Expandable Endotracheal Tube With Dynamic Tracheal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional endotracheal tubes require multiple sizes to accommodate various patient sizes, leading to increased costs, potential human error in size selection, and risks of improper fit causing intubation difficulties and tissue injury, along with the need for separate stylets and syringes.
Innovation Solution
An expandable endotracheal tube that adjusts to fit any patient size without a separate stylet or syringe, using a control rod to expand and compress an expandable segment, incorporating sensors for patient monitoring, and eliminating the need for multiple tube sizes and ancillary equipment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple sizes of endotracheal tubes are used to accommodate various patient sizes, then the tube can fit different patients, but the cost increases and human error in size selection occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The endotracheal tube incorporates an expandable cuff that can dynamically change its diameter from a compressed state during insertion to an expanded state for sealing. This allows a single tube size to adapt to different patient airway dimensions, eliminating the need for multiple fixed sizes and reducing inventory complexity while maintaining versatility across patient populations
Solution Approach 2:
The tube utilizes a controllable expansion mechanism that changes the physical parameter of the cuff diameter. By controlling the expansion parameter through a control rod and membrane system, the tube can transition between compressed and expanded states, enabling one tube design to serve multiple patient size categories and reducing the overall number of tube variants needed
2Ease of operation
If traditional endotracheal tubes are used, then the structure is simple, but improper fit causes intubation difficulties and tissue injury
Solution Approach 1:
The expandable cuff allows the tube to dynamically adjust its diameter during the intubation process. The cuff remains compressed during insertion for ease of passage, then expands to the appropriate size once positioned, ensuring proper fit without causing tissue injury. This dynamic adjustment eliminates the trade-off between insertion ease and sealing effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The tube is pre-compressed to a smaller diameter for insertion, and the expansion mechanism is prepared but not activated during intubation. The cuff is expanded to the correct size only after the tube is properly positioned in the trachea, preventing tissue injury during the insertion process while ensuring proper fit afterward
3Reliability
If separate stylets and syringes are used with endotracheal tubes, then the tube function is complete, but the device complexity and number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates the expansion control mechanism directly into the endotracheal tube structure. The control rod, membrane, and expansion mechanism are combined within the tube itself, eliminating the need for separate stylets and syringes. This merging maintains the complete ventilation function while significantly reducing the number of separate components and simplifying the overall device
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 3A~3C
AI summary
An expandable endotracheal tube includes a shaft that has an airway. The expandable endotracheal tube also includes an expandable segment mounted to a distal end of the shaft. The expandable segment includes an expandable membrane and a constant force spring positioned within the expandable membrane. The constant force spring has a compressed configuration to allow for placement of the expandable endotracheal tube within a patient and an expanded configuration in which the expandable membrane forms a seal with a trachea of the patient to enable positive pressure ventilation.