US4527559A — Endotracheal tube anchoring mechanism

Claim 1

Independent Claim 92 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient, each aperture being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of the tube, the tube having an exterior ridge extending longitudinally thereof and formed by a lateral portion of the tube wall having increased radial thickness, and wherein said apertures extend transversely through said ridge.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 92 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient, each aperture being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of the tube, the tube having an exterior ridge extending longitudinally thereof and formed by a lateral portion of the tube wall having increased radial thickness, and wherein said apertures extend transversely through said ridge.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 70 words

The tube defined in claim 1, in which the apertures are inverted T-shaped slots, the crossbars of the T extending substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube and the leg of the T having an open end terminating at the exterior surface of the tube whereby a twill tape may be inserted into a slot transversely of its length and inadvertent removal of the twill tape is deterred.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

The tube defined in claim 2, including a flap extending across the foot of an inverted T-shaped slot adjacent the exterior surface of the tube.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 26 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising the endotracheal tube defined in claim 1 and an elongated flexible strip removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 32 words

The tube assembly defined in claim 4, in which the flexible strip has a stiffened end portion to enable easy threading of the flexible strip through the selected one of the apertures.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 36 words

The tube assembly defined in claim 4, including an elongated block having a transverse aperture, said bite block being removably secured to the tube by tying said bite block to the tube with the flexible strip.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 87 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient, the tube having an elongated strip extending along the elongated tube, said strip being secured to the exterior surface at locations spaced along the elongated tube, the apertures being defined between the exterior surface of the tube and the strip, said strip having a width substantially greater than its thickness.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 87 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient, the tube having an elongated strip extending along the elongated tube, said strip being secured to the exterior surface at locations spaced along the elongated tube, the apertures being defined between the exterior surface of the tube and the strip, said strip having a width substantially greater than its thickness.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 13 words

The tube defined in claim 7, in which the strip is latex rubber.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 135 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising an elongated tube, an elongated flexible strip and an elongated bite block, said tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing said tube to a patient, each aperture in said tube being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of said tube, said elongated flexible strip being removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures in said tube, said bite block having a transverse aperture extending therethrough, said bite block being secured to said tube by tying said bite block to said tube with said flexible strip passing through a selected aperture in said tube and said aperture in said bite block.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 135 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising an elongated tube, an elongated flexible strip and an elongated bite block, said tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing said tube to a patient, each aperture in said tube being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of said tube, said elongated flexible strip being removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures in said tube, said bite block having a transverse aperture extending therethrough, said bite block being secured to said tube by tying said bite block to said tube with said flexible strip passing through a selected aperture in said tube and said aperture in said bite block.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 44 words

The tube assembly defined in claim 9, in which the bite block includes an elongated hard core encapsulated in a material not as hard as said core, said core being of thickness at least substantially as great as the diameter of the tube lumen.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 109 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient each aperture being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends, the tube having an exterior ridge extending longitudinally thereof, said ridge having an exterior surface continuous with the exterior surface of the tube, said apertures extending transversely through said ridge with said opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of said ridge, said ridge having a width adjacent to the apertures substantially greater than its height.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 109 words

An endotracheal tube comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversely of the tube for securing the endotracheal tube to a patient each aperture being exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends, the tube having an exterior ridge extending longitudinally thereof, said ridge having an exterior surface continuous with the exterior surface of the tube, said apertures extending transversely through said ridge with said opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of said ridge, said ridge having a width adjacent to the apertures substantially greater than its height.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 21 words

The tube defined in claim 11, in which the ridge is a portion of the tube wall of increased radial thickness.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 18 words

The tube defined in claim 12, in which the ridge has a transverse cross-section which is convex throughout.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 49 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising the endotracheal tube defined in claim 26 and an elongated flexible strip removably threaded through a select one of the apertures, said flexible strip having a stiffened end portion to enable easy threading of the flexible strip through the selected one of the apertures.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 55 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising the endotracheal tube defined in claim 26, an elongated flexible strip removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures, and an elongated bite block having a transverse aperture, said bite block being removably secured to the tube by tying said bite block to the tube with said flexible strip.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 88 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversly of said tube, and a twill tape removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures, each aperture exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of the tube, said twill tape having a stiffened end portion to enable easy threading of the twill tape through the selected one of the apertures.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 88 words

An endotracheal tube assembly comprising an elongated tube having an interior lumen, an exterior surface and a row of preformed apertures spaced longitudinally along and extending transversly of said tube, and a twill tape removably threaded through a selected one of the apertures, each aperture exterior to the lumen and defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the exterior surface of the tube, said twill tape having a stiffened end portion to enable easy threading of the twill tape through the selected one of the apertures.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 61 words

A bite block for use with an endotracheal tube comprising an elongated hard core encapsulated in a block of material not as hard as said core, said block being generally a rectangular parallelepiped configuration and having an aperture therethrough extending transversely to said core, the aperture defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the same surface of the block.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 61 words

A bite block for use with an endotracheal tube comprising an elongated hard core encapsulated in a block of material not as hard as said core, said block being generally a rectangular parallelepiped configuration and having an aperture therethrough extending transversely to said core, the aperture defining a passage having opposite open ends terminating at the same surface of the block.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 77 words

A bite block for use with an endotracheal tube comprising an elongated hard core encapsulated in a block of material not as hard as said core, said block being generally a rectangular parallelepiped configuration and having an elongated reentrant side, the longest dimension of the elongated reentrant side being generally parallel to said core and means to secure said block to an endotracheal tube such that said reentrant side is parallel and adjacent to said endotracheal tube.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 77 words

A bite block for use with an endotracheal tube comprising an elongated hard core encapsulated in a block of material not as hard as said core, said block being generally a rectangular parallelepiped configuration and having an elongated reentrant side, the longest dimension of the elongated reentrant side being generally parallel to said core and means to secure said block to an endotracheal tube such that said reentrant side is parallel and adjacent to said endotracheal tube.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1988-07-08	1989-01-07	1989-07-09	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1992-07-08	1993-01-07	1993-07-09	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1996-07-08	1997-01-07	1997-07-09	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Endotracheal tube anchoring mechanism

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