An airway device includes an outertube and a scope channel partially enclosed by the outertube. An intraluminal space in the outertube, not occupied by the scope channel, provides a passageway for air flow to the patient. An esophageal cuff is disposed distally on the scope channel. When inflated, the esophageal cuff secures the airway device in the proximal esophagus of the patient and helps to prevent gastric reflux by mechanically blocking gastric content from entering into the larynx. An inflatable bladder is attached at an anterior surface of the scope channel between the esophageal cuff and a distal opening of the outertube. When inflated, the bladder forms a tubular ring that pushes against the epiglottis and/or other soft tissue towards a wall of the hypopharynx to produce an unhindered air passage into the patient's trachea.

A cuff assembly for an airway tube includes an outer bladder and an inner cuff. The inner cuff is positioned adjacent to the airway tube, and the outer bladder is positioned adjacent to the inner cuff. The outer bladder is made with a less elastic material and operates at a higher relative pressure. The inner cuff is made with a more elastic or hyper-elastic material and operates at a lower relative pressure. A pressure controller independently adjusts the pressure within the inner cuff and the outer bladder. A secretion collection receptacle is formed by the cuff assembly and is evacuated via a suction catheter or channel.

An expandable endotracheal tube includes a shaft that has an airway. The expandable endotracheal tube also includes an expandable segment mounted to a distal end of the shaft. The expandable segment includes an expandable membrane and a constant force spring positioned within the expandable membrane. The constant force spring has a compressed configuration to allow for placement of the expandable endotracheal tube within a patient and an expanded configuration in which the expandable membrane forms a seal with a trachea of the patient to enable positive pressure ventilation.

A tracheostomy tube has an inflatable sealing cuff (11) towards its patient end (6) and a fluid-permeable cuff (31) mounted on the shaft (1) above the inflatable cuff. The fluid-permeable cuff (31) contains hydrogel granules (32) that absorb moisture in the trachea (T) and help reduces the amount of secretions leaking past the sealing cuff (11). When the tube is to be withdrawn from the trachea (T) the lower, inflatable cuff (11) is deflated allowing the upper, fluid-permeable cuff (31) to be flattened against the outside of the lower cuff.

An expandable endotracheal tube includes a shaft that has an airway. The expandable endotracheal tube also includes an expandable segment mounted to a distal end of the shaft. The expandable segment includes an expandable membrane and a constant force spring positioned within the expandable membrane. The constant force spring has a compressed configuration to allow for placement of the expandable endotracheal tube within a patient and an expanded configuration in which the expandable membrane forms a seal with a trachea of the patient to enable positive pressure ventilation.

The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment. The invention further discloses a catheter with a transparent occlusion element at its tip that enables examination of the lung passageway through a viewing scope.

The volume of a hyperinflated lung compartment is reduced by sealing a distal end of the catheter in an airway feeding the lung compartment. Air passes out of the lung compartment through a passage in the catheter while the patient exhales. A one-way flow element associated with the catheter prevents air from re-entering the lung compartment as the patient inhales. Over time, the pressure of regions surrounding the lung compartment cause it to collapse as the volume of air diminishes. Residual volume reduction effectively results in functional lung volume expansion. Optionally, the lung compartment may be sealed in order to permanently prevent air from re-entering the lung compartment. The invention further discloses a catheter with a transparent occlusion element at its tip that enables examination of the lung passageway through a viewing scope.

A device for delivering a substance to an airway of a patient may include a laryngeal mask airway device, at least one substance delivery reservoir coupled with the laryngeal mask airway device for delivering the substance to the airway of the patient, and at least one conduit coupled with the laryngeal mask airway. The at least one conduit may have a proximal end configured to couple with a source of the substance residing outside the patient and a distal end in fluid communication with the at least one substance delivery reservoir.

This invention is a device to be used with a system for supplying anaesthetic or respiratory gases into the airway of a human or an animal. This device is a supraglottic airway device, which includes a shaft with three tubes one for ventilation purpose and rest two for dynamic cuff inflation and other for suctioning purpose. The dynamic cuff is inflated by the gases supplied directly from the anaesthesia or ventilator circuit through a specialised adaptor via dynalumen. The cuff inflation lumen (DynaLumen) will also be having a locking mechanism to enable its use like a conventional LMA; i.e., the cuff can be left continuously inflated both during positive pressure ventilation as well as less during expiratory phase and during spontaneous respiration.

Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) may be prevented in a patient, or its occurrence reduced in a population of patients, by using an anti-VAP device or an anti-VAP material such as an anti-VAP mouthpiece that absorbs secretions. By reducing the problem of bacterial-containing secretions that otherwise build up in the airway of, and elsewhere in, the intubated patient, VAP can be prevented from occurring in intubated patients, such as patients intubated with an endotracheal tube (ETT) or a nasogastric tube. Anti-VAP mouthpieces also are useable in non-intubated patients to maintain oral hygiene.