Endotracheal tube combination

Claim 1

An endotracheal tube for ventilating the lungs of a patient comprising; a ventilation tube adapted to extend from a gas source into and through the mouth of the patient, past the epiglottis into the trachea and past the vocal chords to end at a position above the carina, an inflatable cuff surrounding the tube inwardly of the extended end and when in position in the trachea, located between the carina and vocal cords, air injection means connected to the cuff for injecting air into the cuff to expand the cuff against the trachea wall for sealing off passage of air around the cuff, and a suction tube defining a suction passage, said suction tube independent of the ventilation tube at its exterior end and merging with the ventilation tube to form a near-circular configuration having independent dual passages and adaptable for passage through the epiglottis and vocal cords in the trachea, said suction passage being non-communicative with the ventilation passage, said suction tube terminating at an interior end juxtaposed to the inflated cuff to provide an open passage to the space immediately above the cuff, said suction tube end having multiple openings in communication with fluids that pool around the cuff so as not to be blocked by the cuff, said cuff has a section that is immediately adjacent to the suction tube end that is less flexible than the remainder of the inflatable cuff, said interior end of said suction tube having an end opening positioned adjacent said cuff and juxtaposed the inflated portion of said cuff whereby suction from the suction passage acting against said cuff section is inhibited from closing the openings thereof, and said suction tube having an opposite exterior end for projection out of the patient's mouth and separated from the ventilation tube, and connection means for connecting the suction tube to a source of negative air pressure.