This document provides devices and methods for performing tracheostomies. For example, this document provides devices and methods for performing tracheostomies using tracheostomy tubes that include a cuff at the neck opening area that can prevent or reduce the potential for air leaks.

Disclosed herein are aspects of a tracheal breathing tube that provides for accurate and reliable control of cannula cuff pressure. Such a tracheal breathing tube include a pressure controller through which a fluid is supplied to a cannula cuff of a tracheal breathing tube and which enables reliable indication of a level of pressure of fluid within the cannula cuff. The pressure controller serves to achieve a proper interface between the cannula cuff and a patient's trachea, thereby addressing important clinical considerations such as anesthesiologist control. Moreover, the pressure controller serves to ensure that proper force is being applied on the patient's tracheal walls by the cannula cuff to thereby limit the potential for post-surgical complications resulting from, for example, inadequate blood supply to an organ or part of the body. swelling of the patient's tracheal walls that can lead to difficulty in breathing, and the like.

A tracheostomy tube (1) has an inflatable sealing cuff (13) and an array of one or more RFID pressure sensors (120) around the cuff. A leakage unit (30) interrogates the sensors (120) to determine any regions around the cuff having incomplete contact with the tracheal wall indicative of potential leakage between the cuff and the wall of the trachea.

Various embodiments of a tracheostomy tube having neck flanges with filleted ends are provided. In certain embodiments, the neck flange may include a fillet extending from a bottom surface of the neck flange to a tip of the neck flange. In addition, the filleted end may also be tapered from a top surface of the neck flange to the tip of the neck flange. The neck flange may also include several curved edges, such as curved edges from the tip of the neck flange to side surfaces of the neck flange, and a curved bottom surface from side surface to side surface of the neck flange.

A device (1) for the tracheal intubation of and the administration of ventilation to a patient for rapid volume-compensating sealing of the trachea, wherein the sealing surfaces of a preferably fully and residually formed balloon-like film body (4) abut the wall of the trachea with a sealing pressure of the balloon (4) which is as constant as possible and follow the thoracic pressure acting on the balloon with the least possible time latency with regard to corresponding fluctuations of the balloon inflation pressure, and the trachea is kept sealed under such dynamic fluctuations or respiration synchronously alternating fluctuations of the balloon inflation pressure. This is enabled by a defined large lumen (7, 5) supply of the balloon inflation medium, the supplying lumen being measured in such a way that a sealing pressure-maintaining extracorporeal volume compensation that works in a time synchronous manner can be achieved in the sealing balloon element.

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 device and method for performing a cricothyrotomy and/or a tracheotomy has an outer cannula. An inner cutting cannula is positioned within the outer cannula. An actuator is coupled to a proximate end of the inner cutting cannula. The actuator keeps the inner cutting cannula in a retracted position within the outer cannula when the actuator is not activated and an extended position where a distal end of the inner cutting cannula extends out of the outer cannula with a force for the distal end of the inner cutting cannula to penetrate one of a cricothyroid membrane or tracheal wall when the actuator is activated.

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.

A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) intubation guide for use in an endotracheal intubation procedure and in ventilation of a subject, the LMA intubation guide including: an elongate body defining a passageway extending between a proximal opening and a distal opening, for receiving a blade portion of an intubation device; a laryngeal mask at the distal opening, for covering the larynx of the subject; and a ventilation airway extending at least partially along the body, including: a ventilation port at a proximal end of the ventilation airway for connection to a ventilator; and a ventilation aperture at a distal end of the ventilation airway for allowing fluid communication between the ventilation airway and the passageway proximate to the laryngeal mask, the LMA intubation guide being configured to allow intubation of the subject using an endotracheal tube through the passageway, while the subject is ventilated using the ventilation airway.

A pulmonary isolation and ventilation apparatus (e.g., device, system, etc.) is disclosed. The apparatus may include a controller, a steerable outer member (e.g., outer sleeve body), configured to hold an inner member (e.g., endoscope) and a handpiece. The apparatus may be configured as a sleeve for use with any inner member or the apparatus may include the inner member. Through the handpiece, a user may position the outer sleeve body over an endoscope within a target region of the lungs. The position may be verified by the user using a camera of the endoscope. The endoscope may be removed without disrupting the lungs and the positioning within the lungs. The apparatus may provide improved ventilator functionality to the identified region of the lungs through outer member and may provide for isolating a selective targeted area of the lungs for treatment.