Patent ID: 9474469
Filing Date: 2016-10-25
CPC Classification: A61B,A61M

Claim Text:
1. A method of monitoring tracheal pressure of a subject, the subject being ventilated with breathing gas flowing via an endotracheal tube having an inflatable cuff, the method comprising: monitoring sealing of the trachea by controlling a baseline pressure within said cuff using a close loop control, such as to generally minimize said baseline pressure while ensuring said sealing; applying variation to a ventilation pressure thereby varying a flow level of the breathing gas; monitoring variation in a peak above said baseline of a pressure pulse within said cuff responsively to said variation of said ventilation pressure; calculating a ratio between said monitored variation in said peak and said applied ventilation pressure variations; calculating the tracheal pressure using said calculated ratio; and suctioning secretions from the endotracheal tube in synchronization with said monitored tracheal pressure.