Patent ID: 7188623

Claim:
A suction catheter assembly for connection to an endotracheal tube for treating a patient comprising: a suction control valve assembly; an elongated catheter tube connected at one end to said suction control valve assembly; a manifold including a first arm including a fitting for connection to said endotracheal tube, a second arm for connection to a ventilating device and a hollow boss substantially aligned with said first arm and including a bore receiving one end of a seal support body releasably connected to said manifold at said boss, said seal support body including a bore for receiving a catheter tube seal and a spacer for supporting said catheter tube seal within said bore and said seal support body including passage means allowing passage of said catheter tube therethrough and through said first arm for insertion into said endotracheal tube; an elongated flexible sheath interconnecting said suction control valve assembly and said seal support body and forming an enclosed space for extension of said catheter tube therethrough, said sheath being flexible and collapsible for extending said suction control valve assembly toward said manifold to insert said catheter tube through said endotracheal tube; a cylindrical tubular fluid filter supported in said bore in said seal support body and allowing fluid flow communication between said space of said sheath and ambient atmosphere; and at least one of said seal support body, said catheter tube, said filter and said sheath is at least one of coated with and impregnated with an antimicrobial agent.