An endotracheal tube that is particularly useful for surgical operations on a patient's lower face. The endotracheal tube comprises a swivel segment and a laryngeal segment that are rotatably joined. To facilitate relocation of the endotracheal tube during surgery, the swivel segment can be swiveled in relation to the laryngeal segment. To allow instruments to be inserted, the swivel segment has a lumen access port that opens into the lumen of the swivel segment. The laryngeal segment may have a reinforced portion to prevent occlusion or damage by the patient biting. Also disclosed are methods for performing surgery on a patient's face using the endotracheal tube and methods of intubating a patient's airway using the endotracheal tube.

A tracheostomy tube comprises a skeletal frame (10) of a relatively stiff plastics covered by an overmoulding (11) of a relatively soft, transparent plastics. The frame (10) includes a portion extending along the shaft (1) of the tube and formed by longitudinal struts (16) linked by spaced ribs (20). The shaft portion of the frame (10) is formed integrally with a portion extending along a flange (5) of the tube, which includes apertures (6) for receiving the ends of a neck strap, and apertures (41) for use with sutures. At its patient end (2) the tube has a soft tip (51) formed by an extension of the overmoulding (11) beyond the patient end of the frame (10). At the machine end (3) of the tube the frame (10) is formed with a connector (4).

A tube for delivering fluid that has a tube extending between a first opening and a second opening, an expandable cuff formed on a distal end of the tube, a resistant member formed around a portion of the tube, and a sleeve formed around the resistant member. Wherein, the sleeve presents a substantially smooth outer surface.

A tracheostomy tube (1) has a shaft (10, 10) including a helical reinforcing wire (30) overmoulded by a plastics material, such as of silicone. The wire has an indented path (31) traversing its turns in which is received a small-bore tube (32) so that this does not project above the surface of the shaft, or only forms a small projection. The small-bore tube (32) acts as an inflation line and opens at its patient end (33) within a sealing cuff (13). The machine end of the tube (32) is terminated by a combined inflation indicator and connector (36).

An endotracheal tub includes at least one main tubular body, which is configured for at least partial insertion into the respiratory tract of a patient, through the mouth or the nose. The tube includes at least one tubular reinforcement skeleton for the body. At least one useful portion of the skeleton is constituted by at least one first filament which is wound in a helical manner around the longitudinal axis of the body and is selectively disengageable from the body. Such disengagement enables its removal after the completion of the step of insertion of the body into the respiratory tract of the patient.

A treatment method includes an indwelling step of indwelling a medical appliance in a trachea T of a patient, the medical appliance having a plurality of types of metals disposed side by side on a side surface of a pipe body, and the medical appliance generates a current between adjacent metals out of the plurality of types of metals when in contact with a foreign substance or saliva having flown into the trachea.

An apparatus for monitoring EMG signals of a patient's laryngeal muscles includes an endotracheal tube having an exterior surface and a first location configured to be positioned at the patient's vocal folds. A first electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially below the first location to receive EMG signals primarily from below the vocal folds. A second electrode is formed on the exterior surface of the endotracheal tube substantially above the first location to receive EMG signals primarily from above the vocal folds. The first and second electrodes are configured to receive the EMG signals from the laryngeal muscles when the endotracheal tube is placed in a trachea of the patient.

A repositionable medical tube, such as an endotracheal tube, a nasogastric tube, or a nasojejunal tube, having an inflatable cuff with at least one divot region therein, the divot region having an outer diameter sufficiently smaller than an outer diameter of both a proximate cuff region and of a distal cuff region as to produce a discernibly-distinct ultrasonic image when scanned by an ultrasound sensor. The medical tube may be further provided with an ultrasonically-detectable coil or one or more ultrasonically-detectable markers having an identifiable geometric shape when the marker is visible using an ultrasonic probe.

A nasal cannula device according to various embodiments can include a flexible tube, an anti-kink device, and an ear protection device. The anti-kink devices may be attached to or integral with the distal end of the flexible tube that connects to a connection adapter, so that the anti-kink device provides support to the flexible tube to prevent kinking of the flexible tube. The ear protection device may be attached to or integral with a portion of the flexible tube that contacts a user's ear. The ear protection device comprises a soft material to mitigate skin irritation of the user's ear.

A tube for delivering fluid that has a tube extending between a first opening and a second opening, an expandable cuff formed on a distal end of the tube, a resistant member formed around a portion of the tube, and a sleeve formed around the resistant member. Wherein, the sleeve presents a substantially smooth outer surface.