Patent ID: 7051736
Filing Date: 2006-05-30
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
1. An endotracheal tube pressure monitoring system comprising: a. an endotracheal tube having an open distal end, an opposing open proximal end, and a major lumen extending within the tube from the proximal end to the distal end, the distal end of the tube in fluid communication with a trachea of a patient; b. a fluid pressure line having an end in fluid communication with the major lumen of the endotracheal tube; c. a purging subsystem in fluid communication with the fluid pressure line; d. a pressure sensor in communication with the major lumen of the endotracheal tube, the pressure sensor spaced from the end of the fluid pressure line; and e. a pressure monitoring subsystem in operative communication with the fluid pressure line and the pressure sensor, the pressure monitoring subsystem having means to monitor the pressure of fluid within the fluid pressure line and adjacent the pressure sensor, wherein, the pressure monitoring subsystem generates a response signal regarding whether the pressure of fluid within the fluid pressure line with which the purging subsystem is in fluid communication-remains substantially constant at an ambient pressure or has changed, and wherein when the response signal indicates the pressure of fluid has changed, the purging subsystem is responsive to the response signal of the pressure monitoring subsystem to automatically supply a pressurized fluid that exceeds the ambient pressure for a predetermined time period after generation of the response signal that the pressure of fluid has changed.