Patent ID: 8424534

Claim:
A method for positioning a tracheostomy tube across a stoma formed in the tracheal wall of a patient, comprising: providing a loading dilator for carrying the tracheostomy tube, the loading dilator comprising an elongated dilator body having a distal end, a distal tip of said distal end being tapered for facilitating entry into said stoma, said dilator body having a curve along a distal portion thereof and having an inflatable balloon disposed along said curved distal portion, said inflatable balloon having a proximal end and a distal end, and being inflatable to a diameter such that a distal taper may be formed between the elongated dilator body and a leading end of the tracheostomy tube when the tracheostomy tube is fit over the loading dilator; loading the tracheostomy tube onto the loading dilator, and positioning the tracheostomy tube thereon such that a portion of the balloon distal end extends distally beyond a leading end of the tracheostomy tube; inflating the balloon such that the extending balloon distal end portion provides a distally-directed taper between an outer diameter of the loading dilator and the tracheostomy tube leading end; inserting the distal end of the elongated dilator body across the stoma formed in the tracheal wall; and axially advancing the loading dilator and tracheostomy tube leading end through the stoma, with the balloon in the inflated condition, such that a portion of the tracheostomy tube lies across the stoma.