Catheter for cleaning of tracheal ventilation tubes

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to medical suction catheter devices, and specifically to catheter devices for aspiration of trachea-bronchial secretions and/or cleaning of tracheal ventilation tubes. Embodiments of the invention disclose an apparatus for use with a tracheal ventilation tube and/or a ventilator. In some embodiments, the apparatus comprises a cleaning catheter and a manifold. Related methods are also disclosed herein.

1 . An apparatus for use with a tracheal ventilation tube and a ventilator, the apparatus comprising:
 a cleaning catheter comprising an elongate tube and an expandable element mounted to the elongate tube, the expandable element being expandable into contact with an inner surface of the tracheal ventilation tube; and   a manifold comprising a tubular chamber configured to allow passage therethrough of the cleaning catheter, a ventilator port disposed in a lateral wall of the tubular chamber and configured to be coupled in fluid communication with the ventilator, a tracheal ventilation tube port configured to be coupled in fluid communication with a proximal end of the tracheal ventilation tube, and an obstruction element operable to move with respect to the ventilator port and the expandable element, the obstruction element configured to assume an obstruction state in which the obstruction element inhibits air flow between the ventilator port and the tubular chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the obstruction element comprises an open-ended tube having a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the open-ended tube is disposed within the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the open-ended tube is longitudinally-slidably disposed within the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the tracheal ventilation tube port has a first inner perimeter and a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the open-ended tube, and wherein the open-ended tube has a second inner perimeter which is less than 90% of the first inner perimeter, such that proximal withdrawal of the expandable element, while the expandable element is expanded, pushes the open-ended tube proximally, thereby automatically transitioning the obstruction element out of the obstruction state. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the tracheal ventilation tube port has a first inner perimeter and a longitudinal axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the open-ended tube, and wherein the open-ended tube has a second inner perimeter which is more than 90% of the first inner perimeter, such that the expandable element slides into the open-ended tube during proximal withdrawal of the expandable element while the expandable element is expanded. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the manifold is shaped so as to define a lateral extension, at least a portion of which longitudinally overlaps the ventilator port, and   wherein the manifold is configured such that when the obstruction element is in the obstruction state, the open-ended tube is coaxial with the tracheal ventilation tube port.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the obstruction element is configured to assume an open state, in which the open-ended tube is non-coaxial with the tracheal ventilation tube port, and is disposed at least partially within the lateral extension, so as to allow air flow between the ventilator port and the tracheal ventilation tube, at least when the expandable element is disposed proximally to the ventilator port. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the manifold comprises a user-control handle, which is fixed to the open-ended tube and extends outside of the tubular chamber, and is configured to laterally move the open-ended tube into and out of the lateral extension. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the open-ended tube is rotatably disposed within the tubular chamber, and wherein a wall of the open-ended tube is shaped so as to define a lateral fenestration, which, when the obstruction element is in the obstruction state, is not rotationally aligned with the ventilator port, so as to inhibit the air flow between the ventilator port and the at least a portion of a proximally-facing external surface of the expandable element. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the obstruction element is configured to assume an open state, in which state the obstruction element is rotationally aligned with the ventilator port, so as to allow air flow between the ventilator port and the tracheal ventilation tube via the fenestration and the tubular chamber, at least when the expandable element is disposed proximally to the ventilator port. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the manifold comprises a user-control handle, which is fixed to the open-ended tube and extends outside of the tubular chamber, and is configured to rotate the open-ended tube within the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the manifold is configured such that proximal withdrawal of the expandable element while the expandable element is expanded automatically transitions the obstruction element out of the obstruction state. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the obstruction element is configured to assume an open state, in which state the obstruction element allows air flow between the ventilator port and the tracheal ventilation tube via the tubular chamber, at least when the expandable element is disposed proximally to the ventilator port, and
 wherein proximal withdrawal of the expandable element, while the expandable element is expanded, automatically transitions the obstruction element out of the obstruction state into the open state.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the obstruction element is configured to assume an open state, in which state the obstruction element allows air flow between the ventilator port and the tracheal ventilation tube via the tubular chamber, at least when the expandable element is disposed proximally to the ventilator port, and
 the obstruction element, when in the obstruction state in at least some positions with respect to the ventilator port, is also in a partially-open state, in which state the obstruction element allows a lower level of the air flow between the ventilator port and the tracheal ventilation tube than when the obstruction element is in the open state.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the obstruction element comprises an arcuate portion of a cylindrical tube having a longitudinal axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the arcuate portion is longitudinally-slidably disposed within the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the manifold comprises a user-control handle, which is fixed to the arcuate portion and extends outside of the tubular chamber, and is configured to longitudinally slide the arcuate portion within the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the obstruction element comprises a flap disposed within the tubular chamber and attached to the lateral wall of the tubular chamber. 
     
     
         20 . A method for use with a tracheal ventilation tube and a ventilator, the method comprising:
 coupling, in fluid communication with a proximal end of the tracheal ventilation tube, a tracheal ventilation tube port of a manifold;   coupling, in fluid communication with the ventilator, a ventilator port in a lateral wall of a tubular chamber of the manifold, wherein the manifold comprises an obstruction element, which is (a) moveable with respect to (i) the ventilator port and (ii) an expandable element, and (b) configured to assume a plurality of states;   advancing a cleaning catheter through a proximal-end inlet of the tubular chamber and into the tracheal ventilation tube inserted in a trachea of a patient, which cleaning catheter comprises an elongate tube and an expandable element, which is mounted to the elongate tube;   expanding the expandable element into contact with an inner surface of the tracheal ventilation tube;   transitioning the obstruction element to an obstruction state of the plurality of the states, in which state the obstruction element, at least during proximal withdrawal of the expandable element past the ventilator port while the expandable element is expanded, inhibits air flow between the ventilator port and at least a portion of a proximally-facing external surface of the expandable element; and   proximally withdrawing the expandable element past the ventilator port while the expandable element is expanded.