Patent ID: 8382908

Claim:
A method for removing biofilm from an interior wall of an endotracheal tube, comprising: providing a non-inflatable, mechanically-actuated cleaning device configured to remove biofilm from an interior wall of an endotracheal tube, wherein the endotracheal tube is inserted into a native airway of a patient and coupled to an external ventilator; wherein said cleaning device comprises an elongate body, a mesh scaffold, a removal member and an actuation assembly; wherein the removal member comprises an outer covering, said outer covering being positioned at least partially along an outside of the mesh scaffold; wherein the elongate body comprises a distal end, a proximal end and a longitudinal axis, wherein the mesh scaffold is positioned at the distal end of the elongate body, and wherein the removal member is coupled to the mesh scaffold; wherein the removal member comprises a smooth outer periphery; inserting the distal end of the cleaning device into the endotracheal tube while the mesh scaffold is in a collapsed position; mechanically actuating the mesh scaffold using said actuation assembly to expand said mesh scaffold from the collapsed position to an expanded position, thereby expanding the removal member to contact the biofilm; wherein the removal member comprises a rounded or curvate shape when in the expanded position; withdrawing the cleaning device from said endotracheal tube while maintaining contact between the removal member and the biofilm to dislodge said biofilm; and removing said cleaning device from the patient.