Patent ID: 7360541
Filing Date: 2008-04-22
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An endotracheal tube for insertion into a patient's trachea and including a drug delivery feature comprising: an elongated body having a proximal end for connection to a ventilator device and an opposing distal end with a bore formed therein and terminating in at least one ventilation opening; and a plurality of drug delivery conduits formed in the elongated body and radially about the bore within the elongated body and each terminating at one end with a proximal opening and at an opposite end with a distal opening, the proximal opening being adapted to be fluidly connected to a drug delivery device adapter, each drug delivery conduit being fluidly separated from the bore, wherein each of the drug delivery conduits comprises a pair of coaxial lumens, namely an inner coaxial lumen and an outer coaxial lumen and as a result, the distal opening is defined by a pair of co-axial orifices; wherein each drug delivery conduit is separated from the bore along its entire length thereof from the proximal opening to the distal opening, the distal opening being formed at the distal end of the elongated body and is located closer to the distal end than the ventilation opening, wherein each of the plurality of drug delivery conduits is fluidly connected to a different flexible external conduit member that is external to the elongated body and is fluidly connected to the proximal opening of the drug delivery conduit at a first end and terminates at a second end as one drug delivery adapter, the flexible external conduit members being bundled together in a manner that maintains their separation from one another and wherein each of the drug delivery adapters mates with a single main connector that is in selective communication with an MDI adapter that is adapted for attachment to an MDI device, the main connector and the MDI adapter being remote from the elongated tube and only attached thereto by means of the flexible external conduit members, the main connector and MDI adapter being located at free ends of the flexible external conduit members remote from the elongated tube, the MDI adapter having a main port with a first end for attachment to the MDI device for receiving already aerosolized medication and an opposite second end that forms an airtight connection with the inner coaxial lumen, the MDI adapter having a side port that fluidly communicates with the outer coaxial lumen to permit a supplemental pressurized gas to flow through the outer coaxial lumen to the distal opening, the main connector having a component that is rotatable so as to place the MDI adapter in fluid communication with one of the external conduit members associated with one drug delivery conduit to permit delivery of medication along one drug delivery path defined by the selected external conduit member, while maintaining flow of the aerosolized medication into the inner coaxial lumen and the supplemental pressurized gas into the outer coaxial lumen.