Patent ID: 9265907
Filing Date: 2016-02-23
CPC Classification: A61M

Claim Text:
1. A self-centering tracheostomy tube, comprising: a shaft having a proximal end and a distal end, and a curve along a length of said shaft, at least said distal end and said curve configured and arranged for passage through an opening in a tracheal wall into an interior space of the trachea of the patient; and a cuff disposed at said shaft distal end, said cuff inflatable upon passage through said wall to form a seal between the shaft and an interior surface of the trachea, said shaft distal end having a lower rigidity than a rigidity of said proximal end, such that a position of said distal end relative to said proximal end in the trachea self-centers in said trachea in response to inflation of said cuff, said proximal end has a durometer between about 60 and 100 on the Shore A scale, and the distal end has a durometer between about 40 and 70 on the Shore A scale, wherein at least a portion of said curve comprises said distal end durometer, and wherein said cuff is fully disposed along said distal end.