Endotracheal tube wih fibers optic illumination and viewing and auxiliary tube

Claim 1

An endotracheal tube including means for lungs beyond the endotracheal tube during and/or after intubation continuous illumination and continuous viewing of the position of the endotracheal tube in the patient's trachea and conditions of portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion of the endotracheal tube without either disconnecting a ventilator from the endotracheal tube or inserting a bronchoscope or endoscope through the endotracheal tube, the endotracheal tube comprising in combination: (a) a main tube having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion, an inflatable annular cuff being disposed on the main tube in sealed relation thereto adjacent to the distal end portion; (b) an inflation tube extending from the proximal end portion into the cuff; (c) integral means for avoiding problems in monitoring of the position of the endotracheal tube in a patient's trachea and conditions of portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion during and/or after intubation of the endotracheal tube caused by use of an endoscope or bronchoscope extending through the endotracheal tube, the integral means including i. a viewing lens located on and directly attached to the distal end portion and optically coupled to a first optical fiber integral with the main tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, ii. a viewing device attached to a proximal end of the first optical fiber, and iii. an illumination port located in the distal end portion coupled to a second optical fiber integral with the main tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, a proximal end of the second optical fiber being optically coupled to an illumination source.

Claim 5

A method of avoiding problems caused by use of an endoscope or bronchoscope in an endotracheal tube by using the endotracheal tube to visualize a patient's trachea and conditions in the patient's lungs without using an endoscope or bronchoscope, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting a distal end portion of the endotracheal tube into a patient's throat, the endotracheal tube having a proximal end portion and an inflatable annular cuff disposed on the endotracheal tube in sealed relation thereto adjacent to the distal end portion; (b) illuminating the interior of the trachea as the distal end portion is inserted by means of an illumination port located on the distal end portion and coupled to a distal end of a first optical fiber integral with the endotracheal tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and an illumination source optically coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber; (c) viewing the interior of the trachea as the distal end portion is inserted and viewing illuminated portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion after the inserting by means of a viewing lens located on the distal end portion and optically coupled to a distal end of a second optical fiber integral with the endotracheal tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and a viewing device attached to a proximal end of the second optical fiber; (d) inflating the cuff by pumping gas into an inflation tube extending from the proximal end portion into the cuff after the viewing of step (c) verifies that the distal end portion is properly located relative to the patient's carina; and (e) continuing to monitor the position of the endotracheal tube in a patient's trachea and portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion after intubation of the endotracheal tube by illuminating the portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion by means of the illumination port, the first optical fiber, and the illumination source and by viewing the portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion by means of the viewing lens, second optical fiber, and the viewing device, wherein continuing illumination and viewing of the endotracheal tube in the patient's trachea and conditions of portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion area accomplished without disconnecting a ventilator from the endotracheal tube or inserting a bronchoscope or endoscope through the endotracheal tube.

Claim 6

A method of avoiding problems caused by use of an endoscope or bronchoscope in an endotracheal tube by using the endotracheal tube to visualize a patient's trachea and conditions in the patient's lungs without using an endoscope or bronchoscope, the method comprising the steps of: (a) inserting a distal end portion of the endotracheal tube into a patient's throat, the endotracheal tube having a proximal end portion and an inflatable annular cuff disposed on the endotracheal tube in sealed relation thereto adjacent to the distal end portion; (b) illuminating the interior of the trachea as the distal end portion is inserted by means of an illumination port located on the distal end portion and coupled to a distal end of a first optical fiber integral with the endotracheal tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and an illumination source optically coupled to a proximal end of the first optical fiber; (c) viewing the interior of the trachea as the distal end portion is inserted and viewing illuminated portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion after the inserting by means of a viewing lens located on the distal end portion and optically coupled to a distal end of a second optical fiber integral with the endotracheal tube and extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and a viewing device attached to a proximal end of the second optical fiber; (d) inflating the cuff by pumping gas into an inflation tube extending from the proximal end portion into the cuff after the viewing of step (c) verifies that the distal end portion is properly located relative to the patient's carina; and (e) continuing to monitor the position of the endotracheal tube in a patient's trachea and portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion after intubation of the endotracheal tube by illuminating the portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion by means of the illumination port, the first optical fiber, and the illumination source and by viewing the portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion by means of the viewing lens, second optical fiber, and the viewing device, wherein continuing illumination and viewing of the endotracheal tube in the patient's trachea and conditions of portions of the trachea and lungs beyond the distal end portion area accomplished without disconnecting a ventilator from the endotracheal tube or inserting a bronchoscope or endoscope through the endotracheal tube.