Myringotomy drain tube

Claim 2

A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patient''s tympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patient''s middle ear through his external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising: a. a hollow body having an unobstruced passageway of substantially uniform diameter therethrough for extending between the middle ear and the external auditory canal through the myringotomy opening to allow the middle ear to drain therethough; and b. head means fixedly attached to the forward end of said body for insertion through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of said drain tube from the middle ear, said head means including a normally rearwardly directed conical-shaped flange portion being so constructed as to be collapsible to a low profile position for allowing easy insertion thereof through the myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening; and having substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profile position after insertion through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidential extraction therefrom and being reversible to a forwardly directed position when extracted through the myringotomy opening for allowing easy extraction therethrough.

Claim 3

The drain tube of claim 1 in which the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of said conical shaped flange portion is less than the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of said hollow body for aid in making said head means collapsible.

Claim 4

The drain tube of claim 1 in which is included stop means fixedly attached to the rearward end of said hollow body for preventing migration of said drain tube into the middle ear.

Claim 5

The drain tube of claim 3 in which said stop means includes a rearwardly directed tab portion for aid in inserting and extracting said drain tube.

Claim 6

The drain tube of claim 4 in which said hollow body, said head means, and said stop means are integrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.

Claim 7

A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patient''s tympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patient''s middle ear through his external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising: a. a hollow body having a forward end for inserting through the tympanic membrane, a rearward end for remaining in the external auditory canal when said forward end is inserted through the tympaniC membrane, and an unobstructed passageway of substantially uniform diameter extending between said forward and rearward ends for allowing the middle ear to drain therethrough; b. head means fixedly attached to said forward end of said hollow body inserting through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of said forward end of said hollow body from the middle ear, said head means including a conical-shaped flange portion, said conical-shaped flange portion being normally rearwardly directed for allowing easy insertion through the myringotomy opening and being reversible to a forwardly directed position when extracted through the myringotomy opening for allowing easy extraction therethrough said conical-shaped flange portion being so constructed as to be collapsible to a low profile position for allowing insertion and extraction through the myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening and having substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profile position after insertion through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction therefrom; and c. stop means fixedly attached to said rearward end of said hollow body for preventing migration of said drain tube into the middle ear, said stop means including a flange portion.

Claim 8

A drain tube for inserting into a myringotomy opening in a patient''s tympanic membrane to allow drainage of the patient''s middle ear through his external auditory canal, said drain tube comprising: a. a hollow body having a forward end for inserting through the tympanic membrane, a rearward end for remaining in the external auditory canal when said forward end is inserted through the tympaniC membrane, and an unobstructed passageway of substantially uniform diameter extending between said forward and rearward ends for allowing the middle ear to drain therethrough; b. head means fixedly attached to said forward end of said hollow body inserting through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction of said forward end of said hollow body from the middle ear, said head means including a conical-shaped flange portion, said conical-shaped flange portion being normally rearwardly directed for allowing easy insertion through the myringotomy opening and being reversible to a forwardly directed position when extracted through the myringotomy opening for allowing easy extraction therethrough said conical-shaped flange portion being so constructed as to be collapsible to a low profile position for allowing insertion and extraction through the myringotomy opening without enlarging the myringotomy opening and having substantial elastic recovery for returning to a high profile position after insertion through the myringotomy opening to prevent accidental extraction therefrom; and c. stop means fixedly attached to said rearward end of said hollow body for preventing migration of said drain tube into the middle ear, said stop means including a flange portion.

Claim 9

The drain tube of claim 6 in which the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of said conical-shaped flange portion is less than the cross-sectional thickness of the wall of said hollow body for aid in making said conical-shaped flange portion collasible.

Claim 10

The drain tube of claim 6 in which said stop means includes a rearwardly directed tab portion for aid in inserting and extracting said drain tube.

Claim 11

The drain tube of claim 8 in which said hollow body, said head means, and said stop means are integrally constructed of a silicone elastomer.