Protective sheath for cuff or single or double lumen endotracheal tube

Claim 2

In combination, a non-resilient protective sheath for an endotracheal tube, said sheath having a continuously cylindrical body and being manually positioned onto said endotracheal tube and covering a cuff of said endotracheal tube during insertion of said endotracheal tube into a patient; said sheath being removable from said endotracheal tube after insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient; a retrieval member extending along the length of said endotracheal tube and attached to said sheath, whereby said sheath is removable from said cuff by means of said retrieval member after proper insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 wherein said endotracheal tube comprises a single lumen.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 wherein said endotracheal tube comprises a double lumen.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 wherein said endotracheal tube is an endobronchial tube.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said sheath is threaded over a distal end of said endotracheal tube and positioned over said cuff.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 wherein said retrieval member is approximately the length of the endotracheal tube.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 1 wherein said cuff located on said endotracheal tube is covered by said sheath when said cuff is in a deflated state.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 1 wherein said sheath is removed from said endotracheal tube by manually manipulating said retrieval member and causing said sheath to slide over said endotracheal tube towards its proximal end.

Claim 10

The protective sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is inwardly tapered at an end opposite to said end in which said retrieval member is attached.

Claim 11

The protective sheath of claim 1 wherein said endotracheal tube comprises boss means adjacent said cuff of said endotracheal tube.

Claim 12

The protective sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath comprises notch means angularly disposed on an inner surface of said sheath in a direction towards a distal end of said endotracheal tube.

Claim 13

The protective sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath includes a retention loop that is attached to said retrieval member of said sheath.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 1 wherein said retrieval member is a ribbon-like element attached to one end of said sheath.

Claim 15

In combination, a protective sheath for an endotracheal tube adapted to be inserted through the oral cavity and into the trachea of a patient receiving medical treatment, said endotracheal tube including duct means in said tube, cuff means extending around the circumference of a portion of said tube, inflation means connected to said cuff means, whereby said cuff means is adapted to be inflated after insertion of said tube in said trachea to prevent the passage of air alongside said tube, the improvement comprising: a non-resilient removable sheath having a continuously cylindrical body and being disposed over said cuff means, and retrieval means attached to said sheath and extending along said tube, said sheath being removable from over said cuff means after insertion of said tube in the trachea upon application of a force to said retrieval means; engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, wherein said engaging means comprises a tapered portion of said sheath at a distal end of said sheath.

Claim 16

In combination, a protective sheath for an endotracheal tube adapted to be inserted through the oral cavity and into the trachea of a patient receiving medical treatment, said endotracheal tube including duct means in said tube, cuff means extending around the circumference of a portion of said tube, inflation means connected to said cuff means, whereby said cuff means is adapted to be inflated after insertion of said tube in said trachea to prevent the passage of air alongside said tube, the improvement comprising: a non-resilient removable sheath having a continuously cylindrical body and being disposed over said cuff means, and retrieval means attached to said sheath and extending along said tube, said sheath being removable from over said cuff means after insertion of said tube in the trachea upon application of a force to said retrieval means; engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, wherein said engaging means comprises a tapered portion of said sheath at a distal end of said sheath.

Claim 17

In combination, a protective sheath for an endotracheal tube adapted to be inserted through the oral cavity and into the trachea of a patient receiving medical treatment, said endotracheal tube including direct means in said tube, cuff means extending around the circumference of a portion of said tube, inflation means connected to said cuff means, whereby said cuff means is adapted to be inflated after insertion of said tube in said trachea to prevent the passage of air alongside said tube, the improvement comprising: a non-resilient removable sheath having a continuously cylindrical body and being disposed over said cuff means, and retrieval means attached to said sheath and extending along said tube, said sheath being removable from over said cuff means after insertion of said tube in the trachea upon application of a force to said retrieval means; engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, wherein said engaging means comprises at least one boss element on said endotracheal tube, whereby the distal end of said sheath abuts said boss element.

Claim 18

In combination, a protective sheath for an endotracheal tube adapted to be inserted through the oral cavity and into the trachea of a patient receiving medical treatment, said endotracheal tube including direct means in said tube, cuff means extending around the circumference of a portion of said tube, inflation means connected to said cuff means, whereby said cuff means is adapted to be inflated after insertion of said tube in said trachea to prevent the passage of air alongside said tube, the improvement comprising: a non-resilient removable sheath having a continuously cylindrical body and being disposed over said cuff means, and retrieval means attached to said sheath and extending along said tube, said sheath being removable from over said cuff means after insertion of said tube in the trachea upon application of a force to said retrieval means; engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, wherein said engaging means comprises at least one boss element on said endotracheal tube, whereby the distal end of said sheath abuts said boss element.

Claim 19

The protective sheath of claim 1 wherein said sheath is disposable.

Claim 20

The combination of claim 1 wherein said sheath is disposable.

Claim 21

In combination, a non-resilient protective sheath for an endotracheal tube having a continuously cylindrical body, said sheath being manually positioned onto said endotracheal tube and covering a cuff of said endotracheal tube during insertion of said endotracheal tube into a patient; said sheath being removable from said endotracheal tube after insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient; a retrieval member extending along the length of said endotracheal tube and attached to said sheath, whereby said sheath is removable from said cuff by means of said retrieval member after proper insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient; said combination further comprising engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, said engaging means comprises notch means angularly disposed on the inner surface of said sheath, said notch means frictionally gripping said endotracheal tube and extending in a direction toward the distal end of said endotracheal tube.

Claim 22

In combination, a non-resilient protective sheath for an endotracheal tube having a continuously cylindrical body, said sheath being manually positioned onto said endotracheal tube and covering a cuff of said endotracheal tube during insertion of said endotracheal tube into a patient; said sheath being removable from said endotracheal tube after insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient; a retrieval member extending along the length of said endotracheal tube and attached to said sheath, whereby said sheath is removable from said cuff by means of said retrieval member after proper insertion of said endotracheal tube into said patient; said combination further comprising engaging means operative between said sheath and the outer surface of said endotracheal tube, whereby said sheath is adapted to be withdrawn with said endotracheal tube from said trachea upon a malfunction of said retrieval means, said engaging means comprises notch means angularly disposed on the inner surface of said sheath, said notch means frictionally gripping said endotracheal tube and extending in a direction toward the distal end of said endotracheal tube.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 18 wherein said endotracheal tube is an endobronchial tube.