Pressure indicators for inflatable cuff-type catheters

Claim 1

An inflatable cuff-type chatheter for insertion into a body passage comprising in combination a flexible tube having distal and proximal ends, at least one gas inflatable cuff encircling the flexible tube near the distal end and having opposite ends sealed thereto; a branched tube connected at an inner end to the interior of the cuff; and an inflation means and a pressure indicator means connected in series to the cuff through the outer end of the branch tube for access outside the body passage, the indicator means comprising an expandable chamber having a substantially "V"-shaped longitudinal depression therein, a top section bridging the "V"-shaped depression at about the circumference of the chamber and secured to the chamber on one side of the "V"-shaped depression; the chamber having indicia on the circumferal surface beneath the non-adhered portion of the top section, wherein the chamber is adapted upon expansion to progressively expose the indicia from beneath the top section to indicate the gas pressure within the inflatable cuff.