An endotracheal tube for mechanically ventilating patients is disclosed. The endotracheal tube comprises a distal end for insertion into the patient's airway, past the vocal chords, through the subglottal region, and into the patient's lung; and a proximal end for connection to a mechanical ventilator. The endotracheal tube further comprises a cuff at the distal end of the endotracheal tube to be located in the subglottal region of the patient below the vocal chords, an inflating lumen for inflating the cuff, and a suction lumen having a suction inlet port leading from the outer surface of the endotracheal tube, and to be located in the subglottal region, for evacuating secretions and/or rinsing fluid from the subglottal region during the mechanical ventilation of the patient. The distal end of the endotracheal tube is formed with an outer surface configuration effective to prevent blockage of the suction inlet port by the cuff or by tracheal mucosal tissue of the patient during a negative pressure condition in the suction lumen.

A system for controlling and monitoring flow in a cuffed endotracheal tube device is disclosed. The system comprises: a connector panel having at least three connectors adapted for establishing fluid communication with proximal ends of at least a first fluid line, a second fluid line and a cuff inflation line of the endotracheal tube device. The system can further comprise a processing unit and a control unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to instruct the control unit to execute various operations, including at least a rinsing procedure, a suctioning procedure, a cuff inflation procedure, a leak detection procedure and a venting procedure, and to select any of the first and the second fluid lines for any of the rinsing, suctioning, leak detection and venting procedures. In some embodiments, the system exploits the cuff as sensor to sense pulmonary data.

A capnography system includes a CO.sub.2 sensing system having a CO.sub.2 sensor configured to measure a CO.sub.2 concentration in exhaled breath of a subject, a processor configured to derive one or more breath related parameters based on the measured CO.sub.2 concentration, and a communication unit. The capnography system includes a tubing system configured to allow flow of respiratory gasses therethrough. The tubing system includes a connector configured to connect the tubing system to the CO.sub.2 sensing system and a communication component configured to provide an indication of a type of the tubing system to the communication unit. The communication unit is configured to transfer data to the processor based on the indication obtained from the communication component, and the processor is configured to change or suggest a change of an operation mode of the CO.sub.2 sensing system based on the data.

An endotracheal tube apparatus is provided which comprises an endotracheal tube insertable into a trachea of a patient, wherein the endotracheal tube has a sidewall and includes a first passageway, wherein the first passageway is a ventilation passageway to provide ventilation to the patient; a fluid sampling port connected to the sidewall of the endotracheal tube; the fluid sampling port including a fluid sampling passageway, the fluid sampling passageway to obtain a fluid sample comprising one or more gases exhaled from the patient; and the fluid sampling port including a connector to connect the fluid sampling port to an analyzer to detect a presence of carbon dioxide gas in the fluid sample.

A capnography system includes a CO.sub.2 sensing system having a CO.sub.2 sensor configured to measure a CO.sub.2 concentration in exhaled breath of a subject, a processor configured to derive one or more breath related parameters based on the measured CO.sub.2 concentration, and a communication unit. The capnography system includes a tubing system configured to allow flow of respiratory gasses therethrough. The tubing system includes a connector configured to connect the tubing system to the CO.sub.2 sensing system and a communication component configured to provide an indication of a type of the tubing system to the communication unit. The communication unit is configured to transfer data to the processor based on the indication obtained from the communication component, and the processor is configured to change or suggest a change of an operation mode of the CO.sub.2 sensing system based on the data.

A medical system for assisting with an intubation procedure for a patient. The system comprising airflow sensors configured to obtain data indicative of airflow in the patient's airway and physiological sensors configured to obtain information regarding airflow in the patient's lungs. The system further including a monitoring device communicatively coupled to the airflow sensors and the physiological sensors. The patient monitoring device comprising at least one processor coupled to memory and configured to: provide a user interface on a display and assist the rescuer in determining proper placement of an endotracheal tube, receive the data indicative of the airflow in the patient's airway, receive the physiological information regarding the airflow in the patient's lungs, and determine whether the tube is properly placed based on the received physiological information, and present an output of the determination of whether the ET tube was properly placed.

This invention relates to a breath indicator that is receivable by a part of a breathing assistance apparatus that supplies gas to a patient. The indicator comprises an elongate body having a gas sampling end and an attachment end. The attachment end is adapted to attach to a part of a breathing assistance apparatus and for locating the gas sampling end. The gas sampling end is to be located in a region where gas from the patient is to be exhaled. The gas sampling end being in communication with a sensor comprising a detector material changeable between a first visual indicator state relating to an inhalation phase of the patient, and a second visual indicator state relating to an exhalation phase of the patient. The detector material is capable of changing between the visual indicator states at a sufficient rate to substantially correspond with the inhalation and exhalation phases of the patient.

A system for controlling and monitoring flow in a cuffed endotracheal tube device is disclosed. The system comprises: a connector panel having at least three connectors adapted for establishing fluid communication with proximal ends of at least a first fluid line, a second fluid line and a cuff inflation line of the endotracheal tube device. The system can further comprise a processing unit and a control unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to instruct the control unit to execute various operations, including at least a rinsing procedure, a suctioning procedure, a cuff inflation procedure, a leak detection procedure and a venting procedure, and to select any of the first and the second fluid lines for any of the rinsing, suctioning, leak detection and venting procedures. In some embodiments, the system exploits the cuff as sensor to sense pulmonary data.