A system and method for ventilating the lungs of a patient. The system includes a smart tube for intubation comprising a tip and a cuff. The system also includes one or more cameras, coupled with the smart tube, for providing relative positional intubation measurements of the patient and/or providing intubation images of the patient. Further, the system includes one or more sensors, coupled with the smart tube, for sensing the inflation of the cuff and/or sensing pressure of the cuff. The system for ventilating additionally includes a computing system, coupled with the camera, the at least one sensor and the smart tube, for computing programmed feedback based on the relative positional intubation measurements, and/or the intubation images, and/or the inflation of the cuff, and/or the pressure of the cuff.

A pulmonary secretion clearing airway structure and related airway management system is disclosed that has a double lumen portion which each lumen of the double lumen portion operably secured to an airway management system so that inspiratory fluid (air/oxygen mixtures, with or without added water vapor) is delivered to the distal end of the ventilation catheter through one of the two lumens and expired inspiratory fluid, pulmonary secretions, and pulmonary fluids are removed from the patient through the other lumen. The expiratory fluid pathway preferably includes a secretion collection system for removing the pulmonary secretions and the like from the pathway, thereby improving operation and safety of the system. The airway structure can be a ventilation catheter or a supraglottic airway system such as laryngeal mask and the like.

The system allows optimizing the dispensing of aerosol medicaments. In particular the system allows the administration of an exogenous pulmonary surfactant to very young patients (e.g. preterm neonates). A catheter (101) conveys atomized surfactant directly to the retropharyngeal region in order to increase efficiency of the medicament administration without being invasive: this is particularly important for very young patients, such as pre-term born neonates suffering from neonatal Respiratory Distress Syndrome (nRDS). The catheter is made of biocompatible flexible material (e.g. plastic material). It is possible to couple the catheter with a rigid scaffolding (e.g. metallic) to increase stiffness of the device and to improve easiness of positioning operations. The delivery of the atomized medicament is done by means of an air blasting technique.

A synchronized automated bronchial lavage aspiration apparatus synchronizes with ventilator inspiration and expiration cycles to clear a patient's airway of stagnant secretion automatically. Synchronized and automatic instillation of saline prior to aspiration suppresses bacteria in the airway and suctioning during exhalation drains the airway of sputum.

Implants comprising electrically-responsive hydrogel are described. Systems to provide electricity to induce response in hydrogel-containing implants are described. Methods for utilizing said system and methods for utilizing said hydrogel-containing implants are described.

Described herein are examples of pharyngeal respirators. Pharyngeal respirators may include a connection end having a first outer width, a flange disposed on the connection end having a second outer width greater than the first outer width, and a socket disposed on the flange. The connection end may be insertably disposed within a receiver of a pharyngeal breathing tube. The flange may not fit within the receiving end of the pharyngeal breathing tube. The socket may receive a medical fitting. The connection end, the flange, and the socket may form a tubular structure having a first end comprising the connection end and a second end comprising the socket.

A treatment system includes a delivery device which delivers a combination of a breathing gas and frozen ice or other particles to a patient in order to induce hypothermia. The treatment system also includes a temperature system for measuring the temperature of exhaled gases and a controller which can adjust the duration or rate at which the ice particles are delivered in order to control the patient's core temperature based on the measured exhalation gas temperature.

Apparatus for transporting particles through a patient's trachea into the respiratory system include a delivery tube having at least a ventilation lumen and a particle delivery lumen. The delivery tube has a centering device near its distal tip, such as a balloon eccentrically mounted on the tube to position an outlet of the particle delivery lumen near a centerline of the trachea above the carina branching into the right and left bronchus. A proximal end of the delivery tube connects to a source of particles, and a controller may be provided to adjust a rate and/or an amount of the particles delivered to the patient. In a specific example, frozen particles are delivered to control core body temperature. In other instances, the particle may be a medicament or other substance for effecting other therapies or diagnostic procedures.

Various embodiments of a double cuff single lumen endotracheal tube device for lung isolation and protection and its method of use are described herein. A device for intubation providing for single lung isolation and a transition to ventilation of both lungs is described. In one example, the device can be used extend into a main bronchus of patient. A distal cuff and secondary cuff can be inflated for ventilation of one lung. An auxiliary conduit provides passive oxygenation to the non-ventilated or alternately evacuation of mucus or fluids above the distal cuff. The device can be repositioned for long term intubation and ventilation of both lungs.

The present invention relates to a computer-vision based autonomous steerable catheter device and methods of using the same for targeted delivery of a liquid microvolume into the interior of a lung.