Patent ID: 7013890

Claim:
A bronchial tube with an endobronchial Y-guide device for insertion through an endotracheal tube, and into a patient's tracheal tree, including left and right bronchi, left bronchial lumen, carina, and left bronchial space of a patient, comprising; a.) a bronchial tube; b.) Y-guide mounted at the distal end of the bronchial tube, the Y-guide defining outwardly oriented, flexible left and right arms joined to a central tube portion defining an open proximal end; c.) a flexible, polymeric, hollow stylet shaft defining distal and proximal ends built into and coextensive with the bronchial tube, the Y-guide mounted at the proximal end of the central tube portion to the distal end of the stylet; d.) biasing means between the stylet and the central tube portion of the Y-guide; e.) an enclosed reinforcement mounted along the left arm and extending along the central tube to the distal end of the bronchial tube, the reinforcement preventing distortion of the Y-guide during use; f.) an expandable cuff mounted along the left arm of the Y-guide and which at least partially surrounds the enclosed reinforcement and the left arm; whereby, i. when the bronchial tube is inserted through the endotracheal tube, the left and right arms of the Y-guide are compressed for passage therethrough; ii. when the Y-guide emerges from the endotracheal tube, the left and right arms of the Y-guide are outwardly expanded to their initial outward orientation; iii. when the expanded arms of the Y-guide are moved by the stylet into contact with the carina, the arms will separate into the respective left and right bronchi; iv. inflation of the cuff through the stylet will secure the left arm of the Y-guide to the left bronchus and isolate the left bronchial lumen from the tracheal-bronchial space, thereby opening the left bronchus to atmospheric, and enabling oxygen and anesthetic gas to be ventilated only into the right lung during surgery; and, v. upon completion of surgery, the cuff is deflated and the device is removed from the patient.