20260069806A1Intubation devices and systems

Publication Date: 2026.03.12 FLEXICARE GRP LTD

AI summary

Various embodiments provide an endotracheal tube having a body comprising a flexible hollow tube with a distal end for insertion into a patient's trachea during intubation, and an opposite proximal end. Some embodiments comprise one or more internal projections, said internal projections projecting radially inwardly from an internal wall surface of a distal tip portion of the endotracheal tube, wherein the internal projections are tapered in at least one direction. Some embodiments comprise at least one internal projection projecting radially inwardly from an internal wall surface of a distal tip portion of the endotracheal tube, wherein the internal projection comprises a radiopaque portion. Some embodiments comprise an endotracheal tube body which comprises a polymeric material comprising a helically wound, meshed or braided reinforcement structure embedded therein, the helically wound, meshed or braided reinforcement structure being formed from one or more filaments, and wherein one or more properties of the reinforcement structure vary along the length of the endotracheal tube such that the bending flexibility and/or the mechanical strength of the endotracheal tube varies along the length of the endotracheal tube. Some embodiments comprise a pair of longitudinally spaced locally thinned circumferential wall portions provided at a distal end region of the endotracheal tube. Also described are intubation systems including such endotracheal tubes.