An example aerosol delivery device includes a mouthpiece having an airflow outlet, and an airflow passage extending between an airflow inlet and the airflow outlet. The example aerosol delivery device further includes a housing configured to receive a cartridge that includes an aerosolizable substance and a vapor element configured to heat the aerosolizable substance, and an internal power source configured to provide electrical power. The example aerosol delivery device further includes a controller coupled to the internal power source to receive a portion of the electrical power and configured to, when the cartridge is installed at the housing, cause the vapor element of the cartridge to heat the aerosolizable substance to release an aerosol into the airflow passage during an inhalation through the airflow outlet, and a connector configured to receive power from an external source to recharge the internal power source.

An irrigating intraluminal suction inner cannula system for a tracheostomy tube may be a suction-powered system that may be used for suction alone or a combination of rinse and intraluminal suction for tracheostomy tubes in place of conventional catheter-based intraluminal suction. An inner cannula includes chambers, or regions, and holes that facilitate intraluminal suction and cleaning at multiple locations within the tracheostomy tube. It may be applied/actuated by a patient, healthcare worker, caretaker, or via an electronic system either on-demand or on regular or triggered intervals, in either inpatient/hospital or outpatient/ambulatory care setting.

The present invention relates to a perfusion balloon catheter that has an expandable (enlargeable) inner lumen (114) with a novel design feature that allows a continuous flow through this enlarged lumen sufficient perfusion to the distal lumen of the blood vessel or air passage concurrent to and independently of balloon (104) inflation or deflation resulting in the prolonged dilatation and avoiding the high risks of blood or air flow stricture during balloon inflation.

The following describes various applications and uses for a controllably rigidizable flexible, device or sheath, Such rigidizing mechanisms can allow for a transition between a rigid state and a flexible state of a sheath. Rigidization can be applied along an entire length of a flexible sheath or along select portions of the sheath, and the rigidization can be of varying stiffness. Rigidization can be user controlled or automatically controlled using computer processes.

Systems and methods for reducing pathogens near an implant are discussed. In some cases, the methods include reducing contaminants in a portion of a patient that has an implant and that is disposed interior to a closed surface of skin of the patient. The method can further include placing a conduit in the closed surface of skin and flowing an antimicrobial fluid into that portion of the patient to contact the antimicrobial fluid with a surface of the implant and tissue adjacent to the implant. In some cases, the antimicrobial fluid is then removed from the portion of the patient having the implant. As part of this method, biofilm near the implant can be mechanically, ultrasonically, electrically, chemically, enzymatically, or otherwise disrupted. Other implementations are described.

The present invention relates to a perfusion balloon catheter that has an expandable (enlargeable) inner lumen with a novel design feature that allows a continuous flow through this enlarged lumen sufficient perfusion to the distal lumen of the blood vessel or air passage concurrent to and independently of balloon inflation or deflation resulting in the prolonged dilatation and avoiding the high risks of blood or air flow stricture during balloon inflation.

A device for targeted delivery of a substance to an airway may include a conduit and at least two applicators. The conduit may include a proximal end and a bifurcated distal portion having two distal ends. Each applicator may be coupled with one of the distal ends of the conduit and may be configured to direct the substance out of the applicator toward one of two sides of an airway. A method for targeted delivery of a substance to an airway may involve advancing a substance delivery device into the airway, contacting two sides of the airway with at least two applicators of the substance delivery device, such that each applicator contacts the airway near a glossopharyngeal nerve and/or a superior laryngeal nerve on each of the two sides of the airway, and delivering the substance through the applicators to contact the airway along the two sides.

A method and apparatus is provided for automatic emergency airway detection. The apparatus includes a frame with a carriage guide configured to be secured around a neck of a subject. A carriage including a sensor is configured to move along the carriage guide. The sensor is configured to measure a value of a parameter indicating a topography of the neck of the subject. A processor includes a memory with instructions to receive first data from the sensor of the value of the parameter as the carriage is moved along the carriage guide and to determine, with the first data, second data indicating a position along the carriage guide corresponding to the cricothyroid region of the neck. The processor subsequently transmits a first signal indicating the second data. A method of using the apparatus is also provided.

An intubation assistance device facilitates insertion of an endotracheal tube or a guide wire into a patient's trachea without requiring a laryngoscope. The device includes a curved flexible tubular member that has a proximal portion having a proximal end, a distal portion having a distal end, and a curved portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion. A lumen extends from the proximal end of the tubular member and terminates in the curved portion of the tubular member. The lumen is sized and shaped so that an endotracheal tube and/or a guide wire is axially moveable through the lumen. A ramp is disposed at a distal end of the lumen, and is angled to facilitate insertion of the endotracheal tube and/or guide wire into the patient's trachea. The distal portion of the tubular member includes an esophageal protrusion that is configured to be inserted in the patient's esophagus.

The present disclosure provides a video laryngoscope system comprising an image acquisition device configured to capture images of glottis and trachea of a subject, a memory configured to store one or more series of instructions, one or more processor configured execute the series of computer instructions stored in the memory. When the instructions are executed by the processor, the video laryngoscope system performs the following steps: receiving the images of the glottis and the trachea captured by the image acquisition device, analyzing the received images to identify a tracheal structure, and quantitatively assessing the trachea based on the identified tracheal structure, to determine at least one attribute of the trachea. The present disclosure further provides a method for quantitatively assessing a trachea.