Patent ID: 6588426
Filing Date: 2003-07-08
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
In a tracheostomy device equipped with an outer cannula comprised of a tube open at both ends to provide passageway for gases and a transverse latching lip at a ventilating gas inlet end of the tube and an inner cannula comprised of a tubular section open to the flow of gas therethrough and a hallowed cylindrical base member having an external diameter greater than the tube, with said base member being open at a proximate end and equipped with an enclosing brim having a centrally disposed spouting aperture at a distal end of the base, a pair of hinged latches disposed about the outer peripheral margin of the brim and respectively connected to the brim by a pair of flexible bridges supportive of upwardly and inwardly disposed latching legs respectively terminated by latching hooks for latching onto latching lip of the outer cannula, a pair of unlatching tabs operatively connected to latching legs and extending downwardly and outwardly in an opposite direction from the latching legs, with said tabs being positioned in an unlatching position when depressed inwardly towards the base member to cause the latching hooks to unlatch brim from the latching lip, the improvement which comprises a detachable interlocking stop biasingly positioned in juxtaposition between the hinged latches and the base member so as to maintain the tabs in latched position and to prevent the tabs from being depressed to the unlatching positioned, thereby, retain interconnection of the outer cannula to the inner cannula in the latched position.