Patent ID: 8413659

Claim:
A system comprising: a tracheal tube defining a passageway for transferring gas to a patient's lungs, the tracheal tube comprising: a distal end portion having a distal inner diameter and a distal outer diameter; an intermediate portion having a double-layered structure connected to the distal end portion, the intermediate portion having an intermediate inner diameter defined by an inner layer of the double-layered structure, wherein the inner layer forms a portion of the passageway for transferring gas to the patient's lungs, and an intermediate outer diameter defined by an outer layer of the double-layered structure, the inner layer and the outer layer having a gap therebetween and being coupled to one another by a plurality of connecting members, and wherein the connecting members are perforated to allow gas to flow inside the gap; and a proximal end portion connected to the intermediate portion and having a proximal inner diameter and a proximal outer diameter, wherein the distal end portion, the intermediate portion, and the proximal end portion are in fluid communication with one another, and wherein the intermediate portion is adapted to change both the intermediate inner diameter and the intermediate outer diameter relative to the distal inner diameter and the distal outer diameter and relative to the proximal inner diameter and proximal outer diameter to allow the intermediate outer diameter to contact the patient's tracheal walls; and a medical device adapted to be operatively coupled to the tracheal tube and being configured to: increase pressure to the gap of the intermediate portion to expand the intermediate inner diameter and the intermediate outer diameter during a period of patient expiration; and decrease pressure to the gap of the intermediate portion to contract the intermediate inner diameter and the intermediate outer diameter during a period of patient inspiration.